Newslink April

Area News
Local meeting helps Swindon ADIs get to
grips with where the DVSA’s heading
Arthur Mynott
West and Wales
Back in December I was put in touch
with Sandra, an ADI from Swindon who
wanted a meeting between local ADIs
and the DVSA. After many emails
between Sandra, the DVSA’s Darren
Russell and myself, this meeting took
place on Wednesday, March 1.
There were five personnel present from
the DVSA: Darren Russell, DVSA Deputy
Registrar, Leigh Dorrington, ADI
Examiner, Phil Smith LDTM, and Alison
and Barney, two local examiners based in
Swindon. They were joined by around
30 ADIs, all of whom enjoyed a
presentation by Darren about the future
of the DVSA, examiner recruitment and
mock tests, among other issues. He and
the other DVSA staff answered many
questions from the audience and
addressed any concerns they had.
This was a very useful and informative
meeting that I was pleased to have been
asked to organise.
If any other ADI groups would like
similar meetings I would be more than
happy to help, just contact me via my
details below.
In last month’s Newslink I wrote about
my concerns regarding the speed of the
vehicles travelling through my village,
and how I was going to take them to the
Parish Council meeting to discuss this
with them.
The outcome of that meeting is that
the Parish Council has agreed to buy and
install a couple of SIDs (Speed Indicator
Devices) and will speak to the county
council and police about funding for
these, as they cost around £3,000 each.
They will also consult the authorities
on the matter of reducing the speed limit
throughout all the village from the
present 30mph down to 20mph.
These changes will take a few months
to arrange but at least everything is set in
motion.
I first raised this issue last year on our
village Facebook community page and it
shows that when social media is used
correctly, it can have positive results.
We have now had our National
Conference, details of which are in this
issue of Newslink. It was again held via
the Zoom platform but hopefully it will be
back to the original format next year, as
it was pre-Covid.
You should all know by now that the
original Western Area has amalgamated
with the areas previously known as West
Midlands, the North West and South
Wales, and now make up one big area
which will be called ‘West Coast &
Wales’. I have been elected as Chairman
of this new area, with a Deputy
Chairman covering the northern part. I’m
delighted to introduce Chris Truesdale as
the person who will be covering that
Northern part of the area, after he took
over from Graham Clayton, the previous
MSA GB North West Chairman. We will
be working together to provide various
events to our members,
Please get in touch with either of us if
you have any suggestions or questions or
want to know details of any meetings,
etc; remember, we are here to help.
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates from your area, you can
contact Arthur on 07989 852274 or
arthur.mynott@msagb.com
CALLING ALL ADI GROUPS
Are you a member of an ADI Group and would like to
work more closely with MSA GB?
We are compiling a database of local instructor groups
and associations, and will publish this list in future issues
of Newslink. If you would like to publicise your group in
this publication, including contact details and when you
hold meetings, let MSA GB know, by contacting us at:
info@msagb.com
CONTACT
To contact Chris Truesdale, West &
Wales Deputy Chairman, you can
reach him on
E: arc.angel@live.co.uk
T: 07803 580885
38 NEWSLINK n APRIL 2023