Newslink September 2023

msagb.com 

Newslink 

Issue 368 • September 2023 

The Voice of MSA GB 

The shape 

of things 

to come...? 

Should ADIs be 

wary of ULEZ? 

We work for all Driver Trainers. Want to join? SAVE £25 – see pg 39 for special offer

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com 

Wales’s experiment with a 

nationwide 20mph limit could be 

another sign of things to come 

Colin Lilly 

Editor, 


On September 17 new legislation will come 

into force in Wales that will reduce the speed 

limit on most urban residential roads from 

30mph down to 20mph. 

Many towns and cities around the UK have 

experienced the introduction of 20mph limits 

on some areas. When this has happened 

driver trainers have adapted their lessons to 

provide as wide a range of experience to their 

clients as possible. However, this is the first 

time that it has happened on a nationwide 

scale. 

Whatever affects driver training will affect 

driving tests in turn. So, from Bridgend to 

Bangor, driving tests will have to adapt to 

meet the requirements of an approved test. 

Now many of you will be thinking how will 

this affect me if I do not operate in Wales? 

Well, it is worth bearing in mind that in 2025 

Scotland is planning to introduce the same 

legislation. If the schemes prove to be 

successful, it is not beyond the bounds of 

possibility that England will follow suit. 

It is estimated that the scheme will save 

six to ten lives a year and 1,200 to 2,000 

injuries a year. This is based on studies made 

following the introduction of widespread 

20mph zones in London, Hull and Bristol. 

To say not everyone is in favour of the 

scheme is an understatement. Even now, 

with just weeks to go, petitions are being 

organised and drivers are displaying large red 

ribbons on the grill of their cars, the 

significance of the red ribbons is a link to the 

man with the red flag during the early days of 

motoring. 

It is unlikely that these protests will change 

plans, however, as the Welsh Government 

has already invested £60 million into the 

scheme, including £26 million on signage. 

I would like to ask members in Wales 

whether they are for, against or just 

accepting this plan, to share your experiences 

with Newslink. 

n Have your lessons had to be extended in 

duration? 

n Has your lesson mileage increased? 

n Has the travel time between lessons 

been affected? 

n Have your lesson prices been affected? 

n Have your pupils experienced bullying 

from non-compliant drivers? Experience has 

shown it will happen. 

n How have your pupils adapted to the 

change of environment? 

n If you have pupils who have taken a 

driving test, have the routes changed 

significantly? 

n Has the test duration been affected? 

If you have any experiences to share, 

please e-mail them to editor@msagb.com. 

One of the benefits of any association is a 

sharing of experience. 

Welcome to your 

digital, interactive 


See a pale blue box in any article or 

on an advert? It it contains a web 

address or email, it’s interactive. Just 

click and it will take you to the 

appropriate web page or email so you 

can find more details easier. 

You’ll also find these panels across 

the magazine: just click for more 

information on any given subject. 

To get the 

full story, 

click here 

How to access this 

magazine 

You can read Newslink in three ways: 

Go online and read the interactive 

magazine on the Yumpu website; or, 

if you would like to read it when you 

don’t have a mobile signal or WiFi, 

you can download the magazine to 

your tablet, PC or phone to read at 

your leisure. Alternatively, a pdf can 

be found on the MSA GB website, at 

www.msagb.com 

Follow the link 

MSA GB sends 

you to access 

Newslink, 

and then just 

click Download 

(circled above) 

to save a copy 

on your device 

MSA GB Annual Conference 2024: 

Prices and venue announced 

Time to get the 

weekend cleared.... 

Venue and pricing 

details released. 

See pg 6 and full prices, 

on pg 24 

COVER STORY 

While London 

argues over ULEZ, 

ADIs ask what is 

it’s likely impact 

on me – and is 

there a good news 

story lurking 

behind the media 

storm? - pg 12 & 20 

NEWSLINK n SEPTEMBER 2023 03

Inside 

18 

State of 

the ADI 

nation 14 

Top 10 L-test 

fails revealed 

MSA GB Conference venue 

and prices confirmed 

It will be a case of all roads lead to 

Telford in March next year as the 

Shropshire town hosts the MSA GB 

Annual Conference – pg 6 & 24 

Lou Walsh 

MSA GB pays tribute to Lou Walsh, 

the driving force behind the Big 

Learner Relay – pg 10 

36 

Clean Air Zone rows – and 

success stories 

Bath is breathing easier thanks to its 

Clean Air Zone – so is the row over 

London’s ULEZ misplaced? 

– pg 12 & 20 

Getting the basics right 

Steve Garrod on laying solid 

foundations – and why it will help 

nail a test pass – pg 22 

10 

Life as an ADI revealed in 

DVSA survey 

Rise in autos, more backache but 

hourly rates rising... the secrets of the 

ADI world revealed in DVSA survey 

– pg 14 

Anything you can do... 

Montrose’s drivers volunteer to take 

their L-tests again, with some 

surprising results – pg 36 


The Voice of MSA GB 

The Motor Schools Association 

of Great Britain Ltd 

Head Office: 

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White Colne, Colchester, 

Essex CO6 2QB 

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E: info@msagb.com 

Newslink is published monthly on behalf of the MSA GB and 

distributed to members and selected recently qualified ADIs 

throughout Great Britain by: 

Chamber Media Services, 

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Cheshire SK7 3AG 

Editorial/Production: Rob Beswick 

e: rob@chambermediaservices.co.uk 

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Views expressed in Newslink are not necessarily those of the MSA 

GB or the publishers. 

Although every effort is made 

to ensure the accuracy of 

material contained within 

this publication, neither MSA 

GB nor the publishers can 

accept any responsibility for 

the veracity of claims made 

by contributors in either 

advertising or editorial content. 

©2023 The Motor Schools 

Association of Great Britain 

Ltd. Reproducing in whole 

or part is forbidden without 

express permission of the 

editor. 

04 NEWSLINK n SEPTEMBER 2023


MSA GB Board 

of Management 

National Chairman & 

Area 2 - East Coast Chair 

Mike Yeomans 

7 Oak Avenue, Elloughton, 

Brough HU15 1LA 

T: 07772 757529 

E: mike.yeomans@msagb.com 

AREA 1 

Vice Chairman 

Peter Harvey MBE 

T: 01505 814823 

E: peter.harveymbe@msagb.com 

Area 1 – Scotland & 

Northern Ireland 

Chair: Steven Porter 

18 Heron Place, Johnstone 

PA5 0RW 

T: 01505 345372 or 

07747 600672 

E: steven.porter@msagb.com 

Area 3 – London & South East 

Chair: Tom Kwok 

52B Sutton Road, Muswell Hill, 

London N10 1HE 

07956 269922 

E: tom.kwok@msagb.com 

How MSA GB 

is organised, in 

four AREAS 

AREA 4 

AREA 2 

AREA 3 

Area 4 – West Coast & Wales 

Chair: Arthur Mynott 

9 Hagleys Green, Crowcombe, 

Taunton TA4 4AH 

T: 01984 618858 

E: arthur.mynott@msagb.com 

Keep in touch 

If you have updated your address, telephone numbers or 

changed your email address recently, please let us know 

at head office by emailing us with your new details and 

membership number to info@msagb.com. 

If you can’t find your membership number, give us a ring 

on 01787 221020. 

Follow MSA GB on social media 

Just click on the icon to go 

through to the relevant site 


MSA GB News 

Telford to host MSA GB Conference 2024 

We’re delighted to announce that our MSA 

GB Annual Conference 2024, from 22-23 

March, will take place at the stunning Telford 

Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in Shropshire. 

Set in rural surroundings, this modern 

resort will allow delegates to enjoy the 

conference proceedings in an idyllic setting 

overlooking the iconic UNESCO World 

Heritage Site of Ironbridge Gorge, nestled 

amid acres of gorgeous Severn Valley. 

While we have made sure that the 

conference programme is filled with topical 

sessions on contemporary driver training and 

testing issues, lively debate and the chance 

to network, there’ll also be plenty of 

opportunities to make the most of the hotel 

amenities, as delegates get to enjoy FREE 

access to the hotel sauna, gym, pool and 

other leisure facilities. Details will be provided 

closer to the conference. 

Delegates will also be able to take 

advantage of a reduced rate to relax at the 

spa, or if you prefer to do your networking 

away from the conference hall, we’ve also 

secured a discount for the hotel golf course. 

Thinking of making a weekend of it and 

want to bring the family? The Telford Hotel, 

Spa & Golf Resort provide the perfect blend 

of grown-up relaxation and kid-friendly fun, 

with a special children’s menu and dedicated 

family swimming times. 

You can find full details of the conference 

ticket packages in our members’ section, 

from pg 24. 

You can book your place at: https:// 

msagb.com/msa-gb-national-conference/ 

Please note all bookings for the spa and 

golf course will need to be made with the 

hotel directly. 

Have you signed up yet? Get the 

edge with a listing on our directory 

Have you signed up to the MSA GB’s free 

online ‘Find My Local MSA GB Instructor 

Directory’? 

The Directory has only been open to 

members in the Member Area for a matter of 

weeks, but already we’ve had plenty of 

members sign up. 

Remember, in the competitive driver 

training sphere, this is a great way to raise 

your profile in your local area and also 

highlight any specialist teaching skills that 

you may have. 

With a presence on the MSA GB App and 

website once live, the directory will be easily 

accessible by the public, who can use our 

simple search engine to source a driving 

instructor in their local area, who suits their 

learning needs. 

For MSA GB members it couldn’t be simpler 

to input your details. To upload your profile 

onto the directory, all you need to do is: 

Log into the Member Area 

n Look to the left of the page and scroll 

down until you see three blue arrow tabs. 

n Click on the tab – ‘Add Directory listing’ 

And that’s it! 

More on MSA GB member benefits: 

see our membership section, from 

Page 24 

Discounted training for 

standards checks 

MSA GB East Coast has made arrangements 

for members to access discounted 

standards check training sessions with the 

award-winning Knowledgeable Instructor 

Training (KIT), on the following dates. 

n 9th October: The Towers, Botany Avenue, 

Mansfield NG18 5NG 

n 20th October: Huddersfield, tbc 

n 20th November: Southend, tbc 

n 21st November: Shelford Rugby Club, The 

Davey Field, Cambridge Rd, Great Shelford, 

Cambridge CB22 5JJ 

n 1st December: Pontefract, The Hut 

Kershaw Avenue, Castleford 

All sessions are 8.45am – 4.30pm 

The usual cost of these workshops is 

£115, however, a £16 deduction (£99) will 

apply to MSA GB Members. 

The venues for some of events are still to 

be confirmed, however, please put these 

dates in your diary; you will be able to book 

on them as soon as the venues are 

confirmed. We will advertise further details 

as soon as they become available. 

Please book this directly 

through the KIT website 

using the code MSA-16. 

Click HERE to book. 



Alcosense takes guesswork out 

of residual alcohol in your system 

MSA GB MEMBERS’ OFFER 

There were 260 deaths on Britain’s roads in 

2021 where a motorist was over the drinkdrive 

limit – an alarming increase of 18 per 

cent over the previous year and the highest 

since 2009. Drunk drivers accounted for 17 

per cent of all road deaths. 

But what these figures don’t tell you of 

course, says Hunter Abbott, MD of personal 

breathalyser firm AlcoSense, “is how many 

more casualties were caused by ‘lethal but 

legal’ drivers – above the point of intoxication 

where effects on cognitive function occur, 

but below the official drink drive limit.” 

“It’s far easier than you think to be under 

the influence the morning after a few drinks 

the night before. This is where a personal 

breathalyser comes into its own. It takes the 

guesswork out of whether there’s residual 

alcohol in your system,” he adds. 

To help our members protect themselves 

and their pupils, MSA GB has teamed up with 

AlcoSense, the award-winning range of 

personal breathalysers, to offer an exclusive 

discount to all MSA GB members. 

A personal breathalyser takes the 


alcohol in your system (or that of your 

learner driver pupil) the morning after the 

night before. 

The discount gives 10% off any AlcoSense 

product (excluding single-use disposables) 

– from the entry-level Lite 2 (£44.99) to the 

top-of-the-range Ultra (£249.00). 

To find out how you can take advantage of 

this exclusive discount, head over to the MSA 

GB member area at www.msagb.com to find 

out more. 

Did you know... 

...that one of the reasons why drinkdriving 

deaths are so high in the UK could 

be because too many people don’t think 

they will ever be breathalysed, so take a 

chance and drink and drive? 

Stats show that you are 20 times less 

likely to be breathalysed in the UK than in 

our nearest European neighbours. In 

France, the police breath-tested 109 

drivers per 1,000 drivers, while in Spain 

it’s 96. In Austria it is even more 

stringent, with 155 tests per 1,000 

population, and in Portugal, it’s 160. 

But these figures pale into insignificance 

compared to Estonia, where the figure is 

576 per 1,000 – meaning over half the 

population tested every year. 

In the UK it is a paltry FIVE drivers per 

1,000. 

No wonder, then, that so many drivers 

think they can take a risk and get away 

with drink-driving. 

Are random breath tests needed? 


News 

DTC update: Classic Blackpool 

hotel to stay on as test centre 

Highway Code 

available in Welsh 

The latest version of The Highway Code in 

Welsh is now available to buy in print in shops 

and online, or from our official supplier on the 

Safe Driving for Life website. 

You can also access The Highway Code in 

Welsh digitally on GOV.UK. 

Rheolau’r Ffordd 

Fawr nawr ar gael 

yn Gymraeg 

Mae Rheolau’r Ffordd Fawr ar gael i’w brynu 

yn Gymraeg 

Mae’r fersiwn diweddaraf o Reolau’r Ffordd 

Fawr ar gael i’w brynu o wefan Gyrru’n 

Ddiogel am Oes neu fel e-lyfr gan 

fanwerthwyr ar-lein. Gallwch gyrchu 

Rheolau’r Ffordd Fawr yn Gymraeg yn 

ddigidol ar wefan GOV.UK. 

Blackpool driving test centre: relocation 

The DVSA has announced that it will 

continue to use Norbreck Castle Hotel for all 

tests after the lease at Blackpool DTC 

expired, with the hotel being its base in the 

town until the start of 2024. 

All car tests, ADI and standard checks until 

Sunday, December 31 will now take place 

from the Lancastria Suite, Rear of Norbreck 

Castle Hotel, Queen’s Promenade, Norbreck, 

Blackpool FY2 9AA. 

Upon arrival, ADIs are reminded that they 

will need to enter their vehicle registration on 

the keypad provided to avoid a parking 

charge. The hotel has toilet facilities available. 

The DVSA will be contacting candidates to 

make them aware of the changes. However, 

if you have booked a test on behalf of your 

pupil, please let them know. 

Last month the DVSA announced that it was 

working directly with several vehicle 

manufacturers to provide motorists with 

more up-to-date safety recall information. 

The first two improvements to the MOT 

testing service and MOT certificate have now 

gone live with further improvements to help 

motorists be more aware of vehicle safety 

recalls. 

These will appear on: 

n The ‘check the MOT history of a vehicle’ 

service - which will include a prompt to users 

Birmingham Kingstanding DTC 

Complaints have been raised by local 

residents regarding local ADIs obstructing 

driveways and junctions unnecessarily on 

Birdbrook Road and Rodlington Avenue. 

Please can you be considerate to local 

neighbours when attending/leaving 

Birmingham Kingstanding driving test centre 

(DTC). 

Please only use the car park if you are 

attending a driving test and only come into 

the test centre 10 minutes prior to their test. 

If you are hoping to familiarise yourself 

with the area, you can view the car park and 

it’s layout by using an online street view. 

This will help avoid any disruption to tests 

as well as supporting the local residents. 

Local ADIs’ co-operation in this regard 

would be greatly appreciated. 

Vehicle safety recalls: digital service 

improvements 

when a vehicle registration entered has an 

outstanding recall on it. 

n MOT reminders – subscribers will now 

receive a prompt if their vehicle has an 

outstanding recall when they receive their 

MOT reminder. 

Recalls information from manufacturers 

who are not yet supplying data direct to 

DVSA will continue to be updated by SMMT 

and can be checked using the vehicle recall 

service. 

Scottish ADIs offered free training on electric cars 

Are you based in Scotland and interested in 

learning more about electric vehicles (EVs)? 

The Energy Saving Trust is offering 

one-to-one EV training sessions for 

instructors in Scotland who are considering 

making the switch to electric. 

What do the sessions involve? 

Each session will last for 40 minutes. They’ll 

be delivered one-on-one by an advanced 

driving instructor and will cover the following: 

n The key features of driving an electric 

vehicle 

n The basics of charging an electric vehicle 

n Efficient driving tips that can be taught 

to learner drivers 

n Differences between internal 

combustion engine vehicles and electric 

vehicles 

n How to extend battery range through 

regenerative braking 

In addition you’ll be given access to a 

recorded virtual session which will give you 

more information, including on the types of 

EVs currently available and the benefits of 

switching to an EV. 

Please find more information and a link to 

our booking on the Energy Saving Trust 

website, at https://energysavingtrust.org. 

uk. 

Please note that saces are limited and 

allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. 

Attendees will also have the opportunity to 

learn about the interest-free electric vehicle 

loan, which offers instructors in Scotland up 

to £30,000 to cover the cost of purchasing a 

new pure electric vehicle. 

• This is funded by Transport Scotland 


News 

Obituary 

Lou Walsh: A beacon of light, an inspirational 

character, and a great friend to ADIs everywhere 

Louise Walsh, ADI and organiser of 

the Big Learner Relay for BBC’s 

Children in Need, died last month. 

Here MSA GB pays tribute to a 

remarkable woman 

Many MSA GB members will have been 

saddened by the news that Hampshirebased 

ADI Louise Walsh - known to all as Lou 

– died on 25th August, after suffering from a 

brain haemorrhage. She was just 50 years 

old. 

Lou was a renowned ADI in her part of the 

world, with an excellent track record of 

teaching driving to all, as well as inspiring and 

guiding scores of would-be instructors 

through their ADI qualifications. 

However, it will be her work organising the 

Big Learner Relay for Children in Need that 

she will be best remembered. 

Many will recall that when the event was 

held last year Lou announced that this year’s 

would be its final one, and she encouraged 

everyone to get involved and see it off in 

style as it reached its 10th anniversary. 

Sadly that wasn’t to be, and unsurprisingly, 

the planned BLR for later this year has been 

cancelled. 

Lou was the ideal person to take on 

something as challenging as co-ordinating 

hundreds of ADIs to raise cash for Children in 

Need. She was a warm, fun, bubbly character 

with a big heart and giving nature. Every time 

she contacted MSA GB to ask us to plug the 

BLR we did so willingly; she was so 

enthusiastic about the cause, she was a hard 

woman to turn down. Her goal was one we 

could all do with emulating; she wanted to 

make the world a better place, and saw the 

BLR as the ideal vehicle to do so. 

Over the years the ADI relay raised 

hundreds of thousands for the popular BBC 

charity. It saw ADIs holding a ‘normal’ lesson 

with a pupil while carrying the unique Big 

Learner Relay headerboard, often in cars 

festooned in Pudsey figures and spots, 

passing on the headerboard to the next ADI in 

the chain at the end of the lesson. It started 

in the far north of Scotland, finishing in the 

south-east of England with a giant rally of 

participating instructors at a race track. The 

Lou, with Pudsey from BBC’s Children in Need. 

party that wrapped things up afterwards was 

always memorable! 

Last year saw 142 instructors act as lead 

car instructor, stopping at 154 locations over 

the 13 days. 64 cars took part in the grand 

finale rally at Goodwood Motor circuit. 

A highlight for Lou was when she received 

a note from the then Prime Minister, Theresa 

May, in praise of her efforts. Mrs May wrote: 

“By founding The Big Learner Relay you have 

not only raised £250,000 in vital support for 

disadvantaged children, but also created a 

vibrant community of volunteers. 

“You should feel an extraordinary sense of 

achievement in co-ordinating a relay that 

covers over 3,000 miles in 15 days, and for 

bringing together people from all corners of 

the UK for an entertaining fundraising event.” 

Other members of the driver training and 

testing community have paid tribute. MSA GB 

said: “For all those who had the pleasure and 

privilege of meeting her (and working with 

her), Lou was an inspirational trainer, 

passionate and dedicated to both supporting 

and improving the training of drivers and 

driver trainers, as well as improving road 

safety overall.” 

President of the ADINJC, Lynne Barrie, 

posted this tribute: “I am deeply saddened to 

hear the tragic news of the passing of Louise 

Walsh. She was always smiling and bringing 

joy to people. She was an excellent trainer 

and always wanted to help people. Her 

dedication and hard work with the Big 

Learner Relay will be remembered forever. 

She managed to get PDIs and ADIs working 

together for a great cause. 

“Rest in peace Louise, you were an 

inspirational lady and we will never forget 

you.” 

Lou Walsh will be remembered as a leading 

light in the driver training industry. She was 

an excellent driver trainer but she was so 

much than that: Lou was someone who left a 

powerful legacy that one person can make a 

difference to the lives of many others. 

MSA GB sends its deepest condolences to 

her husband Blaine, her children and wider 

family at this difficult time. 

Louise Walsh, 1973-2023. RIP 



Lou’s legacy: The ADI community 

coming together in a common cause 

The 2022 Big Learner Relay final rally, at 

Goodwood Motor Circuit in Sussex 

The organisers of the Big Learner 

Relay posted this message: 

There will be no relay, grand finale, or 

party this year. Amy will refund any 

ticket purchases over the coming 

weeks. However, what we do want is to 

honour Lou through her passion to 

raise as much money as possible. This 

year is no different. The BLR shop is 

full of wonderful merchandise that 

can be found under the ‘Shop’ tab. 

Although there will be no Relay we are 

sure she would like you all to ‘go 

spotty’, wear your merchandise and 

pull out all the stops to raise cash. Get 

those spots sponsored, wear your 

hoodies and fly your flags in support 

of her, or host an event in her name, 

for Children in Need. 

Lou was adamant that BLR was not 

about her but was about all of you. 

She loved you all for your ongoing 

commitment to her crazy idea that 

began 10 years ago. 

To support this, see 

https://www.biglearnerrelay.co.uk 


News 

Bath: A Clean Air Zone 

success story 

Colin Lilly 

Editor 

MSA GB Newslink 

As you will have read in the papers and online, 

and watched on the TV news, the expansions 

of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) 

has provoked more than a little controversy 

and party political posturing. 

We are running a comment piece on page 

22 of this issue which looks at the London 

situation in more depth, and asks the 

important question of ‘what impact could this 

have on ADis?’ 

However, here I’d like to look at another 

clean air zone that has been introduced with 

less fuss and media spotlight, which happens 

to be in my West Country patch: Bath. 

The historic city of Bath introduced its low 

emission or clean air zone (CAZ) in March 

2021, becoming the first city outside London 

to do so in the process. The area covered by 

the zone has two major roads passing 

through it, the A4 and A36 

When driving through the zone, noncompliant 

taxis and vans must pay £9 a day, 

while the charge for lorries and buses is £100. 

Under this scheme, and different to London’s, 

all private cars and motorcycles are exempt 

of charge. 

Recently a report published by Bath and 

North East Somerset Council (BANES) on the 

effectiveness of the scheme showed there 

had been a 26 per cent reduction in nitrogen 

dioxide, a pollutant from vehicle exhausts, 

since its introduction. 

When air was tested, all 65 of the council’s 

Bath monitoring stations now meets legal 

standards. However, before the CAZ was 

introduced, 12 places across the city recorded 

illegal levels of pollution. This is based on 

results from measurements in May 2023. 

The CAZ has also had an effect of the 

vehicles entering the zone. When it was first 

introduced, 6% of vehicles were noncompliant. 

That has fallen to 1% currently, 

representing just under 500 vehicles a day. 

Non-empirical evidence from local 

residents describes a sense that the air is 

cleaner and there is less heavy traffic in the 

city. 

One question often asked about these 

schemes is, what happens to the money. The 

charges and fines paid by drivers pass first to 

central government to administer, using a 

portion to help run clean air zones 

nationwide. 

The remainder is returned to the local 

council. Bath and North East Somerset 

received nearly £10m as a result of the 

scheme between March 2021 and May 2023. 

The money must be spent on transport 

projects, including financial assistance for 

owners of polluting vehicles, helping to pay 

for 938 to be replaced or upgraded by the end 

of 2022. 

If these results can be obtained by current 

vehicles what could be achieved if all vehicles 

including cars were compliant. 

Speed limit dilemma as Wales looks to 20mph 

New statistics show that half of drivers 

exceeded the speed limit in 30mph zones in 

2022 – just as 20pmh zones become the 

default limit in urban Wales. 

The Government statistics measure speed 

and compliance at sites where the road 

conditions are ‘free flowing’ – for example, 

roads with no junctions, hills, sharp bends, 

speed enforcement cameras or other traffic 

calming measures. 

They show that 50% of car drivers 

exceeded 30mph limits in 2022, compared to 

51% the previous year. 

Of those who exceeded the limit, 17% did 

so by more than 5mph. The DfT data also 

shows that 45% of drivers exceeded the 

speed limit on motorways in 2022 – 

compared to 48% in 2021 and 53% in 2020. 

Meanwhile on National Speed Limit (NSL) 

single carriageways, the figure for 2022 was 

11% – the same as in 2021. 

The statistics come as Wales gears up for a 

major revolution in its speed limits, with 

20mph becoming the default limit on most of 

its urban roads. 

With motorists ignoring 30mph limits, the 

Welsh Government said it highlighted why 

more needed to be done to make roads safer 

– and reducing urban speeds would do just 

that. “Our plan for reducing speed limits will 

reduce collisions and saves lives,” a 

spokesperson said. 

“ Public Health Wales believe that lowering 

the default speed limit to 20mph could have 

substantial health benefits. 20mph will 

reduce the risk of collisions, help people feel 

safer and benefit people’s physical and 

mental well-being. ” 

A recent public health study estimated that 

the 20mph default speed limit could result in: 

n 40% fewer collisions 

n saving 6 to 10 lives every year; 

n avoiding 1200 to 2000 people being 

injured every year. 

However, MSA GB remains concerned that 

little or no work has been done on the impact 

this lower limit will have on driver training and 

testing. 

“We are still to see any analysis on how this 

will affect ADIs, pupils and tests,” MSA GB 

said. “For instance, will all driving test centres 

stay open or will tests have to be moved, 

because examiners find it impossible to get 

candidates on to faster roads during the time 

allotted for the test? 

“We have had little or no advice on this; we 

think our members in Wales are being left 

short-changed as the Government ignores 

the issues that this policy – laudable as it is 

– are creating.” 

More on the new law, plus a guide to where it 

will be in use: See https://www.gov. 

wales/20mph-speed-limits 



Government needs 

to get its skates on 

over e-scooters 

Colin Lilly 

Local authorities are becoming increasingly 

frustrated by the lack of a Government 

decision on the use of e-scooters on our 

roads. Outside the specially set up trials, 

e-scooters are not legally recognised, and it 

is not possible to regulate these vehicles as a 

result. Some general regulations can apply 

over their use, such as drink-driving laws, but 

nothing can be specifically applied to 

e-scooters. 

Somerset Council is among many that are 

pressing the Government to now legalise 

e-scooters once all the trials are completed. 

Various trials around the country have been 

extended numerous times so that the 

Department for Transport (DfT) can gather 

as much data as possible before introducing 

legislation to clarify e-scooters legal status. 

The larger towns covered by Somerset 

council – Taunton, Yeovil and Minehead – 

have been involved in trials since late 2020. 

They were set up in response to the travel 

restrictions as a result of the Covid pandemic 

and public concerns over climate change. 

Trials are also being conducted in other West 

Country cities such as Bristol and Bath. 

Two towns, Crewkerne and Chard, 

withdrew from the trial in late-2021 after 

safety concerns were raised by residents. 

Now Somerset Council has joined other 

councils and interested parties such as 

Sustrans and operators of the current trials in 

calling for action. It is time the Government 

finally made a decision over whether it is 

going to allow e-scooters – and therefore 

create regulations to govern their use – or 

not. 

The Council, with others, have written an 

open letter, reminding the Government that 

the trials end in May 2024. The existing trials 

have become part of local transport systems 

for short journeys, travel to work and also to 

further and higher education, but there 

remains a lack of certainty that local councils 

“80% of the public support new 

regulations, and 55% felt the 

Government need to do more to 

tackle illegal use of e-scooters. 

This is now clearly not a 

passing fad and the issue will 

not go away...” 

can maintain this when the trials end. 

In the background is the fact that there are an 

estimated 750,000 privately owned, and 

therefore unregulated, e-scooters in the UK – 

and they are being used on the roads, as we see 

every day. Critics feel that the introduction of 

regulation must be included in the King’s 

Speech for the next session of parliament. 

There remains a great deal of public 

concern about the manner in which some of 

the scooters are being ridden. The councils 

feel that legislation and regulation can make a 

difference. 

Legislation has been suggested to create a 

new light zero-emission vehicle category to 

better regulate e-scooters, clarifying issues 

surrounding insurance, vehicle standards and 

user requirements such as road tax. 

A poll carried out by one of the trial 

operators, Voi, found that 80% of the public 

support new regulations. More than 70% 

want this legislation before the next General 

Election, and 55% felt the Government need 

to do more to tackle illegal use of e-scooters. 

This is now clearly not a passing fad and 

the issue will not go away. It is here and it 

needs to be dealt with by Parliament as a 

whole. 


News 

Working as an ADI in 2023: 

Hourly rates up – but so is backache... 

CPD more popular – as are automatics 

In August the DVSA published the results of 

the 2023 ‘Working as a Driving Instructor’ 

survey. 

The survey offers a comprehensive 

overview of the driver training community, 

with some interesting facts lurking among 

the narrative. 

Principal takeaways include a continued 

rise in automatics used as tuition vehicles 

– now nearly a fifth as the use of electric 

vehicles and hybrids increases – but the 

industry is still seen as a part-time job by 

over a third of instructors: just 62.2 % are 

working more than 25 hours a week, leaving 

37.8% doing either short days or fewer than 

five days a week. 

The average hourly rate is now around 

£31-35, with regional variances the key 

factor between the bottom and top of the 

range. 

Amanda Lane, DVSA Head of Driver Testing 

and Training Policy, said of the survey: “First, I 

want to thank every one of the 5,795 people 

who spent time filling in the survey. I know it 

can be easy to be sceptical about filling in 

surveys, but your feedback is really 

important.” 

The survey looked at these main topics: 

n about your business 

n managing your business 

n your work 

n skills and resources 

n continuing professional development 

n health and wellbeing 

Headline figures: 

n 62.2% of ADIs spend at least 25 hours 

working as an approved driving instructor 

(ADI) each week 

n £31 to £35 is the most common price 

charged for a one-hour lesson - 46.6% of 

ADIs charge this 

n 29.8% of ADIs currently have availability 

to take on new pupils 

n 90.8% of ADIs agree the role gives them 

a sense of personal accomplishment 

n 85.2% of ADIs intend to continue in the 

role for at least the next year 

n 53.6% of ADIs have done some form of 

Key findings 

£31-£35 

most common price range / hour 

62.2% 

work 25 hours a week+ 

59.3% 

have backache! 

85.2% 

will be back for 

more in 2024 

continuing professional development (CPD) 

in the last 12 months 

n 59.3% of ADIs have experienced 

musculoskeletal problems in the last 12 

months 

As well as asking questions where you 

selected the most appropriate option, the 

survey also asked a number of open-ended 

questions for you to give more details. 

The result was thousands of comments. To 

help get the results of the survey into your 

hands as quickly as possible, the DVSA 

analysed random samples of comments to 

put them into themes. But the full set of 

comments will be reviewed and shared 

around teams within DVSA. 

Amanda added: “We’ve heard loud and 

clear what your priorities are. I want to 

address three of them here.” 

Amanda Lane’s response, 

from her blog: 

1. Driving test waiting times 

Understandably, we heard lots about how 

driving test waiting times are affecting you 

29.8% 

of ADIs have availability 

90.8% 

say life as an ADI gives 

them a sense of accomplishment 

and your pupils. And you’re absolutely right to 

ask for more to be done. 

Dealing with driving test waiting times 

continues to be our top priority at DVSA. 

Many of you commented about how bots 

and unofficial booking services are making 

your working lives harder. Loveday Ryder, 

our chief executive, recently blogged about 

how we’re dealing with bots and reselling of 

driving tests (see Newslink August). More 

about our plans on this soon. 

I do want to highlight how your hard work 

is paying off, though. Recently published 

statistics show that between April 2022 and 

March 2023, 816,775 people passed their car 

driving test – the previous year, 751,914 

people passed. 

That’s helping the country’s economy. It’s 

helping people to become independent and 

unlocking opportunities for them. It’s 

transforming lives - and not just your pupils 

- but their families, friends and colleagues’ 

lives. You should be proud of how your hard 

work is making a real and lasting difference. 

And the latest statistics show that more 



people than ever who are passing their 

driving test are doing so with zero faults. 

Between April 2012 and March 2013, just 1.5% 

of people who passed the car driving test 

passed with zero faults (a ‘clean sheet’). Ten 

years on, and that’s increased to 3.9%. It’s an 

indication that those who are passing are 

better prepared than ever. 

So thank you for having those difficult 

conversations with pupils and parents. Thank 

you for every early start or late finish you’ve 

done to accommodate pupils. Thank you for 

being out in all weathers. And thank you for 

every lesson you rearranged when another 

test-ready pupil found an earlier 

appointment at short notice. 

Taking CPD 

2. Support and guidance 

We heard lots from you in the survey about 

needing better support and guidance. If 

you’ve had chance to read DVSA’s vision to 

2030, you’ll have seen that we want to do 

much more work to inform, educate and 

advise. So it’s really encouraging to hear you 

saying the same. 

It’s great to see that more of you than ever 

are aware of some of our newest guidance, 

with about 9 in 10 ADIs now aware of the 

‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign resources. We’ll 

continue adding to the toolkit in the coming 

months with exercises you might want to use 

with your pupils. 

ADI standards check guidance 

After listening to you, our immediate 

priority is going to be improving guidance for 

the ADI standards check. 

We’ll shortly be moving to recording ADI 

standards check results on tablets in the 

same way we do for other tests. We’re going 

to use the opportunity of confirming results 

by email to give you links to more 

comprehensive guidance to understand your 

result. And this guidance will be available for 

you to see before you take your standards 

check, too. 

We’ll also use the same improvements to 

benefit people taking the ADI part 3 

(instructional ability) test. 

Other improvements to help you 

We’re also going to: 

n refresh our guidance on top 10 faults in 

the driving test, giving you common 

scenarios that you can include in your lesson 

planning when appropriate (see pg 14) 

n start looking at what we can do to make 

the national standard for driver and rider 

training and learning to drive syllabus clearer 

and more user friendly 

n start work to develop a series of emails 

It was good to see that so many ADIs believe they can access good quality CPD to enhance 

their skillset and career, including through MSA GB. Those ADIs who charge the least are more 

likely to have not accessed CPD in the past 12 month (50% of those who charge less than 

£25), while of those who charge above £40, over two-thirds have done some CPD in the 

period. 77% of those who had accessed CPD agreed that it had helped to improve their 

performance as an ADI. The data also showed that - perhaps unsurprisingly - those ADIs who 

enjoyed their role as a driver trainer and felt that they provided a worthwhile, beneficial service 

were more likely to seek CPD. 

that we’ll send to newly qualified ADIs to 

support them through the initial months after 

qualifying 

n publish a series of ‘easy read’ guides to 

help your pupils with learning disabilities to 

understand the learning to drive process – 

including how the theory test and driving test 

work 

3. Continuing professional development (CPD) 

The survey shows that just over half of you 

(53.6%) have done some CPD activities in the 

last 12 months. It also shows that about 6 in 

10 of you (61.8%) agree that you can access 

the right CPD when you need to. 

Over the coming months we’ll be working 

with you to help you understand more about 

what types of things can count as CPD, and 

what topics could help with your 

development. 

We held a joint workshop with the driving 

instructors’ National Associations Strategic 

Partnership (NASP) on Tuesday, August 1 to 

start planning what we can do. We’ll be 

blogging about this workshop separately 

soon – so please look out for that landing in 

your inbox. 

The ADIs’ views: see overleaf 

You can read the DVSA 

survey data in full by 

clicking this link 


ADI Survey 

So what can ADIs take away from the latest DVSA on ‘Working as a Driving 

Instructor’ survey? Here’s our thoughts the highlights... 

Regional price variations 

What ADIs 

charge, by 

region 

Y 

A more 

precise 

breakdown 

WHAT KIND OF TRAINER ARE YOU? 

As was found in previous surveys, the vast majority of ADIs are independent 

instructors, with 69.6% operating as such. 16.9% work with local driving 

schools, while 11.1% are with one of the big national franchise operations. 

Overwhelmingly, learner drivers still pay the bills: 98.4% devote their 

time to teaching non-licence holders, though 11 per cent also teach fleet 

and 9.7 % teach PDIs/other ADIs, meaning there is considerable overlap. 

Interestingly, the DVSA did not directly ask how many ADIs were 

operating in the speed awareness field, which we know many MSA GB 

members are doing. 

This is still a profession with a lot of experienced instructors. Nearly half 

of all respondents had been doing the job for more than 12 years, 

suggesting that once it gets its hooks into you, it is difficult to leave. 

Perhaps the reason for this can be found in this stat: In the main, ADIs 

believe they do a worthwhile job, are happy and feel they make a personal 

contribution to both other people’s lives and road safety as a whole. 

90% agree or strongly agree that they are interested in their work as an 

ADI, that the role gives them a sense of personal accomplishment and 

that they are making a positive contribution to road safety and making 

transport cleaner and healthier. 

Less positive are ADIs views of the DVSA. When asked, ‘I have the 

opportunity to contribute my views to DVSA before decisions are made 

that affect me’ only 35.3% agree or strongly agree; 35.6% take the 

opposite view, in disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. The rest are neutral. 

Sadly, while work contentment is high, you have to wonder about some 

ADIs’ work-life balance. While 87.8% work weekdays, 44.3% say they also 

work evenings and 48.4% work weekends. An incredible 33.4% also work 

Bank Holidays, excluding Christmas. We did wonder how many break into 

that holiday... Perhaps that explains why 20% admit that they don’t have a 

good work-life balance – though it is encouraging to see that 62% do 

thing they get the balance right. 

Over half of all ADIs (62.2%) work more than 25 hours a week, with 

10.2% content to do fewer than 15 hours. 

At least the days of ADIs doing multiple jobs appears to be receding: for 

87.6% of respondents, being an ADI is their sole earned income, though 

there is no reference made to pension income on top of ADI earnings. 

What are you driving? 



THE CARS WE DRIVE 

With major changes to tuition vehicles 

continuing apace, and plenty more changes 

to come, the DVSA was keen to look at the 

type of cars ADIs drive. The thing that leaps 

out are the number of automatics; could we 

soon see these dominate tests? 

The issue here is overlap. Some ADIs run 

more than one car, and it is clear that some 

are running automatics AND manuals, 

switching their tuition between the two. 

Therefore it is dangerous to read too much 

into these figures as definitive, but here 

goes... As all electric cars and their hybrid 

cousins are autos, 16% of ADIs using these 

cars are ‘auto instructors’. Add in the nearly 

9% of petrol autos and the 3.8% of diesel 

autos and you have a total ADI automatic parc 

of 28.6%. That’s higher than expected. 

This trend will certainly continue if the 

30.6% of all ADIs who say they are looking to 

change their car in the next 12 months plump 

for EVs/hybrids. 

THE PRICE TO PAY 

There is a steady increase in the hourly 

rates around the country. One-in-300 ADIs 

are still charging below £20, but to offset 

that, 1.6% charge over £45. The rest charge, 

in the main, between £31-35 (46.6%), though 

31.1% go a bit higher and charge £36-40. 

What is interesting about this is when you 

connect the price ranges charged with the 

amount of experience an ADI has. 

You would automatically assume that 

those charging less than £30 an hour would 

all be new to the profession, and while that is 

true to some degree, it is not as marked a 

difference as you would expect – and in fact, 

the group that charges the least most, are 

those with more than nine years in the game. 

14.2% of ADIs with less than a year’s 

experience charge £30 or less – but 17.5% of 

ADIs with more than 12 years do so, too. 

The group that charges the least, least 

often, are those with 1-4 years in the 

profession: only 10% charge £30 or less. 

Indeed, the data shows that despite only 

having a year’s experience, nearly a third of 

new ADIs charge £36+. 

As far as regional variations go, perhaps 

surprisingly the region which has the most 

ADIs charging £36+ is not the South East, but 

the South West (65.7%). Scotland is the 

second as the region/nation charging £36+, 

with 52.3%, followed by the South East. 

Only 6.3 per cent of ADIs in the North East 

charge more than £36 an hour, a massive 

difference on their southern (and northern) 

counterparts. In the North East, 40.4% of 

ADIs are charging less than £30 an hour. 

When pupils take a break 

Why do pupils take extended breaks from lessons? 

What is also interesting here is the 

disparity between the ‘South East’ and 

London. The South East sees 10.9% of ADIs 

charging below £30, 37.5% charging 

between £31-35 and 51.7% over £36. The 

same figures for London are: 21.5%, 50.7% 

and 27.8%. 

Do those ADIs working fewer hours charge 

more - or less – than the average? There are 

still a number of ADIs who used to be dubbed 

the ‘Pin money brigade’ still active in the 

profession. However, this label isn’t as 

accurate as some would think. Over 70% of 

ADIs who work fewer than 15 hours charge 

£31+, though this is less than those working 

more than 16 hours a week, where 83% are 

charging above that figure. The group that is 

most often charging the highest fee are 

those working 35 hours+: 44% charge more 

than £36. 

Finally: price increases. Over 68.5 per cent 

of ADIs have raised their prices in the past 

year, compared to 90 per cent who did so in 

2022. A third of ADIs have kept prices static 

in 2023. One per cent reduced their prices. 

BIGGEST CHALLENGES 

When asked what challenges were 

affecting their business, ADIs had a number 

of issues to contend with. The biggest was 

‘pupils who I have not trained asking to be 

taken on a test’: 75.1% had this problem. 

There was also a notable number of pupils 

taking a break from lessons (46%) or wanting 

less frequent lessons (39.8%), suggesting 

the cost of living crisis is continuing to bite. 

However, these figures are lower than in 

2022, when the same questions were offered 

by 50.4% and 45.8% of ADIs respectively. 

How many hours do 

you teach a week? 

When asked why pupils were making these 

requests, 59.3 per cent cited financial 

constraints, though high waiting times for 

tests was a bigger reason, with 90.4% of ADIs 

saying this had been an issue. 6% of pupils 

had decided not to learn to drive. 

On the subject of learners asking to be 

taken to test who had not been trained by the 

ADI, this was happening two to three times a 

week for nearly half of respondents. Nearly 

10 % of ADIs were receiving requests for this 

more than five times a week. 

The lack of driving test availability was the 

key challenge ADIs face, with 60% saying this 

was a day-to-day difficulty. 9% said their 

biggest hassle was managing ‘pupil/parent 

expectations’. 

HOW MANY PUPILS? 

Interestingly, there has been a drop in the 

number of pupils on ADIs’ books at any one 

time. The average is now 19.3, down from 

22.3 in June 2021. Are we getting through the 

post-pandemic wave? Perhaps not; the 

number of ADIs with availability to take on 

more pupils has fallen since October 2022, 

with 29.8% saying they have room in the 

diaries, compared with 32% last year. 

ADIs in London have the most availability 

(55.9%), those in the North East have the 

least (17.4%). 

That statistic, of course, makes no sense in 

terms of prices charged: economics says that 

where supply is scarce, prices rise. 

If there is little or no chance of getting an 

ADI in the North East, that fact alone should 

drive up prices. 

Yet North East ADIs charge the least; so 

much for supply and demand economics! 


News 

Look carefully: here’s the DVSA’s 

top 10 L-test faults 

DVSA’s Head of Driver Testing and Training 

Policy, Amanda Lane, and Graham O’Brien, 

Assistant Chief Driving Examiner, led a 

webinar in August on the top 10 faults that 

are recorded during L-tests. 

At its peak the webinar had 590 ADIs 

taking part, with lots of good discussion and 

questions. Of those who watched it, more 

than 96 per cent of those who filled in the 

post-webinar survey recommend that you 

watch it back. 

If you missed it and want to watch it, 

there’s a link at the end of this article. 

The session opened with a review of why 

analysing test faults is so important. As 

Amanda and Graham pointed out, “It’s much 

more than just being about passing the 

driving test. Many of the commonly recorded 

faults in driving tests are top contributory 

factors in reported collisions. That’s why we 

assess them as part of the test – to make 

sure that learner drivers are ready for driving 

safely independently.” 

For example, drivers and riders failing to 

look properly was a contributory factor in 35 

per cent of all collisions in 2021 – and it was a 

factor in 343 fatal collisions. 

Perhaps, then, it is no surprise that the 

number one reason for test failures is ‘Not 

making effective observations at junctions’. 

This fault includes: 

n Failing to judge the speed of an 

approaching vehicle 

n Entering a roundabout with a vehicle 

approaching from the right 

n Making no effective observations at all 

n Making no observations when joining a 

dual carriageway from a slip road 

n Going straight ahead at a crossroads 

n Looking too late 

n Repeatedly not looking left when turning 

left. 

The DVSA webinar stressed how 

understanding the reasons for L-test failure 

can help you assess if your pupils have the 

skills, knowledge and understanding needed 

to be safe when they’ve passed their test. 

And perhaps most importantly, they give 

you a great way of exploring factors with 

your pupils that will increase risk in different 

scenarios. Digging into your pupils’ 

understanding of risk can give you a better 

sense of their thoughts, feelings and beliefs. 

In at Number 9:Not 

responding correctly 

to road markings 

The webinar looked at some ways that you 

could go about this. 

The top 10 reasons for L-test failure in full: 

1. Not making effective observations at 

junctions 

2. Not using mirrors correctly when changing 

direction 

3. Not moving off safely 

4. Incorrect positioning when turning right at 

junctions 

5. Not having proper control of the steering 

6. Not responding appropriately to traffic 

lights 

Miss the webinar but want 

to catch it now? 

You can now watch the recording of the 

webinar. It includes an explanation of 

each of the top 10 faults, and a question 

and answer session. 

Find it at https://despatch.blog.gov. 

uk/2023/08/31/helping-drivinginstructors-learn-about-the-topdriving-test-faults/ 

7. Not responding correctly to traffic signs 

8. Poor positioning on the road during normal 

driving 

9. Not responding correctly to road markings 

10. Not keeping control of the vehicle during 

reverse parking. 

As well as running through the Top 10, 

Amanda and Graham looked at factors that 

increase risk. 

The way people think about driving and the 

way they feel when they come to drive are 

the ‘human factors’ in driver safety. 

Six of the main human factors that can 

affect driving performance are: 

1. How your pupils process information - 

how do their brains and eyes work while 

they’re driving? 

2. Your pupils’ ‘mental landscape’ - how do 

their thoughts and feelings affect their 

driving decisions? 

3. Risk perception - how do your pupils 

assess road risk and how is this affected by 

their beliefs about what might happen? 

4. Confidence - how do your pupils’ beliefs 

in their ability and skills influence their driving 

decisions and risk taking? 

5. Personality - how do your pupils’ 



DVLA looks at medical cases 

The DVLA is asking for thoughts from the 

road safety community as is considers 

changing the rules on medical fitness to drive. 

Currently the onus is on drivers to inform 

the DVLA of any medical condition which 

may affect their ability to drive safely, but 

there have been long-standing concerns 

about this system, particularly over which 

medical conditions are a concern. 

The new consultation, which runs until 22 

October, asks for external views on where 

policy or legislative changes may be able to 

improve outcomes for drivers and road users. 

Richard Holden, minister for roads and local 

transport, said: “A range of medical 

conditions, disabilities and treatments can 

affect an individual’s ability to safely control a 

vehicle. 

“As the volume and complexity of driving 

licence applications or renewals where the 

applicant has one or more medical condition 

increases, the Government believes that the 

time is right to review the existing legal 

framework. ” 

2. Not using mirrors correctly when 

changing direction 

thrill-seeking tendencies influence the way 

they drive? 

6. Stress, mood and emotions - how do 

your pupils’ feelings, including nervousness, 

affect their ability to drive safely? 

There are obviously other influences on 

someone’s driving. These include things like: 

n how your pupils deal with distractions 

n fatigue (feeling tired, sleepy or lacking in 

energy) 

n alcohol and drugs (we tend to think of 

drug-driving just in terms of illegal drugs, but 

many prescription drugs and over-thecounter 

medicines can have equally 

detrimental effects on driving performance) 

n in-vehicle technology 

n the road environment 

Using different questioning techniques to 

explore factors 

You might want to use probing questions to 

explore these factors with your pupils. 

For example, you could start by asking 

“Why do you think people fail to look properly 

at junctions?” And then start probing into any 

factors your pupil mentions with questions 

such as “Why do you say that?”. 

You could use clarifying questions such as 

“If I’ve understood you correctly, are you 

saying that…” if your pupil’s answer is not 

clear. This is also a good way to reassure 

them that you’re listening. 

You could then go on to introduce other 

factors and influences they do not mention to 

see what they think and feel about those. 

Click the panel to 

watch the 

webinar in full 


ULEZ Comment 

A sign of things to come? 

In 1799 the future Dean of Bristol, Henry 

Beech, had a good idea. He suggested to his 

good friend, William Pitt the Younger, who 

happened to be the Prime Minister, that a 

new tax could be introduced to pay for the 

French Revolutionary War. It would be a 

progressive tax, linked directly to citizens’ 

income. It would be temporary and fall when 

the French were beat. 

It was levied at two old pence per pound on 

all incomes above £60 per annum, with a 

higher rate for ‘big earners’ on £200 pa. There 

was a general unease over the new tax but 

overall it worked as far as the Treasury was 

concerned, raising just over £6million – about 

£56 billion in today’s terms. 

I give you this little history lesson for one 

reason: welcome ULEZ. The controversial low 

emissions scheme has morphed from its 

original Central London location under Mayor 

Boris Johnson, to something that now covers 

the whole of London. It’s clearly expensive, 

and is causing uproar, with balaclava-clad 

vigilantes destroying cameras every night 

and politicians point-scoring over its validity 

and fairness. 

So what does it involve? Basically, for 

those outside the capital who may not have 

followed the debate as closely as Londoners 

will have done, anyone entering the ULEZ will 

have to be driving a car that complies with 

the emissions regulations. Failure to be doing 

so will cost you £12.50 a day, as long as you 

pre-register. Ignoring the regs and hoping 

you’ll get away with it could land you with a 

£180 fine. 

Who will fall foul? Most petrol cars 

registered since 2005 will be compliant, but 

diesel cars must meet Euro 6 standards. 

Most diesel cars registered since September 

2015 meet these standards, though some 

earlier models will also be compliant. It’s a 

case of check before you travel. 

If you are wondering how many vehicles 

this affects, you might be surprised at the 

numbers. The RAC reckons there are nearly 

700,000 non-compliant vehicles registered 

in London alone. Some will be old cars used 

as a runaround – many bought in the 

pro-diesel frenzy of the early Noughties and 

still going strong – but some will be ‘classic’ 

cars, whether they be 1930s’ Jaguars or a fun 

1982 Audi Quattro or Ford Cortina, kept on 

the road for sentimental reasons. 

So should ADIs be scared of it? 

On paper, no. At this stage it is very difficult 

to believe anyone teaching others to drive 

professionally will fall foul of the tax, though it 

is not impossible. There could be ADIs using 

eight-year-old diesels, possibly as a back-up 

car, but given the number of miles we cover 

every year, it seems unlikely they’ll be many. 

Certainly MSA GB has had no queries from 

London members over their vehicle’s 

compliance. 

But there is a caveat to all this. Just as with 

Henry Beech’s excellent temporary idea for 

funding a war against the pesky French, it is 

rare for any taxes that are introduced to be 

removed without being replaced by 

something similar. In short, once a tax is seen 

It is possible that there are 

ADIs using eight year old 

diesels, but given the number of 

miles we cover it seems 

unlikely they’ll be many. 

But there is a caveat ... once a 

tax is seen to gain grudging 

approval from the public, they 

stay… and expand… 

to gain grudging approval from the public, 

they stay… and expand… 

And that is where ADIs could become 

concerned. Will the ULEZ get more 

complicated? Could more vehicles be dragged 

into its clutches? 

At this stage Mayor Khan says no, but if 

the main point of the ULEZ - to improve air 

quality - fails to deliver the improvements 

expected, is it possible the compliance 

criteria will be ratcheted up? 

That’s speculation. For the moment, to my 

mind, the biggest challenge ULEZ brings for 

ADIs is not the need to drive a compliant car; 

it is the message ULEZ sends to young 

people. 

We know from our own interactions that 

young people are, in the main, more 

environmentally minded than older citizens. 

They are prominent in green disputes and 

activism, and concerns over the environment 

are often quoted by those who decide not to 

learn to drive a car when the opportunity 

arises. 

Throw in the cost of modern cars - if it’s an 

EV, it’s pricey! – and insurance, plus 

improvements in night service public 

transport and the presence of ubiquitous 

Ubers et al to run people around, and you 



Vigilantes strike but Mayor 

stands firm: we need ULEZ 

The ULEZ... the full story 

have some convincing reasons not to learn to 

drive, particularly if you live in one of the big 

cities. 

Now add to this a new banana skin of not 

being able to buy your first beloved car – you 

know, that cheap jalopy with 86,000 on the 

clock, which belches black smoke when you 

start it up, breaks down three times a year 

but you absolutely love – because it won’t 

ever conform with ULEZ-style zones, and 

you may have a nail in the coffin for some 

young people’s driving dreams. 

Possible? Yes, there’s definitely going to be 

some young Londoners who feel this is a 

move too far for them. At the moment, as we 

sit with full diaries and waiting lists, it’s not 

something to concern us. But maybe, just 

maybe, ULEZ could be the tax too many that 

puts young people off driving. Let’s see. 

And oh, if you’re reading this outside 

London… don’t feel too smug. While ULEZ is a 

London-only thing, what happens in London 

does not stay in London. If this is a success 

– and by success, we’d like to think that 

Mayor Sadiq Khan will hail improvements in 

air quality, though we’ve a sneaking feeling 

he’ll also be looking at whether it helps boost 

GLA coffers – you can bet your bottom dollar 

it will be rolled out elsewhere. 

Already Bath, Bristol and Birmingham are 

among a number of cities where a clean air 

zone of some description is in operation, 

albeit on a very limited scale. Could a ULEZ be 

coming to you soon? 

London has launched the world’s largest 

pollution charging area after the ultra-low 

emission zone (ULEZ) was expanded to 

include the whole of the capital. 

People who drive in the zone in a vehicle 

which does not meet minimum emissions 

standards are now required to pay a £12.50 

daily fee or risk a £180 fine, reduced to £90 

if paid within 14 days. 

London mayor Sadiq Khan has faced 

strong opposition to the scheme, although 

a £160 million scheme run by Transport for 

London (TfL) enables residents, small 

businesses, sole traders and charities 

scrapping non-compliant cars to claim grants. 

There have been regular protests against 

the plan and anti-ULEZ vigilantes have 

repeatedly targeted enforcement cameras 

installed in the new areas in recent months. 

Videos have been posted online showing 

people described as ‘Blade Runners’ cutting 

the cameras’ wires or completely removing 

the devices. 

The Metropolitan Police said it had 

recorded 288 crimes relating to the 

cameras as of August 1. 

ULEZ expansion has become a political 

issue, being blamed for Labour’s failure to 

win last month’s Uxbridge and South 

Ruislip parliamentary by-election. 

In an interview with the PA news agency, 

the Labour mayor said: “The vast majority 

of Londoners want to see clean air and I 

recognise there are some Londoners with 

genuine concerns. 

“My job is to try and address those 

concerns and I have been doing that.” 

Mr Khan said he was “disappointed” at 

the lack of Government support for the 

policy and its accompanying scrappage 

scheme. 

He expressed frustration that the 

scrappage programme has no Government 

funding, unlike those run in several other 

English cities. 

He said: “It was this Government that 

gave financial support to cities like Bristol, 

Birmingham and Portsmouth towards their 

clean air zones. 

“If clean air is right for them then why 

isn’t clean air right for London?” 

Picture taken with permission from 

the Facebook account of AJ 

Simpson, showing a damaged 

ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) 

camera lying on the road in 

Harefield, Uxbridge 

A Government spokeswoman said: “Both 

transport and air quality are devolved to 

London, which is why they are the direct 

responsibility of the Mayor of London. 

“In fact, the Government has provided 

TfL £6 billion since 2020 to keep public 

transport moving and almost £102 million 

for projects specifically targeted to help 

tackle air pollution.” 

To comply with ULEZ standards, petrol 

cars must generally have been first 

registered after 2005, while most diesel 

cars registered after September 2015 are 

also exempt from the charge. 

TfL says nine out of 10 cars seen driving 

in outer London on an average day are 

compliant. 

Separate figures obtained by the RAC 

show more than 690,000 licensed cars in 

the whole of London are likely to be 

non-compliant. 

This does not take into account other 

types of vehicles or those which enter 

London from neighbouring counties. 

Some opponents of Ulez expansion 

claim the policy is aimed at generating 

money for TfL and criticised the mayor for 

introducing it during the cost of living crisis. 

But Mr Khan told PA: “It’s really 

heartbreaking when you get an in-patients 

ward and see the consequences of air 

pollution, but also it is inspiring to see that 

some of these policies can transform 

people’s lives.” 


Towards your CPD 

Get the basics right, and 

the rest of the test drive 

could take care of itself 

Do you ever get exasperated 

when a competent driver fails 

their test by flunking a really 

simple move they were getting 

right on lesson 2? Steve Garrod 

wonders whether it’s a sign 

you’ve not focused enough on 

the basics during lessons... 

I’m sure, like me, many of your clients ask 

why people fail their driving test. 

My usual answer is “Often for not doing the 

things you learnt on day one probably”. If you 

look at the number of times a candidate is 

asked to pull up on the left (it can be up to 

around seven times during a test) there is a 

lot of room for error. 

Although the reason for being asked to pull 

up may vary, the main things being assessed 

are the use of mirrors before signalling, 

changing speed and direction, selecting a 

convenient place to stop, which is not too far 

from the kerb and not over a driveway or too 

near a junction. 

Candidates will also have to make sure 

they are not causing an obstruction as well 

by not stopping opposite another vehicle 

(unless the road is wide enough for this not to 

cause a problem) or opposite a side road or 

entrance to something like a car park where it 

could affect other road users. 

The position also needs to be legal, so 

taking account of road signs and markings 

need to be considered. 

Problems that also arise from a Normal 

Stop also includes steering. If a candidate 

mounts the pavement with the front 

nearside wheel but then drives off it and 

stops with all four wheels in the road, this will 

be recorded as a fault for Steering. If the front 

wheel remains on the kerb, then this is 

deemed a fault for Position Normal Stop. 

Whether it is recorded as a driving fault or a 

serious fault depends on the speed and 

“When they are asked to move 

off, effective observation must 

be taken ... this may seem 

simple but all too often a 

candidate is so relieved in 

doing the previous task that the 

basics go out of the window” 

severity of the miscalculation. 

When being asked to pull up on the left 

before an angle start or a hill start, or another 

specific task such as a manoeuvre or 

emergency stop, the examiner may be more 

specific about where they want you to stop. 

For example, you may hear them say, ‘pull up 

on the left just before the next park car… 

don’t worry about the driveway or yellow 

lines for this exercise.’ It still means the 

candidate must use their MSM and stop 

reasonably close to the kerb or dropped kerb. 

When they are asked to move off, effective 

observation must be taken, including the 

blind spot check. This may seem simple but 

all too often a candidate may stall due to lack 

of clutch control on an uphill start, or having 

forgotten to select neutral or first gear when 

they stop and may still be in third gear. 

If this happens, panic often sets in, and 

they may be completely unaware of passing 

traffic as they attempt to make amends for 

their error. 

I remember my time as an examiner when 

a candidate had carried out a manoeuvre 

competently and being so relieved to have 

done it correctly, they completely forgot to 

check their blind spot which meant I often 

had to tell them to stop or use the dual 

control. 

There is a saying ‘It’s often the obvious we 

forget’ and it really is the case with driving 

tests. Taking time to work on the basics is a 

real investment. 

Think about carrying out a forward park in 

a car park. It is essential that the candidate 

does not drive though the first bay if there 

are double bays in the car park. The examiner 

will say ‘stop in the first bay’ and so do I 

because it is all too easy to allow the car to 

roll in to the second bay, which will often 

result in a serious mark on a driving test. 

On the run up to a driving test we, as ADIs, 

can also fall into the trap of working on 

complex junctions and reverse parking, both 



on road and in bays, and forget about the 

normal stops on the main roads. These 

normal stops are an essential part of the test. 

They are marked on the driving test report 

form now as follows: 

n AS – angle start 

n NS -Normal Stop (X2) 

n HS/DS -Uphill or downhill start. 

This is what you may have noticed the 

examiner tap after each stop exercise. If you 

add a manoeuvre, an Emergency Stop and a 

stop for the beginning of Independent 

Driving, that’s how you can tot up the seven 

instructions to pull up on the left I mentioned 

earlier. 

The same can be said for pulling up on the 

right. A common fault I have found is not 

stopping parallel to the kerb. This means that 

as soon as the car is reversed it begins to 

“There is a saying ‘It’s often the 

obvious we forget’ and it really 

is the case with driving tests. 

Taking time to work on the 

basics is a real investment” 

either drift towards or away from the 

right-hand kerb. This can lead to too much 

observation in the right-hand door mirror to 

correct the fault and not enough to the front 

and rear of the vehicle. Therefore, time needs 

to be taken pulling up parallel to the kerb and 

if needs be driving forward a bit more to make 

the exercise easier. 

As I said at the beginning of this article, it is 

often the things that are taught on day one 

that results in failure. 

Finally, lack of concentration plays a big 

part in the test. Making sure our candidates 

concentrate on the little things is essential for 

a pass. The next time you are on a lesson, 

think about the amount of time you ask 

someone to pull up. It is worth explaining 

about the importance of this exercise and the 

consequences of not executing the task 

correctly. 

It is also important that they are able to 

move off efficiently, for example, being ready 

to go when a safe gap arrives and not 

beginning to get ready to move off, because 

the chances are that by the time they are 

ready of move off, the gap will have gone. 

This builds up pressure to move off too 

quickly and instead of taking an opportunity, 

they take a chance, which is often a poor 

choice. 


Members’ section 

MSA GB Annual Conference 2024 

It’s a case of all roads lead to Telford as we head to Shropshire for 

the MSA GB Annual Conference 2024. 

To be held from March 22-23 at the stunning Telford Hotel, Spa & Golf 

Resort in Shropshire, it promises to be the ideal mix of information, 

debate, advice, education, networking and fun, as the MSA GB 

membership comes together to learn more about, and discuss, the big 

issues of the day. 

We are in the middle of confirming our keynote presenters, but we can 

guarantee an exciting and knowledgeable roster of high-profile names from 

the DVSA and driver training and road safety communities. 

Bookings will open soon, but start preparing by scanning the price list below, with day, 

day/night and full weekend packages available. We have endeavoured to keep our prices 

as low as possible while providing a high-quality weekend, and the Telford Hotel, Spa & 

Golf Resort has more than enough to keep non-delegate partners happy, with a superb 

swimming pool and spa, golf and other attractions on site, as well as having the 

beautiful Severn Valley and iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ironbridge Gorge on 

its doorstep. Even better, we have arranged a special MSA GB Conference discount on all 

spa treatments and golf fees! 

Please note: All prices below are EARLY BIRD prices, and will be held until 

January 20. After that date, some prices may rise. 

Full Conference packages 

Two nights’ accommodation and breakfast, Friday & Saturday 

evening meals, Saturday lunch, Conference delegate ticket 

Single booking: 

£275 

Couple sharing (with non-delegate ticket): 

£385 

* Non delegates receive lunch 

on the Saturday 

Telford Hotel, 

Spa & Golf 

Resort 

One-day Conference packages 

One night’s accommodation and breakfast, Friday OR Saturday 

evening meals, Saturday lunch; Conference delegate ticket 

Single booking: 

£165 

Couple sharing (with non-delegate ticket): 

£235 

Conference day delegate 

* Non delegates receive lunch 

on the Saturday 

Conference delegate ticket for Saturday Booked after January 20 

If booked before 

£49 

January 20 ... 

£59 

Thinking of bringing 

the family? 

There are other options available during 

Saturday should you wish to make this a 

family weekend and bring the children. 

You can find full details at: 

https://msagb.com/msa-gb-nationalconference/ 



Area meetings and training events 

Scottish Area Annual 

Conference & AGM 

Date: Sunday, November 5 

Venue: Castlecary House Hotel 

Time: 9.30am-4.30pm 

Cost: £50 members; £55 non-members 

This year’s MSA GB Scotland annual training event is being held at the 

Castlecary House Hotel on November 5. It is a full day event, with a 

break for a two-course lunch. Fee includes refreshments and all papers. 

Our speakers this year are being finalised, however, confirmed 

already are Peter Hearn, DVSA area manager Northern, Kev and Tracey 

from Confident Drivers, Stewart from Bright Coaching, who will cover 

driver psychology and behavioural change, and Peter Harvey MBE will 

do his usual update of our industry. Each speaker will end with a Q&A 

session, and we hope to confirm some more speakers in the coming 

weeks. In addition we will also have some trade stands offering 

discounts to those who attend. 

This is always an excellent event, and we look forward to you joining 

us on November 5. 

The Castlecary House Hotel is located just of the M80, on Castlecary 

Road G68 0HD. 

You can puchase tickets by 

clicking this panel, or by 

calling 01787 221 020 

West Coast & Wales 

Area Meeting 

Date: Thursday, November 9 

Venue: Gloucester Robinswood Best Western Hotel 

Time: 9.30am-4pm 

Cost: £40 members*, £45 non-members 

* rises to £45 if booked after September 20 

MSA GB West Coast & Wales is hosting an all-day training event on 

Thursday, November 9 at the Best Western Hotel, Gloucester. 

We are pleased to announce the speakers: 

n John Sheridan, DVSA Driver Training Policy Manager 

n Sue Robertson, DVSA ADI Examiner 

n Haydn Jenkins, Disability Driving Instructors 

n Amy Hartley, FBTC Accountancy 

n Mike Yeomans, National Chairman, and 

n Peter Harvey MBE, Vice Chairman of MSA GB. 

The cost is £40 for MSA GB members if paid before 20th September, 

£45 after this date and to non-members. 

The price includes refreshments throughout the day and a two-course 

delegate lunch. Free parking is available at this hotel. 

You can book on this event 

by emailing Arthur Mynott 

at arthur.mynott@msagb. 

Online Area Training Events, Autumn 2023: 

East Coast and London & the South East 

This year, as well as the two in-person events 

in Scotland and the West Coast, we are also 

running two online events. You are welcome 

to attend any of the events. 

Our Area Events are a great way to keep 

abreast of the latest driver trainer news and 

industry developments, but we know that it 

can be difficult to find the time to attend our 

in-person events. 

We also know that sometimes you may 

want to attend an event outside of your area, 

but it’s just that bit too far to travel. 

So, this year we are trialling two online 

events for the London & South East and the 

East Coast which will be conducted via the 

ZOOM platform. 

The details of each event can be found 

right; for further information contact the area 

chairman of the meeting you would like to 

attend. 

EAST COAST 

Date: Monday, 30th October 

Time: 7pm – 9.30pm 

Venue: Online 

Speakers: 

n DVSA Local ADI Examiner 

n Mike Yeomans – MSA GB National Chair 

& Area 2 Chairman 

n Peter Harvey MBE - MSA GB Vice Chairman 

To secure your place, please email: 

mike.yeomans@msagb.com with your details. 

LONDON & SOUTH EAST 

Date: Sunday, 12th November 

Time: 4pm – 6pm 

Venue: Online 

Speakers: 

n Tom Kwok – London & South East Chairman 

n Peter Harvey MBE – MSA GB Vice Chairman 

To secure your place, please email: 

tom.kwok@msagb.com with your details. 

MSA GB CPD Event – London 

& South East 

Date: Friday, September 22, 

Time: 6.30pm for 7pm start. 

Venue: St Peter and St Paul’s Church Hall, 

Parkstone Road, Hastings TN34 2NT 

Cost: £5 entry to include refreshments 

and buffet. 

MSA GB would like to invite all ADIs and 

PDIs to this event. 

Confirmed Speakers to include: 

n Mike Yeomans, MSA GB Chairman 

n Tom Kwok, MSA GB London and South 

East Area Director 

n Dawn Cummins, Transformational 

Author, Nervousness and Mindfulness 

n Sussex Police, Sussex Safer Roads 

Partnership 

n Lawrence Brand, DVSA – Hastings DTC 

n Terry Cummins, MSA GB London and 

South East Area Manager 

Attendees will receive a CPD Certificate. 

We hope you will find the evening useful 

and informative. vo help with numbers, 

please call/text Terry on 07719 697881 or 

Email: terence.cummins@btinternet.com 



MSA GB launches new partnership with insurer to 

keep you on the road when things go wrong 

MSA GB partners with AI 

Insurance Solutions Limited 

to provide members with dual 

control cars for when things 

don’t quite go to plan. 

A critical service to driving instructors is the 

provision of a dual-controlled replacement 

vehicle for non-fault and fault accidents. 

But in recent months we have had several 

calls from MSA GB members across the 

country who have been let down by their 

insurance company not being able to supply a 

dual-controlled vehicle when they have had 

an accident. 

They report that they are usually offered a 

replacement vehicle but not one with dual 

controls – which isn’t a lot of good when 

running a driving school. 

MSA GB steps in 

Understanding the stress and the 

detriment to your business this can cause, 

we are pleased to announce that we have 

formed an exclusive agreement with AI 

Solutions Ltd to supply a replacement vehicle 

to you should the need arise. 

This means that MSA GB members will be 

able to obtain both a replacement manual or 

automatic dual-controlled car for both fault 

and non-fault accidents, without the need to 

buy an extra insurance policy to cover the risk. 

The cost of using this new service is zero. 

You don’t need to register or buy an 

insurance policy. 

If you need to use the service the cost of 

your replacement vehicle will be charged 

either to their insurance policy or yours, 

depending entirely on who is at fault. 

Additionally, if the vehicle needs to be 

recovered, this also will be charged to the 

appropriate insurer. 

However, we must stress that this does 

not impose any restrictions on where you get 

your vehicle repaired. 

The FCA states under ‘treating customers 

fairly’ that - ‘a policy-holder does not have to 

use the services of their broker or insurer but 

can access any service they choose without 

their instructor insurance policy being 

invalidated.’ 

So, in the event of an accident you simply 

need to contact The AI Insurance Solutions 

Emergency (AIIS) assistance line on 01945 

425211. AIIS will then inform your insurer and 

organise for your replacement dual controlled 

car to be delivered to your chosen location as 

soon as possible. 

If your vehicle is drivable and legal 

post-event, then it is best to arrange a 

delivery to the body repairer at an agreed 

time. If the vehicle, however, is not drivable, 

then AI Solutions will ensure that it is 

delivered to the most convenient location for 

you. 

Sadly, statistically, road traffic crashes do 

happen, and we cannot prevent you from 

being involved in one. 

However, with this new agreement we 

hope to ensure that any impact to MSA GB 

members is kept to a minimum. 

How it 

works... 

n A prompt and 

courteous reporting 

process 24 hours a day 

n To be taken to a safe 

place/home if your car 

is not drivable 

n A replacement dual 

controlled car on same 

day as accident 

reported, if before 2pm 

(in Scotland, this may 

take up to 24hrs) 

n The vehicle will be of 

a similar size 

n Regular updates on 

your vehicle’s repair 



FAQs on the new membership service 

Q: How do I use the service? 

A: You just call AIIS’s emergency 

assistance number on 01945 425211. 

Q: What will the service cost me? 

A: Just the cost of a call. 

Q: Should I notify my insurance company? 

A: Absolutely, although AIIS will also talk to 

them to confirm hire provision and, where 

appropriate, details of the repairer. 

Q: What if my vehicle is not drivable? 

A: AIIS will recover the vehicle to safe 

storage and get you home or to a 

nominated location. 

Q: Is this an insurance product that I need 

to purchase? 

A: No, the service is provided to you on a 

no-cost basis. 

Q: What if my vehicle is drivable? 

A: AIIS can arrange for an estimate to 

completed and deliver the car to the 

repairer to ensure that you are mobile 

throughout the process and that there is 

no loss of income. 

Emergency crash protocol: What to do if you are involved in a crash 

In the event of a crash, call 01945 425211 to use the AIIS offer 

More MSA GB membership offers 

and discounts - see pg 38-39 



New membership service: Find My Local 

MSA GB Instructor directory launched 

Cut through the competition 

by advertising your skills on 

MSA GB’s own ADI directory 

With the DVSA (https://tinyurl.com/ 

4b3t9a9e) reporting a 24 per cent increase in 

the number of new driving instructor 

registrations in 2022/2023, compared to 

2020/2021, our industry is set to become 

even more competitive as driving instructors 

do battle to gain the attention of those 

wanting to learn to drive. 

To help MSA GB members cut through the 

industry noise and raise their profile, we’re 

delighted to announce the launch of our 

online ‘Find My Local MSA GB Instructor’ 

directory, which will be proudly displayed on 

the MSA GB home page and on the MSA GB 

App. 

Once live, this new directory will be easily 

accessible by the public, who can use our 

simple search engine to source a driving 

instructor in their local area, who suits their 

learning needs. 

For MSA GB members it couldn’t be simpler 

to input your details and make sure you stand 

out from the crowd. We’ve included several 

opportunities for you to highlight any special 

skills or teaching experience that you may 

have, for example teaching pupils with 

disabilities or those who are particularly 

anxious drivers. 

To upload your profile onto the MSA GB 

directory, all you need to do is: 

n Log into the Member Area 

n Look to the left of the page and scroll 

down until you see three blue arrow tabs. 

n Click on the tab - ‘Add Directory listing’ 

n You will then be taken to the following 

page: 

n Input your details and upload your photo 

(adding your photo is optional) 

n Once you’ve inputted all your details, 

check that all your information is correct 

n Tick the box if you agree to share your 

details on the website. Please note if you do 

not tick the box your details will not appear 

on the on the Find My Local MSA GB 

Instructor directory. 

n Click submit – and your done! 

This is just one of the many fantastic 

benefits that MSA GB members get to enjoy 

with their membership, which also includes: 

n PI & PL Insurance cover totalling £10 

million. 

n Legal & Technical Advice 

n Member Representation 

n Access to a wealth of exclusive 

information and downloadable resources 

n Member Discounts 

n Our monthly digital industry magazine 

- Newslink 

n Comprehensive driving school cover. 

We hope registering is a straightforward 

process, but if you need any assistance, or 

have any queries, don’t hesitate to contact 

our membership team on info@msagb.com 

or 01787 221 020 


ADI groups and associations 

MSA GB is proud of its long-standing links with many local ADI 

groups around the country. Many are small, dedicated to driver 

training in one city, town or even focused on a sole DTC, but all 

work tirelessly to improve the work of being an ADI. This can 

be in representing ADIs’ interests and views to your DVSA area 

manager, offering an ADI’s voice to local authorities and town 

planners, or by simply providing a network within which ADIs can 

find help and advice from their fellow instructors. After all, for 


many ADIs working as sole traders, being a driving instructor can 

be a lonely task: local ADI groups help stop it feeling quite so much 

that it’s ‘you against the world.’ 

From this issue onwards Newslink will be publishing a list of local 

ADI groups and associations. We will only publish those groups 

who let us know they are happy to be included in our list, however, 

so if you would like to see your details here, please contact Peter 

Harvey at peter.harveymbe@msagb.com 

Aberdeen and District Driving Schools 

Association 

Secretary: Derek Young 

T: 07732 379396 

E: derekyoungcreel@aol.com 

Meets quarterly February (AGM), May, 

August and November. 

Cost £35 per annum 

Angus Driving Instructors Association 

Secretary: Frances Matthew 

T: 07703 664522 

E; francesmatthew@hotmail.co.uk 

This group holds six meeting per year 

(usually one week after the Scottish 

committee meeting) 

Cost £20 per year. 

Aylesbury Vale Driving Instructors 

Association 

Chairman: Sue Pusey 

T: 07780 606868 

E: AVDIA@btinternet.com 

Meetings are first Wednesday of every 

month at Church of the Holy Spirit, 

Camborne Avenue, Aylesbury, HP21 7UE. 

7.30pm start. 

Guest speaker every other month, 

refreshments provided. 

Annual fee £30. First meeting free as try 

before you buy. 

Birmingham Approved Driving Instructors 

Contact: Dave Allen 

T: 07939 627493 

E: Daveallen1999@googlemail.com 

Cornwall Association of Approved Driving 

Instructors (CAADI) 

Secretary: Rachael Lloyd-Phillips 

E: rachael@oneandallsom.co.uk 

This group meets via Zoom on the 3rd 

Monday every other month at 7.30pm. 

City of Dunfermline and District ADIs 

Secretary: Gail Pilch 

T: 07817 661450 

E: dunfermlineadisecretary@outlook.com 

Meetings are bi-monthly, at 

Dunfermline Northern Bowling Club, Dewar 

Street, 

Dunfermline KY12 8AD 

Glasgow & District Driving Instructors 

Association 

Contact: Bryan Phillips 

T: 07989 339 646 

E: bryan.phillips@hotmail.co.uk 

Meet on the last Sunday of the month, 

once every quarter, at 

The Fort Theatre, Kenmuir Ave, 

Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, G64 2DW. 

Joining fee: £15 per year 

Hinckley & District Driver Trainers 

Association (HDDTA) 

Chairman: Barrie Pates 

T: 07914 408 739 

E: haddta@yahoo.com 

Hull and East Riding Driving Instructors 

(HERDI) 

Contact: Andrew 

T: 07754542993 

E: herdi.rsa@gmail.com 

Lanark Driving Instructors 

Secretary: Sandra Smillie 

T: 07975 147150 

Meet quarterly from March which is our 

AGM 

South Warwickshire Association 

of ADIs (SWAADI) 

Contact: Andy Thomas 

T: 01926 717230 / 07900 673634 

E: artommo@hotmail.com 

We meet at 8.30pm every third Monday of 

the month except August and December 

(no meetings) at The Windmill Inn, 

Tachbrook Rd, Leamington Spa CV31 3DD, 

Rolls and snacks are available for a small 

charge and membership is £25 a year and 

includes a monthly newsletter and addition 

to a WhatsApp group for local issues/ 

traffic updates, etc. 

Swindon Driving Instructors Association 

(Swindon DIA) 

Contact: Sandra Jill Richens 

T: 07795 006015 

E: SJRichens@btinternet.com 

Taunton Association Driving Instructors 

See Facebook page – search ‘Taunton ADI 

& PDI Forum’ 

Wirral Association of Professional Driving 

Instructors (APDI) 

Chairman: Brian Murray 

T: 07810 094332 

Secretary: Richard Gillmore 

T: 07790 193138 

E: wirral-apdi@hotmail.co.uk 

W: wirralinstructors.co.uk 

Meet monthly on the first Thursday of the 

month (except January and August) 

at Heswall FC, Brimstage Road, Heswall, 

Wirral CH60 1XG 

Further information and to join, please visit 

the website. 

If you want to see your local ADI group listed in this index, 

contact Peter Harvey on peterharveymbe@msagb.com 


Health feature / News 

Simple, straightforward tips can help 

ease the pain of driver’s backache 

Struggling with back ache after a long day in 

the car? GEM Motoring Assist believes you 

can alleviate some of that discomfort by 

making small changes to posture and driving 

position to make driving more comfortable. 

Discomfort and lower back pain are 

frequent complaints reported by drivers, but 

GEM says there are often simple solutions 

that can make a big difference for comfort 

and safety. 

GEM has compiled a line-up of tips to help 

drivers and passengers enjoy more 

comfortable journeys. These are based on 

the process of ageing and how it can affect 

our ability to get in and out of the car, or drive 

around safely and in comfort. 

GEM chief executive Neil Worth says: “As 

human beings we were not built to sit in a 

constrained posture, sometimes for long 

periods of time. No wonder this so often 

leads to stiffness and reduced mobility, 

especially among older drivers. 

“Common complaints include lower back 

pain, stiff neck, foot cramps, sore shoulders 

and finger cramp. 

“We are keen to help drivers by sharing a 

few simple tips that will help reduce – and 

hopefully eliminate – any pains or discomfort 

while driving.” 

In the autumn issue of its member 

magazine Good Motoring there is a detailed 

look at ways of alleviating back pain. It’s part 

of a long-running series on driver wellbeing 

created by health journalist Susie Kearley. 

“Regular breaks on journeys are so 

important,” explains Susie. “Getting out of 

the car, walking about and stretching will help 

to relieve any muscles feeling the strain. 

“Take a break whenever you feel your back 

muscles tightening. The more you stop and 

move, the less likely you are to end up with 

back pain. 

“If you stretch and move before and after 

your journey, this can be helpful too, 

particularly if you’re prone to back problems. 

GEM is committed to helping every driver 

stay as safe as possible. As Neil Worth 

concludes, reducing back pain is a key part of 

improving safety. 

“Discomfort at the wheel can be a serious 

distraction on a journey, so it is vital to take 

whatever steps are necessary to reduce or 

remove back pain, allowing a driver to focus 

fully on the driving task.” 

GEM’s tips for safer, more comfortable car 

journeys: 

Planning 

Take the time to plan any long journeys or 

trips on unfamiliar roads. Build in time for 

frequent breaks. 

Position 

Adjust your seat to ensure you can reach 

and fully press the pedals without your back 

moving away from the back of the seat. Keep 

some bend in your knees, as having them too 

straight can cause pain. 

Posture 

Try not to slouch in the driving seat, as this 

is a common cause of back pain. Leaning 

forward can increase pressure on the back 

muscles and spine, so good posture is 

particularly important on long journeys. 

Pockets 

Empty your back pockets before getting 

into the car. A mobile phone or wallet pushing 

into your lower back can misalign your spine 

and cause unnecessary pain. 

Good Motoring, the quarterly magazine for 

members of GEM Motoring Assist, was first 

published in 1935. The Autumn 2023 edition 

is available now. 

New webinars: using the multi-user theory test tool 

DVSA’s official publisher, The Stationery 

Office, has just released more webinar 

dates featuring their new multi-user 

platform. 

This tool helps trainers and organisations 

check the progress of drivers and pupils 

studying for theory tests. This enables 

support to be targeted where it is most 

needed, helping candidates to pass the test 

sooner. 

The sessions are free. You can find the 

new webinar dates and sign up here: 

https://www.safedrivingforlife.info/ 

shop/multi-user-access/ 

The multi-user platform enables trainers 

and organisations to check the progress of 

drivers and pupils preparing to take their 

theory test. You can: 

n see the topics they understand well. 

n check scores to see whether their 

levels of understanding are improving. 

n identify areas where they may need 

extra help and support. 

n tailor revision sessions so they better 

meet your drivers’ needs 

It can be used for all categories of theory 

tests from cars to motorbikes, heavy/large 

goods vehicles, Driver CPC case studies, 

passenger-carrying vehicles and even 

approved driving instructor (ADIs) 

candidates. 

If you are unable to make these dates, 

keep checking the Safe Driving for Life 

website. 

More webinar dates will be announced in 

due course. 



Grace shocked as she wins new Fiat EV 

The winner of this year’s FirstCar and Adrian 

Flux’s ‘Win a car’ 2022-23 prize draw is 

19-year-old Grace Taylor from Huddersfield. 

Grace was randomly selected from the 

54,494 entrants who entered the annual 

prize. 

Throughout the year 1,093 instant win 

prizes had been won, but the star prize was a 

brand-new electric car, a Fiat 500E Action, 

worth £23,835. 

Grace’s parents were in on the secret 

handover and managed to get Grace down to 

Adrian Flux’s headquarters in Kings Lynn, for 

the handover. FirstCar’s TikTok star Keanan 

was there to welcome her and gave Grace the 

surprise of her life. 

She was shocked to hear the news of her 

win and couldn’t quite believe it. “I was just in 

complete shock really, I can’t believe it,” said 

Miss Taylor, who works in a pub restaurant. 

“It’s amazing, it’s such a great feeling. I’m 

really happy and I just can’t kind of believe it’s 

real. I wasn’t expecting it. I vaguely remember 

entering the competition at the time and I 

was shocked when I got the phone call about 

the dashcam and winning that. I never even 

thought about winning the top prize or 

anything. 

“I did think it was quite a long way to come 

for a dashcam but my mum just said they 

needed some publicity for it and she just 

basically convinced me by saying ‘oh we’re 

going to have a day out’ and I just kind of 

went along with it. 

From left, Keanan, Grant, 

Grace and Clare 

All yours! Grant hands the 

keys over to a delighted Grace 

“I’m looking forward to driving to some of 

the towns and cities on little day trips and 

stuff near Huddersfield. I might go to 

Meadowhall (Sheffield) or something.” 

The competition winner passed her test 10 

months ago and has been driving a Suzuki 

Swift. She has used FirstCar, which creates a 

series of content in print and online that 

serves as a helpful resource for learner and 

young drivers, to aid her journey from 

L-plates to getting on the road. 

Her delighted mother Clare, who also 

travelled over 130 miles by train and then taxi 

to collect the car, was relieved she managed 

to keep the huge win a secret. 

“It was difficult as I’m one of those people 

that can’t keep secrets,” said Mrs Taylor, who 

nearly had her cover blown when a DVLA 

logbook turned up to her address ahead of 

the press call. 

“When they said ‘we want it to be a 

surprise’ I thought: ‘You’ve just told the worst 

person in the world, you should have told my 

husband’. 

“But I did it because, obviously, what a thrill 

for her, what a surprise. If she would have 

known, it wouldn’t have been the same. 

“It was difficult because she kept saying: 

‘Why have we got to go all the way to King’s 

Lynn just for a dashcam, why can’t they post 

it?’ In the end I just said: ‘They want some 

publicity to show that people are winning the 

prizes. It’s a day off work, we’ll have a day out 

and she fell for it’. 

“I was anxious really because I kept 

thinking ‘I hope she doesn’t ask me too many 

questions’. If somebody asks me something 

to my face, I’m not very good at lying. I didn’t 

want her to ask me too much and I was tired 

because we’d been up since 5.30am and we 

had to get the train. Luckily she was reading 

and I was reading and it didn’t happen.” 

Mrs Taylor was planning to drive the 

vehicle some of the way home before letting 

the “lovely little driver who has really come 

on” get her first taste behind the wheel. 

The winner’s mum added: “It was fantastic. 

You want the best for your children. Grace has 

had it hard with Covid because she was the 

years that were affected with her GCSEs and 

A-levels. 

“Her college years were horrible, there was 

no sort of social things going on. It was a 

really miserable time. I think this is really 

going to give her a boost and help her to think 

that there are good things that happen.” 

Miss Taylor was handed her keys by Grant 

Varnham, business development manager at 

Adrian Flux, who was on hand to enjoy the 

moment alongside Keanan Lloyd-Adams, a 

FirstCar brand ambassador. 

Another car, this time a Ford Fiesta along 

with 2,043 other prizes are now up for grabs 

in the next 2023-24 prize draw. 

Entry is free at www.firstcar.co.uk/win. 


Area news 

Charged up: will we ever 

have the kit we need 

to meet the EV target? 

Janet 

Stewart 

London & the 

South East 

BBC documentary – Electric cars 

– what they really mean 

There was a very interesting documentary on 

the BBC on 25th July, hosted by Justin 

Rowlatt with Michelle Ackerley and Dr Tara 

Shine. Consideration was given to the 

likelihood of the Government’s targets 

regarding emissions being met and whether 

it was going to be possible to support the 

predicted number of electric vehicles on our 

roads. 

The programme started with a bit of 

science and statistics. Conventional 

combustion engine noise and heat are all 

wasted energy. Only about 20 per cent of 

the power in energy results in motion. In an 

electric vehicle the magnetic field goes 

directly into rotation and no electricity is 

wasted – resulting in about 90-96 per cent 

efficiency. 25 per cent of all emissions in the 

UK are from transport. 

The big issue is the manufacture of the 

batteries and no-one is denying that they are 

very big and heavy. The UK currently has 

only one battery producing factory. The 

batteries are made primarily from nickel, 

graphite and lithium. Most of the nickel 

comes from Russia, so we are facing a bit of a 

problem with supply at the moment. The 

graphite required must be very pure and 

most of this comes from China. Again, supply 

of the raw material could be a problem in the 

future. China also has about 80 per cent of 

the world’s lithium. Lithium is not actually in 

short supply, it is just that there are not 

enough mines. This needs to be addressed 

now for electric vehicles to be ready to hit the 

mass market. 

There are about 44,000 public chargers in 

the UK, but about one-third of these are in 

London. Clearly, much more needs to be 

done to roll these out away from the capital. 

One of the options for people who do not 

have off-street parking and cannot, 

therefore, have a home charger is to charge 

at a petrol/charging station or at the side of 

the road. Companies are now being granted 

contracts to make road-side charging 

available by an underground electricity 

supply system. Each person who wishes to 

avail themselves of this option is provided 

with a sort of pipe which fits into a portal at 

the road side – it looks rather like the old coal 

holes which led to chutes down into the 

basements of houses. 

The problems involved are mostly the 

hold-ups due to local government and 

planning departments, and how many 

permissions from how many people/ 

organisations need to be sought. However, 

progress is being made, albeit not fast 

enough. Ultra-fast chargers need power from 

the National Grid, so new connections to the 

grid need to be made and the grid itself needs 

an upgrade. Again, the planning laws are 

making this really difficult. 

Just as an aside, there is quite a lot of talk 

about hydrogen-powered cars. The problem 

is that you need the electricity to produce the 

hydrogen. 

So can we reach the target of 2030? In the 

programme’s view, probably, but a bit more 

effort is required. 

It was an interesting programme that put 

things in perspective. I am hearing a lot of 

negative things about electric cars, some 

may be valid but I think there is also a lot of 

unhelpful social media hype. I was recently 

told that electric cars were dangerous 

because a friend of someone I know had his 

house catch fire. On investigation, it turned 

out that he did not have a charge point at 

home and was running a cable out to his car 

from a three-pin plug which was plugged into 

an adapter which was already running several 

other home appliances. 

Guess what? With this much over-loading, 

there was a fire. 

I have also been told by someone who 

does not have an electric car that it takes 

three days to charge. I told them that I had an 

electric car and it did not take three days. 

They told me that I was wrong. Herbert 

Spencer said “There is a principle which is a 

bar against all information, which is proof 

against all arguments and which cannot fail to 

keep man in everlasting ignorance – that 

principle is contempt prior to investigation.” 

Incidentally there was, in 1971, an electric 

vehicle which only made one journey before 

it was abandoned – the Moonrover! 



Great to catch up - with each other, as 

much as with all the news from the DVSA 

Brian 

Thomson 

MSA GB Scotland 

Our local association, the Angus Driving 

Instructors Association, had a ‘face to face’ 

meeting on 3rd August when we were 

privileged to have a guest speaker in the form 

of Peter Harvey MBE, national vice chairman 

for MSA GB and his wife, Jean. 

Attendees were drawn from Dundee, 

Forfar, Arbroath, Brechin and even 

Laurencekirk, with the exception of Dundee, 

all within a 15-mile radius of Montrose. They 

were a good mix of ADIs, PDI’ and even a 

trainee revising for part 1. 

The meeting was held in Montrose’s former 

swimming pool, which has now been 

converted into a three-screen cinema, bar, 

and function/meeting rooms. 

As ADIA vice chairman I kicked off 

proceedings with introductions from new and 

old faces, before introducing Peter. He asked 

the room what they wanted to talk about or 

hear – there’s no pre-meeting preparation 

for this guy, he lives on the edge. Everyone 

was keen to hear the latest news from the 

DVSA, so Peter briefed us on the up and 

coming changes within our industry and 

The ADIA group 

Photo: Fiona Thomson, 

PDI 

encouraged questions as he went along – 

something of which there was no shortage of. 

Everything got covered: ‘older’ ADIs asking 

about standard check info, the newer ADIs 

looking for information on further testing 

timescales, PDIs asking when tests will 

become available locally. 

It was a great presentation of more 

information from Peter, more questions, 

more short debates, finishing with Peter 

reading out a list of other things of interest 

and also promoting the benefits of being an 

MSA GB member. 

He highlighted existing driving instructor 

car insurance and liability insurance, which 

are all part of MSA GB membership, so much 

so that we recruited seven new members 

from the group. 

Peter and Jean then left for their lengthy 

journey back home, leaving a group that had 

thoroughly enjoyed the meeting and 

appreciated the information given. 

Online resource launched to boost road safety 

West Berkshire Council has teamed up with 

Agilysis to produce an online School Streets 

educational tool – and is encouraging road 

safety professionals to “be brave and take 

the test”. 

The programme is part of efforts to 

maintain the safety and integrity of the 

council’s School Streets initiatives. 

It follows feedback from a local resident, 

who raised the idea of using money 

generated by fixed penalty notices to provide 

better driver education and awareness. 

West Berkshire Council says so much 

great work has been done around School 

Streets – and that it has absorbed much 

information “on what worked and what 

didn’t” during their introduction. It is 

encouraging road safety professionals to 

give the resource a try amid belief the 

concept could be easily adapted to support 

other moving traffic offences. 

In July 2023, West Berkshire Council was 

granted Part 6 powers to use ANPR cameras 

to enforce School Street restrictions. 

The new course is available for those who 

have been issued a fixed penalty notice as a 

result of a School Street offence. The 

learning is incentivised by providing a 

substantial discount to the fixed penalty 

notice, if successfully completed. 

The course is open to use by the public at 

any time, in the hope that it will provide a 

means of education so that they can avoid 

committing another offence. 

In the course, users are entered into a 

virtual town which is filled with eight 

different characters that they must interact 

and speak with to progress. 

The course takes around 30 minutes to 

complete – and there is a short eight 

question quiz at the end. 

Users need to score 6/8 in order to pass 

and be eligible for the discount. 

You can take the test at https:// 

schoolstreets.wbcroadsafety.co.uk 


Area news 

We’ve an independent streak 

in the West Country! 

Arthur Mynott 

MSA GB 

West Coast & Wales 

Somerset has its own advanced 

driving association to rival 

IAM or RoSPA. Arthur Mynott 

explains why... 

Here in Somerset, we are in the unique 

position of having our own group of advanced 

drivers, the Advanced Drivers Association 

Somerset (ADAS). 

We are completely autonomous, not being 

affiliated to either ROSPA, IAM, or any other 

widely recognised group. In this issue I would 

like to explain how this came about and the 

different approaches adopted by ADAS. 

There used to be a group for Advanced 

Drivers in Taunton, Somerset which was part 

of the ROSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders 

(RoADAR) group. However, this group folded 

in 2008 for various reasons. In 2010 a local, 

recently qualified driving instructor, Guy 

Annan, wanted to improve his general driving 

skills and sought out the nearest RoADAR 

group, which was in Yeovil, about 30 miles 

away. Some of you may have heard Guy’s 

name before, as he was, at one time, a 

Regional Editor of Newslink and also won the 

Editor of the Year Award for the former 

Western Region of the MSA GB. 

He joined the Yeovil group and eventually 

shared a lift to each meeting with a fellow 

Tauntonian, Steve Scott-Davies. After a while 

they decided to rekindle a Taunton group. 

Steve holds a National Diploma in Advanced 

Driving Instruction and a DVSA Cardington 

Special Test for Driving Instructors amongst 

his many other credentials. They contacted 

RoSPA for details of the previous Taunton 

group and discovered that the funds from 

that group were being held in trust in Yeovil to 

be transferred to Taunton should one ever 

start up again. 

So, the process began and a committee 

was set up with Guy as the Chairman, Steve 

as the Secretary and other committee 

members were also elected. News that the 

new group had started spread and meetings 

were arranged, held originally at a room in 

Taunton Fire Station. The group quickly 

outgrew these premises and larger rooms 

were found for the meetings to continue. 

In 2014, a new member, Chris Hillier joined 

who had a history of Advanced Driving and 

proved to be a valuable member of the group. 

He has a Certificate in Education, Diploma in 

the Advanced Study of Education (DASE) and 

is also a Registered Technical Engineer (R. 

Tech.Eng), as well as holding a Diploma in 

Advanced Driving instruction. Chris took on 

the role of Development Officer in the group 

which proved to be of great importance a 

couple of years later. 

During that time RoADAR was in the 

process of changing their existing 

constitution and imposing those changes 

without consultation. Members felt that the 

changes were not within the spirit of 

volunteering and that there was a lack of 

practical support being offered ,with some 

changes felt to be inappropriate. So, a 

Arthur receives his ADAS certificate from 

group Chairman Guy Annan, the former 

MSA GB Western editor for Newslink 

decision was made to establish our own 

autonomous group. Given his managerial 

experience, Chris was instrumental in the 

arrangements for making the transition. 

The new group was established in 2018 at 

an Extraordinary General Meeting and we 

quickly established our own training 

programmes and a modular approach was 

developed. These were submitted for 

external approval and successfully 

accredited. The training programmes and 

advanced tests are much more robust and 

consistent with up-to-date practices. 

We have members meetings every two 

months. These consist of speakers from 

various organisations including Blood Bikes, 

Police, 4x4 drivers, British Horse Society to 

name just a few. We also have on-road 

practical sessions consisting of things such 

as ‘commentary drives’ together with ‘limit 

point’ and cornering routines, for example. 



West Coast & 

Wales training 

day and AGM 

A reminder about our AGM and training event in 

November, and that MSA GB members can get 

the cheaper rate if booked before 20TH 

SEPTEMBER. 

It is being held on Thursday, November 9 at the Gloucester 

Robinswood Hotel, Gloucester. We have some excellent 

speakers lined up, including: 

John Sheridan, DVSA Driver Training Policy Advisor 

Sue Robertson, DVSA ADI Examiner 

Haydn Jenkins, Disability Driving Instructors 

Amy Hartley, FBTC Accountancy 

Mike Yeomans, National Chairman MSA GB 

Peter Harvey MBE Vice Chairman MSA GB 

In addition Cleevely Motors will have a couple of Electric Vehicles 

available for test drives, and Michael from GoRoadie and Driving 

Instructor Services will both have a stand there also. 

This is an all-day event and the cost, which includes a two course 

buffet lunch with refreshments available throughout the day, is 

£40 for MSA GB members if paid before 20th September, £45 after this date. Non-members 

are welcome to attend, the price for them is £45. 

Doors open at 9.00am for a 9.30 start and will finish around 4.00pm. 

For further details or to book, please contact Arthur Mynott on the details below. 

E: arthur.mynott@magb.com 

T: 07989 852274. 

There are two developmental programmes 

that ADAS offers. 

Improved Driver: 6 hours of on-road and 

flexible training, coaching and support. 

Advanced Driver: Up to 20 hours of tuition 

culminating in an external test (if requested) 

or continual assessment with a Certificate of 

Completion”awarded, which details the 

programme outcomes. 

We have a Principal Examiner who is an 

ex-police examiner and also an Associate 

Examiner. Our members have a retest every 

three years, which helps us to maintain our 

high standards of driving rather than a 

one-off ‘test for life’ with no refresher/ 

requalification requirements. 

I am proud to be one of the trainers for our 

group. 

As I said earlier, we are the first group to go 

independent like this and I know others have 

looked at what we have done with a view to 

doing the same and becoming independent. 

Over the years I have done five Advanced 

Driving Tests, four with RoADAR and passed 

with a Gold accreditation each time, as well as 

passing ADAS with the equivalent grade. 

“We have some 

excellent 

speakers lined 

up who will 

provide the 

advice, help 

and guidance 

you need to 

make your 

challenging job 

easier” 

“Our members have a retest 

every three years, which helps 

us to maintain our high 

standards of driving rather 

than a one-off ‘test for life’ with 

no refresher/requalification 

requirements...” 

I have also successfully completed the 

ADAS Level 4 trainer training module and 

qualified by examination and practical test as 

a trainer. In all of these, any nerves I may 

have had prior to taking them were quickly 

put aside by the examiner and the drive was 

just like travelling with a friend. We chatted 

throughout the route and the whole thing 

was a pleasure to experience, made even 

more so by the result. 

If any people in the Somerset area feel 

they would like to come along and see what 

we are about then please email or call me, 

and I will send you the contact details. 

E: arthur.mynott@magb.com 

T: 07989 852274. 

South East 

meeting set 

to be another 

feast of CPD 

Bob Page 

Area 3, London & the South East 

We’d love to see as many members as 

possible down at St Peter and Paul’s Church 

in Parkstone Road, Hastings TN34 2NT on 

Friday, 22nd September when MSA GB South 

East manager Terry Cummins and his 

committee are holding another of their 

popular CPD meetings. 

Entry is just £5, and for that you also get 

the usual excellent buffet. 

Speakers will include Mike Yeomans, MSA 

GB Chairman, and Tom Kwok, MSA GB 

London and South East director. 

We will also be joined by Dawn Cummins, a 

local inspirational author who will offer some 

insights on test nerves and mindfulness; and 

officers from Sussex Police Safer Roads team 

who will show us their latest presentation 

and answer any questions you may have. 

Finally, Lawrence Brand from Hastings DTC 

will be on hand and is always happy to answer 

your questions. 

All attendees will receive a CPD certificate. 

Terry Cummins will host. 

Please contact Terry on 07719697881 or 

terencecummins@btinternet.com to give us 

an idea of numbers. 

If it’s as good as the last one it’ll be worth 

your time. Hopefully see you there. 

New campaign highlights 

drink/drug dangers 

Safer Roads Greater Manchester has 

launched an innovative campaign offering a 

new perspective on the dangers of driving 

after drinking alcohol or taking drugs. 

‘Your Car Can’t Say No’ is a warning that 

there is no safe level of drinking or drug use 

when driving, and that getting behind the 

wheel while under the influence means there 

is an increased likelihood of being in a collision 

which can have serious – consequences. 

The campaign uses am imaginary 

conversation between the driver and their 

car over whether they are fit to drive – 

highlighting that it is not possible to say how 

much alcohol you can drink and stay below 

the limit. 


Area News 

The Angus Driving Instructors’ 

Association held its annual ‘Sit 

your L-test for charity’ day last 

month. Brian Thomson reports 

Anything the DVSA can do... 

Some people asked, and some people got. 

When are you doing another “sit you 

driving test for charity” day, we were asked 

by an adoring public a few months ago. 

For the uninitiated, this is the day when a 

band of hardy ADIs take full licence holders 

(although we did have a slight difference this 

year) out on a test route for them to show 

they still have the skills to pass their L-test. 

It started almost 10 years ago now, when 

we felt that as an organisation we should try 

and combat some of the driving issues our 

students face every day on the roads. You all 

know the type of thing: “watch that car not 

signal”; “watch that car in the wrong lane”; 

“watch that car that’s going to barge through 

you” ... the things that happen every day in 

every town and city and we live with it. 

Planning for the day all starts weeks 

ahead, arranging which instructors will be 

there, who can help, who has what we need 

for the day. 

This was our seventh time of holding the 

event, so most of the initial planning was 

fairly straightforward, but we can’t have a 

charity day without participation from 

members of the public so it’s posters up, 

going round coffee shops, hairdressers, 

accountants, etc, trying to get them to come 

along and even get a little ‘inter-firm’ 

competition going. 

We all meet about an hour before the start 

time to set up our gazebo as our 

administrative shelter and set out our raffle 

prizes that either came from local businesses 

or public donations and the association 

members. 

Off we go 

07.45 and things get started, cuppas had, 

cars parked and ready to go (unless you 

realise you don’t have fuel). 

This year we only had four cars taking up to 

24 victims participants out, each doing six 

trips each. Now I’m sure some eagle-eyed 

Newslink readers will have counted five cars 

plus a random van on the main photo, but one 

car belongs to our administrator who works 

almost 40 miles away in Dundee so isn’t too 

sure of the local roads, and one belongs to 

Colin, a PDI who just wanted to see how this 

worked and perhaps ride in the back of some 

of the tests to help him understand what to 

look for in his students. (again the 

mathematicians have now got this down to 

three cars but my one is out of camera shot) 

So off we set. Tests were spaced five 

minutes apart to prevent bunching, with 

them all finishing off back at base with a 

reverse bay park. 

The tests themselves too, rather like the 

real thing, 40-45 minutes, followed by a quick 

debrief and a DL25. These went for collating 

later on to give a pass rate for the day. 

Here’s interesting; you know how the DVSA 

really wants to improve the L-test pass rate, 

but it stubbornly refuses to go above 50 per 

cent? Well our pass rate this year was exactly 

that, 50 per cent. So much for becoming 

better drivers with all that experience! 

We had some star drives, with rewards for 

top performers. First place with zero 

recorded driving faults was Sarah Gauld, while 

in second place, with one recorded driving 

fault, was Fiona Thomson. It was suggested 

by the group that we have a wooden spoon 

award next year with the winner of that 

dubious honour invited back the following 

year to redeem themselves. 

We had a visit from our MSA Scottish 

deputy chairman, Bryan Phillips, who made a 



Lynn Newton Angus Driving 

Instructors Association 

chairperson, with Claire Carol 

20- mile round trip to participate, and it was 

also great to have the support of Lynn 

Newton (right) Angus Driving Instructors 

Association chair, with Claire Carol. 

Day done, we drew the raffle, packed 

everything away, went for a Costa to reflect 

on the day and how much we enjoy providing 

a bit of fun. The serious bit was we got some 

good road safety/driving messages across, 

and we also raised some serious cash. The 

money raised is shared between charities 

supported by the ADIs in attendance of their 

choice. We raised just over £640, £177 of 

which came as a donation from 2nd Chance 

tearoom in Inverkeilor). 

Just before I close, I mentioned something 

a little different about this year’s participants. 

We were all set up waiting for the first 

participants to arrive when a young guy 

called Steven Fox came over to the tent to 

ask what the set up was for. When he was 

told it was for full licence holders to sit their 

test, he asked if he could try it, he was still on 

a provisional licence but would like to see how 

he would do. 

As Lynn had a space at 10.05 she would 

happily take him out. He passed with just 

three driving faults; well done, Steven. 

Above, a participant tackles 

the mean streets of Montrose 

on their test. 

Below left, we finished off 

with a reverse bay park 

Right, Our winner, Sarah, is 

presented with a £20 gift card 

and (below) Fiona a £10 gift 

card for the local cinema, by 

Brian Thomson. 

The winner of the hamper in the 

raffle draw was Paul Flannagan 


Members’ benefits 

Members’ discounts and benefits 

MSA GB has organised a number of exclusive discounts and offers for members. More details can be found on our website at www.msagb.com 

and click on the Member Discounts logo. To access these benefits, simply log in and click on the Member discount logo, then click the link at the 

bottom of the page to allow you to obtain your special discounts. 

Please note, non-members will be required to join the association first. Terms and conditions apply 

Access to a replacement dual 

control car after a crash 

EXCLUSIVE DEAL FOR MSA GB MEMBERS 

MSA GB has partnered with AI Insurance Solutions Limited to provide members with a 

replacement dual controlled car when things don’t quite go to plan. 

If you lose your dual-controlled tuition car in a crash, MSA GB’s new partnership with AI 

Insurance Solutions Ltd will have you back on the road and teaching in no time. 

Our exclusive agreement with AI Solutions Ltd will supply a replacement vehicle to you 

should the need arise – at no cost. 

Contact The AI Insurance Solutions Emergency (AIIS) assistance line on 01945 425211 

for more details, or see pg 26. 

Ford updates special 

members’ offer 

Ford has partnered with MSA GB to offer exclusive 

discounts on all car and commercial Ford vehicles. 

Take a look at the Ford website www.ford.co.uk 

for vehicle and specification information. See the 

Members’ Benefits page on the MSA GB website 

and follow the Ford link for more details.. 

Please note these discounts are only available to 

MSA GB members and their immediate family if they 

are members who pay annually. 

ACCOUNTANCY 

MSA GB’s Recommended 

Accountancy Service, FBTC 

offers a specialist service for 

driving instructors. 

It has been established over 20 years 

ago and covers the whole of the UK. The team 

takes pride in providing unlimited advice and 

support to ensure the completion of your tax 

return is hassle free, giving you peace of mind. 

MSA GB OFFER:: FBTC will prepare you for 

Making Tax Digital and will be providing HMRC 

compliant software to all clients very soon. 

Join now to receive three months free. 

ADVANCE DRIVING 

AND RIDING 

As the UK’s largest road 

safety charity, IAM RoadSmart 

is proud to partner with the 

Motor Schools Association GB. Working 

together to promote and enhance motorists 

skills on our roads. 

MSA GB OFFER:: Get 10% off Advanced courses; 

visit www.iamroadsmart.com/course and 

use the code MSA10 at the checkout or call 

0300 303 1134 to book. 

BREATHALYSER KITS 

Protect yourself and your pupils with a 

personal breathalyser. We’ve teamed up with 

AlcoSense, the award-winning range of 

personal breathalysers, to offer an exclusive 

discount to all MSA GB members. 

A personal breathalyser takes the 


alcohol in your system (or that of your learner 

driver pupil) the morning after the night 

before. 

MSA GB OFFER:: 10% off any AlcoSense product 

(excluding single-use disposables) – from the 

entry-level Lite 2 (£44.99) to the top-ofthe-range 

Ultra (£249.00). 

CAR AIR FRESHENERS / 

CANDLES 

Mandles’ handmade 

scented collections use 

quality ingredients to ensure 

superior scent throw from 

all 

its candles and diffusers. Check our our website 

for further details. 

MSA GB OFFER:: Special discount 

of 20% on all car air fresheners and refills. 

CARD PAYMENTS 

MSA GB and SumUp believe 

in supporting motor vehicle 

trainers of all shapes and sizes. 

Together we are on a mission to 

ease the operational workload of 

our members by providing them with the ability 

to take card payments on-the-go or in their 

respective training centres. SumUp readers 

are durable and user-friendly. Their paperless 

onboarding is quick and efficient. Moreover, 

their offer comes with no monthly subscription, 

no contractual agreement, no support fees, 

no hidden fees – just the one-off cost for the 

reader coupled with lowest on the market 

transaction fee. 

DISABILITY AIDS 

Driving shouldn’t just be a privilege for people 

without disabilities; it should be accessible 

for all and there’s never been an easier time 

to make this the case! MSA GB 

members can take advantage 

of BAS’s Driving Instructor 

Packages which include a range 

of adaptations at a discounted 

price, suitable for teaching disabled 

learner drivers. 

MSA GB OFFER:: Special Driving Instructor 

Packages for MSA GB members. 

HEALTH / FINANCE COVER 

The Motor Schools Association of Great Britain 

has agreed with HMCA to offer discounted rates 

for medical plans, dental plan, hospital cash 

plans, personal accident plan, travel plan, income 

protection and vehicle breakdown products. 

MSA GB OFFER:: HMCA only offer 

medical plans to membership 

groups and can offer up 

to a 40% discount off the 

underwriter’s standard rates. 

This is a comprehensive plan 

which provides generous cash benefits 

for surgery and other charges. 

To get the full story of the 

discounts available, see 

www.msagb.com 



PUPIL INSURANCE 

Help your pupils private 

practice by signing them up 

to Collingwood’s instructor 

affiliate programme. 

MSA GB OFFER:: MSA 

GB 

OFFER:: referral and a chance to win £100 of 

High Street vouchers! 

PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING 

Confident Drivers has the only 

website created especially for 

drivers offering eight different 

psychological techniques 

commonly used to reduce stress 

and nerves. 

MSA GB OFFER:: One month free on a monthly 

subscription plan using coupon code. 

PUPIL SOURCING 

Go Roadie provides students 

when they need them, with all 

the details you need before you 

accept. Control your own pricing, 

discounts and set your availability to 

suit you. Full diary? No cost! 

MSA GB OFFER:: Introductory offer of 50% off 

the first three students they accept. 

QUICKBOOKS 

50% Discount on two 

packages for MSA GB 

members 

Quickbooks is offering an online 

50% discount for MSA GB members on two of 

their premium accounting packages. 

Essentials Package For small businesses 

working with suppliers. Manage VAT and 

Income Tax with up to three users. 

Plus For businesses managing projects, 

stock, VAT, and Income Tax. Up to five users. 

The packages are contract-free throughout 

with no cancellation fee. This exclusive 

member offer can only be secured by 

contacting our MSA GB representative at 

Quickbooks - Ollie Nobes, on: 07723 507 026 

or email: Ollie_Nobes@intuit.com quoting: 

**MSAGB** 

To get the full story of the 

discounts available, see 

www.msagb.com 

Membership offer 

Welcome, new ADIs 

We’ve a special introductory offer for you! 

Congratulations on passing your 

Part 3 and becoming an ADI. 

There’s an exciting career 

open to you from today, 

one that’s alive with 

possibilities as you build 

your skills, your client base 

and your income. 

But for all the excitement, 

it can also be challenging; 

who can you turn to if you’re 

struggling to get over key driver 

training issues to a pupil? Where can you go 

to soak up advice from more experienced 

ADIs? Who will help you if you are caught 

up in a dispute with the DVSA? If the worst 

happens, who can you turn to for help, 

advice and to fight your corner? 

The answer is the Motor Schools 

Association of Great Britain – MSA GB for 

short. 

We are the most senior association 

representing driving instructors in Great 

Britain. Establised in 1935 when the first 

driving test was introduced, MSA GB has 

been working tirelessly ever since on 

behalf of ordinary rank and file ADIs. 

We represent your interests and your 

views in the corridors of power, holding 

regular meetings with senior officials 

from the DVSA and the Department for 

Transport to make sure the ADIs’ voice is 

heard. 

SPECIAL OFFER 

Join MSA GB today! 

SPECIAL OFFER: Join for just £60 with your 

PI & PL insurance included immediately! 

No joining fee - saving you £25 

Call 01787 221020 quoting discount code 

Newslink, or join online at www.msagb.com 

We’d like you to join us 

We’re there to support you 

every step of the way. Our 

office-based staff are 

there, five days a week, 

from 9am-5pm, ready to 

answer your call and help 

you in any way. 

In addition our network of 

experienced office holders 

and regional officers can offer 

advice over the phone or by email. 

But membership of the MSA GB doesn’t 

just mean we’re there for you if you’re 

in trouble. We also offer a nationwide 

network of regular meetings, seminars and 

training events, an Annual Conference, and 

a chance to participate in MSA GB affairs 

through our democratic structure 

In addition, you’ll get a free link to our 

membership magazine Newslink every 

month, with all the latest news, views, 

comment and advice you’ll need to become 

a successful driving instructor. 

You’ll also automatically receive 

professional indemnity insurance worth up 

to £5m and £10m public liability insurance 

free of charge. 

This is essential legal protection covering 

you against legal claims ariving from your 

tuition.

Newslink September 2023

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