Newslink November

msagb.com
Newslink
The Voice of MSA GB
Issue 370 • November 2023
The question of
colour blindness
How it affects drivers – and why you
need to be aware of its possible impact
We work for all Driver Trainers. Want to join? SAVE £25 – see pg 39 for special offer

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I’ll vote for better driving and
road safety: who’s with me?
Welcome to your
digital, interactive
Newslink
Colin Lilly
Editor,
Newslink
In the August issue of Newslink we predicted
that road safety was about to become a
political issue. In late September, just before
the Conservative Party Conference, the
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak announced that
the Government were about to launch a
programme to curtail what he described as
the ‘War on Motorists.’
What makes motorists a special case? Is
the hierarchy of road users in the Highway
Code just a myth?
A war has not been formally declared. Are
these motorists who are feeling victimised
the ones with little regard for the safety of
others, who refuse to adapt their driving
habits, or have no respect for regulations?
Such an announcement seemed a bit
bizarre in the wake of the recent report of a
10% year-on-year rise in road fatalities.
Many of the drivers who advocate
freestyle driving probably never consider the
safety implications or the effect on others; it
is merely their own agenda.
The announcement was probably provoked
by the Welsh 20mph debate. The fact remains
that amid all the protests and protestations
of non-compliance, the average speed in
Wales has fallen by 2.3 mph during the first
month of operation. Even this small amount
can have influence. As a parent and grandparent
I compare this to a child that
grudgingly complies.
Within days the DfT published a policy
document laying out future plans about Low
Traffic Neighbourhoods, 20mph limits, bus
lanes and enforcement.
The policies merely seeks to placate those
that politicians perceive as the majority view.
Faced with a survey most people will give the
answer they feel follows the current trend.
When a political party sets its manifesto,
they will present the policies that they feel
will achieve the most votes. On motoring
issues, it is a simple choice of safety or
convenience. We may come to see what the
public truly sees as important.
Global warming is an impending threat that
is a reality. While the British motorist is not
solely responsible for the situation, every
little helps. Rolling back on policies that
should have a positive influence is not helpful.
I live in a low lying area that it is estimated
will be flooded by rising sea levels by 2050.
As our house is one metre above sea level, I
can see this will be a tad inconvenient.
One would like to think that come the
general election, political parties’ policies will
reflect the common good. Policies formed in
response to anarchy just deal with the vested
interest.
As always this was written not reflecting
support for any political party, but from the
point of view of an organisation with a strong
interest in promoting road safety and safe
driving.
• More on Wales: pg 16
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
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you can download the magazine to
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www.msagb.com
Follow the link
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you to access
Newslink,
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MSA GB Annual Conference 2024:
Prices and venue announced
Time to get the weekend
cleared....
Venue and pricing
details released.
COVER STORY
The issue of
colour blindness
and how it can
impact on drivers
Full story,
see pg 22
See pg 26 for more
details and first news
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 03

Contents
06
Paradise... but
for whom?
08
13
Where are
you going,
my deer?
22
Get money off your fuel bill
with special MSA GB deal
Looking to cut your costs? Then save
up to 10p per litre of fuel with an
MSA GB fuel card – pg 06
Waiting times... explained
Ever wondered what the methodology
was behind the DVSA’s definition of
an L-test centre waiting time? It’s
explained here... – pg 10
Call for mandatory training
for all van drivers
European road safety group wants
white van man to be trained: could it
come to the UK, too? – pg 14
Where Wales leads...
Road safety expert asks people to get
behind Wales’s new lower urban
speed limits, as first data shows
public is slowing down – pg 16
It’s good to talk – but do it
constructively
Steve Garrod on how the narrative
used during feedback can make or
break a learning outcome and really
get the message across – pg 20
What red light ...?
Do you check your pupils for colour
blindness when you first take them
out on a lesson? – pg 22
Newslink
The Voice of MSA GB
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editor.
04 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
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
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through to the relevant site
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 05

News
Get 10p off every litre of fuel
with special MSA GB deal
MSA GB understands that the cost-ofliving
crisis is putting many ADIs under
considerable financial pressure,
particularly with the cost of fuel and
insurance, two of our biggest costs, rising
so quickly.
So to help alleviate some of the burden
on our members, we’re thrilled to
announce a brand-new partnership with
Fuel Card Services.
A fuel card from MSA GB partner, Fuel
Card Services can provide huge benefits to
businesses that use vehicles on a daily
basis:
n Cutting fuel costs - save up to 10p per
litre and get a consistent price.
n Increased security - fuel cards are a
safer alternative to carrying cash and
eliminate fraud.
n Streamline admin - HMRC compliant
invoices, no receipts, one neat invoice and
a dedicated account manager.
n Tighter control of business expenses
- view transactions and reports online 24/7.
n Increased flexibility for refuelling
across a huge network.
n Fleet convenience - a quick and
convenient way for fleets to refuel.
There are a range of fuel cards available
on the market and for your business to
truly benefit from investing in fuel cards,
you need to choose the right one for your
businesses’ requirements.
FUEL CARD SERVICES offers a large
choice of networks from leading brands,
such as BP, Shell, Esso and UK Fuels, so
you can decide which networks you wish
to include on your business account.
Fuel Card Services and MSA GB are
helping to deliver cost savings to
members throughout the country.
For more details and to obtain a fuel
card through MSA GB, go to our website at
https://msagb.com/members/
member-discounts/
Current prices
The RAC’s latest pricewatch on fuel shows the average price of a litre of unleaded is
now 155.27p - down slightly on mid-October
The supermarket average is 152.89p and the motorway average is 179.29p.
For diesel the average is 162.05p, the supermarket average is 159.76p and the
motorway average is 184.73p
Driving test centre update
Skegness driving test centre
The temporary relocation of Skegness driving test centre
has been extended, as repairs are continuing at the
permanent centre on Heath Road.
As a result driving tests will continue to operate out of
the Vertigo Stadium at Wainfleet Road until further notice.
The address for the temporary centre is: Vertigo
Stadium, Wainfleet Road, Skegness, Lincolnshire PE25
2EL.
Examiners will meet candidates at their cars at the time
of the test. The car park must not be used for candidates
to practise parking exercises.
Carlisle driving test centre
ADIs in the Carlisle area will be interested to know that
their local driving test centre at Port Road, Carlisle was
temporarily closed due to health and safety reasons.
As this issue of Newslink was being published the DVSA
said it would re-open on Sunday, 29 October.
Shock to the system as EV
sales push up insurance costs
A huge rise in premiums has seen the average cost of car insurance hit a
record of £924 a year, according to new figures from Confused.com.
Prices are up by £338 on 2022 – indeed, they are up an astonishing
£148 from June this year.
Confused.com says the rise in sales of electric cars is a factor in the
price increase.
With higher prices than their petrol or diesel equivalents, along with
more advanced technology and equipment included, garages and repair
specialists say EVs are more expensive to repair or replace than petrol or
diesel cars.
Electric cars also generally have quicker acceleration than other
vehicles, so could appear riskier to insurers.
The strong used vehicle market is another variable, according to
Confused.com. With second-hand vehicles keeping their value for longer,
if a driver has an accident and their vehicle is a write off, this now costs
insurers more to pay out.
06 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

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Sad news as former MSA GB Member of the Year,
Clive Snook, dies, aged 68
Colin Lilly
Editor, Newslink
As always it is with regret that we inform
members of the passing of a former MSA GB
Member of the Year.
Clive Snook from Shaftesbury passed
away on 7th October, aged 68.
Clive was a stalwart member of MSA GB
for many years. In 1978 he was instrumental
in the formation of the then MSA Western
Region and was its first Deputy Chairman and
Treasurer. He was also Chairman for two
years in the 1990s. He was ever present at
meetings throughout the region, often
organising the welcome desk, and was active
within driving instructor groups in Wiltshire
and Dorset. He was also an ever-present at
MSA national conferences throughout the
80s and 90s.
Sadly, following a severe stroke in 2000,
Clive was forced to give up driving and driver
Clive with
his wife,
Muriel. The
couple were
jointly
named
‘Member of
the Year’ in
2001
training. Driving was a passion for him. As well
as running a driving school he also drove
coaches on a part-time basis.
Clive was cared for by his wife, Muriel, and
despite these challenges he continued to
attend meetings in a wheelchair and perform
his MSA roles. It was in recognition of their
service, despite these difficult circumstances,
that the couple were jointly awarded the MSA
Member of the Year trophy in 2001.
Unfortunately, as a result of his stroke,
Clive developed vertigo which made it
difficult to travel so took on a less active role.
He remained for a number of years as
regional treasurer and Vice-Chairman.
In recent years, regrettably, his health
deteriorated.
Clive’s funeral will be held on Monday,
November 6 at 11am at the Salisbury
Crematorium, Barrington Rd, Salisbury SP1
3JB, followed by a wake at the Milford Hall
Hotel and Spa, 206 Castle Street, Salisbury
SP1 3TE.
Anyone is welcome to attend, but it would
be helpful to confirm your attendance with
his widow Muriel on 01747 855091.
I will be attending along with the MSA GB
West Coast and Wales Area Chairman, Arthur
Mynott, as representatives of the
association and to convey MSA GB’s deepest
condolences.
Clive Snook, died 7th October 2023. RIP

News
Scotland to look at
following Wales
A one-day conference in Edinburgh next
month will discuss the national 20mph
limit set by Wales in September and plans
for rolling out 20mph in Scotland by 2025.
Organised by 20’s Plenty, the event
takes place at the City of Edinburgh
Council Chambers on December 7.
Wales became the first UK country to
adopt a default 20mph speed limit in
September, with most 30mph roads
switched to the lower limit.
It followed four years of work between
the Welsh Government and local
authorities, police and road safety experts
to design a change in law.
Delegates will hear from Lee Waters MS,
Wales’ deputy minister for climate change,
and Kaarina Ruta, transport assistant,
Welsh Local Government Association.
The Scottish Government has committed
to giving all appropriate roads in built-up
areas a speed limit of 20mph by 2025.
The agenda also features presentations
from the 20mph cities of Edinburgh and
London, as well as from Scottish Borders
Council. The European Transport Safety
Council will give an international
perspective on 30km/h (18.5mph) limits,
while public health professionals will
highlight the influence of street speeds on
the public’s health.
Start’s the star for
roadside rescue
The latest Which? survey of breakdown
cover firms has named Start Rescue as
best for customer satisfaction, as well top
for the best value for third-party
breakdown in the UK.
“We’re thrilled with the results of the
Which? survey,” said Lee Puffett,
Managing Director of Start Rescue. “Being
recognised by the largest independent
consumer body in the UK for the fifth year
in a row is an amazing achievement.
“This is the mark of quality and great
value offered by our breakdown cover. I’m
so proud of our whole team as they have
earned this incredible feedback.”
Which? team said: “Start Rescue
reaches 72% of people in less than an hour
and has the highest customer score of any
third-party provider.”
The survey also praised the level of
cover offered with all of its policies.
Paradise isle – for beach lovers,
walkers and learner drivers
And the prize goes to... the Isle of Benbecula.
Now, given the photo above, the question
is, what is the prize for? Most beautiful place
in the UK? Place in the UK that most closely
resembles a tropical island paradise? Nearest
dead-ringer for the Seychelles?
While all three are arguably correct, the
correct answer is, ‘the place in Great Britain
with the highest L-test pass rate.’
In the year 2022-23, the Isle of Benbecula
saw a staggering 85.7% of candidates pass
their L-test. Pretty good, seen as the
average for GB as a whole is 48.4 .
We’re actually doing the Isle of Tiree a
disservice here, as it too could boast an
85.7% pass rate, but that mark was set
against just seven tests all year, where as the
Isle of Benbecula saw a whopping 84 tests
taken during the same period, so that’s why
we’re giving it top spot.
Clinching the bronze medal was Inverary,
at 84.3%, from 89 tests.
At the other end of the scale a newcomer:
Swindon LGV centre, which had a pass rate of
just 17.8%, far lower than the rest of the LGV
cohort. As far as L-tests are concerned,
Speke in Liverpool was the lowest performing
centre, at 29% passes (on 8,382 tests).
Second lowest was Doncaster Legacy
Centre, at 32.5%, on a curious 314 tests. Erith
in London was third bottom, with 34.5% of
tests ending in a pass, closely followed by
Wolverhampton and Wednesbury (35.3 and
35.7% respectively).
As a whole there were 1,688,955 tests in
2022-23, with a 48.4% pass rate.
Manual still has upper hand on autos –
but only just, as EVs lead the charge
The manual gearbox is still the most popular
choice among those looking to buy a new car
– but only just, as auto boxes are now
favoured by 47% of motorists.
For generations the autobox was the poor
relation when it came to transmissions, with
few motorists opting for one over a manual.
But a YouGov poll commissioned by The
Motor Ombudsman has revealed just how
close the gap between the two now is: 53%
of motorists would opt for a manual gearbox
if they were to buy a new car within the next
12 months, just edging out automatics.
This is a clear result of the popularity of
electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids.
Of those who stated a preference for a
traditional stick shift, the most cited reason
for doing so was this was how they learned to
drive. Over a third (39%) of manual fans also
stated that being in control of their own gear
shifts can offer a greater level of driving
enjoyment for the ‘purists’ than an auto box,
especially in a high-performance car, and
this type of transmission makes it easier to
change gears in anticipation of the volume of
traffic ahead (34%).
Furthermore, for nearly one in three people
(28%), price would also sway respondents to
go manual, as models can be sometimes be
cheaper than those with an auto gearbox.
08 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

News
DVSA offers a new take on what
a L-test waiting time really is...
On October 24, DVSA published its latest blog on the driver training and testing sector, in the wake of its plans
to add an extra 150,000 L-tests in a bid to reduce waiting times. Its author, John Selbey, tackled the complex
question of ‘What the driving test waiting time actually means...’ Many MSA GB members will have read the blog
but we’re publishing it here to ensure the information reaches the widest possible audience.
With many learner drivers waiting longer
than we’d like to take a driving test, there’s
obviously a lot of interest in driving test
waiting times and what we are doing to
reduce them.
In the last few weeks, the DVSA has asked
all eligible managers and administrative staff
back on the front line to carry out driving
tests full time. They’ll do this until the end of
March 2024 and it will create about 150,000
extra driving tests, helping to reduce driving
test waiting times.
We’re often asked by learner drivers,
driving instructors and the media for the
latest driving test waiting time.
In this article I want to explain how we work
out the driving test waiting time we report
on, and how it’s just part of a range of
measures we look at.
What the waiting time figure means
As at 16 October 2023, the current national
average car driving test waiting time is 18.8
weeks.
But to be very clear, that does not mean
that every learner driver in Great Britain is
going to have to wait 18.8 weeks between
booking and taking their test.
As well as the national average, each
driving test centre also has its own waiting
time.
The figure we report is how long it is until at
least 10% of the weekly appointments are
still available to book.
Let’s look at an example.
If we have a test centre where there are
175 tests available each week, the waiting
time is the first week when 18 or more
appointments are still available to book.
(see Table 1)
In this example you can see that it’s nine
weeks until 18 or more appointments are still
available. So the waiting time here is nine
weeks.
But you can see that there are still 68
appointments available in the weeks before
then – so many people would not be waiting
nine weeks, and some would only need to
wait two weeks (as there are four tests
available in just a fortnight’s time).
Why waiting times can suddenly change
The booking window for driving tests is a
rolling 24 weeks. Each week, we add a new
week’s worth of tests.
We also add tests as and when they
become available. For example, if a driving
Table 1
examiner is going to transfer to another test
centre in four weeks’ time, appointments
with them are added.
Let’s take that same example from before,
and now add another driving examiner from
week five onwards.
That driving examiner will do 35 tests a
week when they join. So our test centre will
have:
n a 175 appointment capacity each week
for weeks 1 to 4
Week number Number of tests still Total number of tests
available to book
in the week
1 0 175 0.0%
2 4 175 2.3%
3 6 175 3.4%
4 4 175 2.3%
5 14 175 8.0%
6 12 175 6.9%
7 13 175 7.4%
8 15 175 8.6%
9 19 175 10.9%
This test centre therefore has a nine-week waiting list
10 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

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Week number Number of tests still Total number of tests
available to book
in the week
1 0 175 0.0%
2 4 175 2.3%
3 6 175 3.4%
4 4 175 2.3%
5 49 210 23.3%
6 47 210 22.4%
7 48 210 22.9%
8 50 210 23.8%
9 54 210 25.7%
This test centre therefore has a five-week waiting list
n a 210 appointment capacity each week
from week 5 onwards
The waiting time is now the first week from
now where either:
n 18 or more appointments are still
available to book (weeks 1 to 4)
n 21 or more appointments are still
available to book (week 5 onwards)
See Table 2
As you can see, there are now only five
weeks until 21 or more appointments are still
available. So the waiting time has become 5
weeks.
Now these are quite simple examples, and
in reality it’s not quite as simple as that, as
things are constantly changing. But they
should give you a better insight into how
driving test waiting times work.
Tracking waiting times across the country
We track the number of driving test
centres that have waiting times in different
bands.
For example, as at 16 October 2023 we
had:
n 36 test centres with a waiting time up to
9 weeks (14.8% of all test centres)
n 103 test centres with a waiting time
between 10 and 23 weeks (42.4% of all test
centres)
n 104 test centres with a waiting time of
24 weeks (42.8% of all test centres).
Other measures of driving test availability
We also measure and track the percentage
of all the appointments in the booking
service within the next 24 weeks that are still
available to book.
For example, at 24 April 2023, 5.9% of
tests within the next 24 weeks were still
available to book. As at 16 October 2023, that
had increased to 11.5%.
Forward bookings
As you’d expect, we also track the total
number of bookings. At the end of
September 2023, there were 566,245 driving
tests booked within the following 24 weeks.
Since November 2022, the Department for
Transport has been publishing this figure on a
monthly basis to help us be more transparent
as part of their faster indicators of transport
activity.
In the spreadsheet you can download from
the DfT, this number is called ‘forward
bookings’.
Some people assume that when that
figure increases, it’s bad news for waiting
times, as more people are waiting. That’s not
necessarily the case.
More capacity means more forward bookings
Our priority at this time is to reduce driving
test waiting times, while upholding road
safety standards.
To increase the number of available test
slots we continue to:
n carry out tests outside of regular hours,
including at weekends and on public holidays
n buy back annual leave from driving
examiners
n invite recently retired driving examiners
to return to work
Since April 2021, the measures we have put
in place to reduce waiting times for our
customers, plus the ongoing recruitment of
driving examiners, is creating more than
40,000 extra car test slots each month on
average.
As we recruit more driving examiners and
as more eligible managers and administrative
staff test full-time, our capacity to provide
tests increases. This means that we can fit
more people in within the next 24 weeks. So
a higher number of ‘forward bookings’ means
our capacity has increased.
You’ll then hopefully see this in the months
that follow in the number of tests that we
carry out.
I hope this helps you to understand driving
test waiting times a little better, and also
helps you to correct any misunderstandings
you encounter in the future.
Wot, no comment!
It is customary, at the end of all DVSA blogs,
for ADIs to be given the opportunity to leave
comments on what they have read. DVSA
tells us that this facility is eagerly pored over
by management as it gives them an instant
snapshot as to whether their new policy is
being well received within the ADI
community, and that future policies can be
built on the comments expressed.
Interestingly, however, for this blog the
following note was added at the foot:
About commenting on this blog post
We know that there are lots of different
views about driving test waiting times.
We’ll only publish new questions and
comments that are about how driving test
waiting times are calculated.
We cannot answer individual questions about
the latest driving test waiting times. The
driving test booking service will always have
the latest information.
This is not about censoring your views. It’s to
make sure comments keep on topic and help
to answer any questions about how driving
test waiting times are calculated.
0
Comments left as of
October 27 at noon:
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 11

News
Warning that new EV prices could soar
next year unless trade rules relaxed
Electric vehicle (EV) buyers face a £3,400
price hike from the start of next year unless
post-Brexit trade rules are delayed, an
automotive industry body has said.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and
Traders (SMMT) has called on the UK and EU
to postpone the implementation of tougher
rules of origin requirements on EV batteries.
Tariffs of 10% are due to be imposed on
exports of electric cars between the UK and
EU from January 1 if at least 45% of their
value does not originate in the UK or EU.
Manufacturers will struggle to meet that
threshold as battery production within
Europe has not increased as quickly as
hoped.
The SMMT estimated the tariffs could
result in an average price rise of £3,400 on
EU-manufactured pure battery electric
vehicles bought in the UK.
Nearly half (49%) of all pure battery
electric vehicles bought by UK buyers are
from the EU.
The SMMT said conventional petrol and
diesel vehicles would escape tariffs, which
would “have the perverse effect of
incentivising the purchase of fossil fuelpowered
vehicles”.
It described a three-year delay in
implementing the new rules of origin
requirements as “a pragmatic solution” as it
would allow time for European battery
production to ramp up.
SMMT’s chief executive Mike Hawes said:
“UK automotive is a trading powerhouse
delivering billions to the British economy,
exporting vehicles and parts around the
world, creating high value jobs and driving
growth nationwide.
“Our manufacturers have shown incredible
resilience amid multiple challenges in recent
years, but unnecessary, unworkable and
ill-timed rules of origin will only serve to set
back the recovery and disincentivise the very
vehicles we want to sell.
“Not only would consumers be out of
pocket, but the industrial competitiveness of
the UK and continental industries would be
undermined.
“A three-year delay is a simple, commonsense
solution which must be agreed
urgently.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We
need a joint UK-EU solution to avoid
consumers facing tariffs on electric vehicles
from 2024 which do not apply to petrol and
diesel cars.
“We have raised this with the European
Commission and are ready to work with them
to find a solution within the existing structure
of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The
UK remains one of the best locations in the
world for automotive manufacturing.”
Sunak blamed as private EV sales hit a slowdown
The boss of car dealership Vertu Motors has
said the Government’s “confusing messaging”
on net zero targets is partly to blame for
cooling demand for electric vehicles.
Robert Forrester, chief executive of Vertu,
said retail demand has been “muted”
following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s move
to push back the ban on the sale of new
petrol and diesel cars in the UK from 2030 to
2035, as well as cost-of-living pressures.
Mr Forrester said the Government has
caused confusion by announcing soon after
delaying the ban that it will still impose
stretching targets for car manufacturers to
achieve specific zero emissions vehicle (ZEV)
sales targets.
More than a fifth (22%) of new cars sold by
manufacturers in the UK next year must be
zero emission, under the new rules, rising to
80% in 2030.
Mr Forrester said manufacturers are
resorting to discounts and offers to try to
boost flagging demand.
He said: “Increased supply of new electric
vehicles from manufacturers is evident while
retail demand remains muted.
“The Government’s confusing messaging
may further contribute to this.
Royal accolade for Euro safety project
The groundbreaking Road Safety Exchange
project, celebrated as a catalyst for lifesaving
initiatives across Europe, from
Norway to Greece, is to receive one of the
highest accolades in the road safety field –
the prestigious Prince Michael International
Road Safety Award, presented by His Royal
Highness Prince Michael of Kent.
This recognition underscores the project’s
impact on enhancing road safety.
Congratulating the project partners, HRH
Prince Michael of Kent said: “In 2012 I was
very pleased that the ETSC was among the
award winners for their Road Safety
“Manufacturers are therefore seeking to
stimulate retail demand for these vehicles
through the offer of discounted prices and
supported finance rates.
“These market dynamics combined with
the ZEV mandate have the potential to
disrupt the recovery of the new car market in
the next few years.”
Recent industry figures from the SMMT
showed retail sales of battery EVs fell 8.5%.
But fleet sales are up 64.8% in the year to
August, thanks to companies incentivising
staff to buy them through salary sacrifice
schemes.
Performance Index at that year’s ceremony.
“That is why I am very pleased to present a
second award to the ETSC this year,
alongside the European Commission and
Parliament, for their innovative EU Road
Safety Exchange.” Road Safety Exchange will
receive the award next month, in London.
12 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

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Don’t veer for the deer, is the official advice
Drivers should be on the lookout for deer on
the roads in coming weeks, as the nights
close in and the mating season gets under
way, says GEM Motoring Assist. Deer are
most active at dawn and dusk, it added.
Estimates from the RSPCA indicate that up
to 74,000 deer are killed each year in road
collisions, with an annual human death toll
from deer collisions of between 10 and 20
and around 450 serious injuries. The total
vehicle repair bill from deer collisions is
estimated at more than £17 million.
GEM chief executive Neil Worth says:
“Woodland, parkland and hillside areas
present the highest risks of a deer strike, but
you should expect to encounter deer on any
suburban or rural road.
“We endorse the advice provided by the
British Deer Society: don’t veer for deer, as
by changing your direction quickly, you
increase the risk of colliding with another
vehicle or losing control and leaving the
carriageway. Rather, if you spot a deer or
other animal on the road ahead, stay in
control, reduce your speed as much as
possible and steer straight.”
The deer breeding season lasts until
early-mid November.
GEM offers six simple tips for drivers to
reduce risk from deer collisions:
n Take note of deer warning signs. These
are placed in locations where wild animal
crossings are likely, so keep your speed down
and be ready to encounter a deer at very
short notice.
n Be particularly watchful at dawn and
dusk, when deer are most active.
n If you spot one animal, it’s likely there
may be others following, so don’t speed up
and assume the danger has passed.
n Remember the importance of always
being able to stop in the distance you can see
to be clear ahead. But also be ready to react if
a deer leaps out right in front of you
n If a collision with the animal seems
inevitable, then the safest option is to strike it
while maintaining full control of your car.
Always look out for traffic behind you. If you
need to stop then use your hazard lights to
warn other vehicles.
n If you hit a deer, or you come across an
injured deer, stop somewhere safe and report
the collision to the police, who can organise
professional veterinary assistance.
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 13

News
ETSC joins in demands for van
drivers to face mandatory training
The European Transport Safety Council
(ETSC) has joined a number of other
transport groups in calling on the EU to
include additional professional training for van
drivers, similar to the requirements imposed
on bus and coach drivers, in its next round of
reforms to driver licences.
The road safety groups say the growth in
small vans on European roads is so great that
the introduction of mandatory training for all
professional van drivers “is essential”.
While the introduction of such mandatory
training would not impact on Great Britain, as
we are outside the EU, the difference in
licensing could cause problems for van
drivers operating in Northern Ireland who
cross the border into Ireland, and would
increase pressure on Westminster to
introduce similar rules here.
The move was prompted by the revelation
that 11% of all road deaths in Europe, which
equates to 2,630 lives, result from crashes
involving vans each year. 39% of the deaths
were pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
The increasing use of vans can be
attributed to various factors, including higher
demand, daytime urban operations,
nighttime deliveries, and the surge in online
shopping. Unfortunately, the pressure to
meet market demands, intense competition
in the transport industry, and a lack of
stringent regulations have contributed to
poor working conditions for van drivers,
posing significant safety risks.
A critical issue highlighted in the letter is
the relatively lenient regulations applied to
vans weighing less than 3.5 tonnes compared
to HGVs, where operators and drivers are
required to obtain Certificates of Professional
Competence (CPCs).
However, van fleets can operate under
lower standards, and only LGVs exceeding 2.5
tonnes and operating across EU borders will
be subject to EU rules for driving and resting
times by 2026. The vast majority of van
traffic operating within national borders will
not be impacted by this change.
That’s why the organisations have called
for comprehensive training for professional
van drivers, covering safe loading and
unloading, cargo securing, reversing, fatigue
prevention, journey planning, and adherence
to traffic rules.
The ETSC wants the current requirements
for bus and truck drivers, which include
professional driver training, to be extended to
cover van drivers, including those who may
be self-employed or owner drivers.
This could be achieved as part of the
proposal from the European Parliament to
establish a B+ category with a separate
requirement for CPC-type training for N1
vehicles used for professional purposes.
The organisations also express their
disagreement with the European
Commission’s proposal to increase the
permissible mass of a ‘B’ category vehicle
from 3.5 to 4.25 tonnes.
Citing a recent report from the VIAS
Institute in Belgium, they argue that larger
and more powerful vehicles are having an
increasingly adverse impact on road safety
for pedestrians and cyclists.
Warning that LHVs
could wreck the
roads as firms look
to use mega trucks
The European Transport Safety Council
(ETSC) has warned politicians to think
carefully before allowing large articulated
lorries, also known as LHVs, megatrucks,
or gigaliners, to be more widely on
Europe’s roads, stating safety concerns.
LHVs are classified as truck and trailer
combinations that are 25.25 metres long,
which is nearly nine metres longer than
typical lorries in Europe. They can weigh
up to 60 tonnes – rather than the
maximum 44 tonnes in the UK.
These vehicles are equivalent in length
to six passenger cars and weigh as much
as a fully loaded Boeing 737-300.
An initial impact assessment suggested
allowing LHVs could reduce road deaths,
but ETSC took the opposite view, citing
serious concerns about the impact of
LHVs on road safety. While they have
been permitted under certain conditions
until now, they are not allowed to cross
borders – a condition ETSC said should
remain.
One significant concern is that LHVs
may hasten road infrastructure
degradation, leading to more frequent
maintenance and safety issues. They also
require adapted infrastructure, which
poses challenges in work zones, parking
areas, resting areas, and more. Existing
truck safety facilities, including barriers,
ramps, and lay-bys, are not designed for
LHVs.
Fire safety in tunnels is also a concern
with LHVs potentially blocking traffic
lanes in roll-over crashes. The impact
resistance of barriers on bridges crossing
above railways may also be insufficient to
prevent a collision between an LHV and a
train. LHVs can also have difficulty with
junctions and might encroach on
pavements or cycle paths during turns.
14 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

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Self-assessment deadline: fewer than 100 days to go
The deadline’s coming... for self-assessment.
The HMRC has sent a reminder out for the
start of November, reminding ADIs that there
are now fewer than 100 days to go before the
deadline for self-assessment forms to be
completed and filed with HMRC.
But while January 31, 2024 is the deadline,
there’s nothing to stop you from sending it in
early!
Filing your return early means you can find
out how much you owe, and help you budget
and plan for your payment. And if you’re due a
HMRC help
HMRC has organised another series of
webinars to help self-employed business
people with their expenses. The free-toview
sessions include lots of advice that will
be crucial as we move towards the selfassessment
deadline (see above)
Business expenses for the self-employed
During the webinar the HMRC team will:
n show you what are allowable business
expenses
n cover the most common business
expenses
n look at simplified expenses
n discuss record keeping
n help you enter accurate figures on your
tax return.
You can register for the webinar by clicking
HERE.
Car expenses for the self-employed
Using your own car for business? We’ll tell
you about:
n business journeys
n capital allowances
n how to work out simplified and actual
cost expenses
n leasing a car and personal contract
purchases.
You can register for the webinar by clicking
HERE.
HMRC is also running some short videos
available on HMRC’s YouTube channel,
including:
n What expenses can I include in my Self
Assessment tax return?
n Claiming motoring expenses if you’re
self-employed.
You can find them by clicking HERE for the
self-assessment expenses,
and by clicking HERE for the motoring
expenses.
refund, you can claim it back sooner.
HMRC spokesperson said: “If you’ve
already sent your return and paid, thank you.
You don’t need to do anything else.
“But we want to help you get your tax
return right. There’s lots of support available:
n A YouTube video offers key advice (click
here to view)
n HMRC’s digital assistant, forums, social
media to ask questions and find answers
(click here to view)
• Step-by-step guide to check what you
need to do to file your first tax return (click
here to view)
“ HMRC added: We’ll keep sending you
reminder emails until you file your return. ”
You have been warned!
MSA GB adds: It’s not too late to contact
our approved accountancy services, FBTC,
who can take away much of the pain of filing
your self-assessment form for you. Find out
more by contacting them via the contact
details below, or see the MSA GB website.
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 15

News
The debate on the wisdom of the 20mph speed limits in Wales rumbles on. Here, in an opinion piece
originally published on the Road Safety GB website, Gary Digva, founder of Road Angel, says it is
disappointing to see “such a pushback on life-saving policies such as 20mph speed limits”, in an
impassioned defence of the new policy. Read on to learn why he is such a supporter of the new limits
This policy will make a
difference – and where
Wales leads, the rest of
the UK should follow
With the mounting evidence that the
transition to 20mph limits will improve road
safety and save lives, it is a shame there is so
much uproar in the motoring community.
The latest Government figures show that
for the year ending June 2022, 29,742 people
were reported killed or seriously injured on
Britain’s roads, an increase of more than
2,000 from the previous year.
There were also 1,711 fatalities deaths on
British roads last year, which was an increase
from the year previous.
Road fatalities and casualties are on the
rise, and the introduction of 20mph roads
across the UK could save hundreds of lives a
year. Road safety should be the top priority
with the high rate of deaths and serious
injuries on Britain’s roads.
Pedestrians are also proven to have a much
higher chance of survival if hit at 20mph with
a 2.5% chance of death, compared to 20%
when travelling at 30mph.
In 2021, Spain rolled out a national 30km/h
(18mph) speed limit on most urban streets
after the percentage of vulnerable road traffic
“Spain saw a 20 per cent
mortality rate decrease after
implementing the lower speed
policies, so there is substantial
evidence that this will work to
make our roads safer, and
potentially save hundreds of
lives a year...”
victims exceeded the percentage of people
killed while in vehicles.
Spain saw a 20 per cent mortality rate
decrease after implementing the lower speed
policies, so there is substantial evidence that
this will work to make our roads safer, and
potentially save hundreds of lives a year.
The World Health Organisation and the UN
General Assembly also support the transition
to 20mph streets, calling on policymakers to
act for low-speed streets worldwide,
agreeing it is the right speed limit for people
and traffic to mix safely.
Despite this, there is growing opposition
against the introduction of 20mph speed
limits. The Welsh implementation has
sparked a lot of debate across the UK, and a
petition opposing the new 20mph default
speed limit has had a record-breaking
number of signatures.
It’s important that drivers understand the
new 20mph policies are not anti- motorists,
they are anti-death.
Introducing the default speed limit on
residential roads and busy pedestrian roads
will reduce collisions between vehicles and
vulnerable road users, and make them safer
for playing, walking and cycling.
Ultimately, the higher the speed, the
higher the chance of being involved in an
accident due to increased braking distances
and shorter reaction times.
Not only does lowering the speed limit
reduce the impact force of a collision but it
also dictates if a driver is able to stop in time
to avoid a crash.
It is disappointing to see that there is such
a pushback on life-saving policies when they
could save hundreds of lives each year.
Although the changes may seem
inconvenient to people in a rush, these
policies will ultimately save lives and should
be considered more seriously across the
whole of Britain.
16 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

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What’s your view?
How others in the road safety community have
responded to Wales’s ambitious policy
One English ADI contacted MSA GB with his
thoughts after being exposed to the 20mph
limits for the first time...
I have to be honest, I am a fan of 20mph
zones in the right places – I just don’t think
Wales’s blanket approach is the correct way
to go about reducing casualties and
improving road safety.
With every road safety policy there has to
be a balance, between keeping people safe
and keeping the road network moving. I fear
that, in places, this policy is tipped too far in
favour of the road safety angle, where it does
not need to be.
As a case in point, two weeks ago I spent a
lovely weekend in the foothills of Snowdon.
The journey from South Manchester took me
past the edges of Wrexham and then on to
Lake Bala, using in parts the A5, A494 and
other minor A roads and B roads.
As anyone who has been through this part
of the world will know, many of these roads
pass through small villages and towns. In
some places the 20mph limit felt appropriate,
as we were going through heavily built up
areas, near shops and schools where
vulnerable pedestrians were present.
But in others it was clear that the road was
Comments from Road Safety GB website
n This is not the solution to the problem.
Slow down the traffic raise the air pollution in
the area. Also if we reduce the speed limit to
0mph, then the road accident problem solved,
no accidents, we saved the world! Really?
n Mr Digva’s argument is seductive, but I
think it is a little early to refer to a “life-saving
policy”.
PACTS is about to wave the ‘LUSTRE’
report at (road safety minister) Richard
Holden. One statement from it:“…the effect
of introducing 20mph speed limits without
physical measures (ie, sign only) has a
significant effect (a reduction of approx 12%)
on slight casualties but the effect on fatal and
serious casualties is uncertain.”We need to
know why that is, before we continue with
the current willy-nilly approach.
n 20mph on every road in a built-up area is
a through route and that interaction with
pedestrians crossing it were rare. In those,
slowing from 40mph down to 20mph felt like
a crawl. I can see it impacting heavily on
journey times.
Don’t get me wrong: 20mph is plenty - but
only in some areas. This blanket approach
– even if the Welsh Government offers the
chance for councils to keep limits higher to
accommodate local conditions – feels too
restrictive and likely to cause inconvenience.
Is that an issue? It’s an interesting debate.
There is an argument that making life a bit
inconvenient for everyone is a price worth
paying if you save a single child’s life every
year. I’m susceptible to that argument,
having worked in road safety for many years.
But I go back to my earlier point: road
safety is a balance. Driving at 5mph would
near-guarantee no road traffic fatalities – but
that would be going too far, even for the most
zealous anti-car campaigners.
So is 20mph in some places. It’s not my
country, but from the outside looking in, this
is a retrograde step that will damage travel
and hurt the local economy.
It might save a life, though, but surely there
is a way to do so without killing the economy
at the same time?
a backward step, it’s fine near schools and in
areas of high volumes of pedestrians but
even then it should be time sensitive. As for
the other roads, keep it at 30mph.
n Life and death is a matter of risk and
balance. 20 mph speed limits are already
adversely affecting bus services in areas
where they are imposed.
30 mph is a much more realistic speed limit
in urban areas. We can’t let Twenty’s Plenty
rule the country.
n This is road safety gone ludicrous, albeit
with the best of intentions, partly because if
you (a) do not have the agreement of those
concerned and (b) if it can’t be universally
enforced, and consistently, then it just
encourages an abuse of the law and can,
therefore, ultimately counter-productive. I
will await the usual negative comments.
Public is still
sticking to
the lower limit
says Agilysis
The new default 20mph speed limit in Wales
continues to bring about a reduction in speed,
data from Agilysis shows.
Agilysis sampled routes in Cardiff and
Wrexham a month on from the introduction
of the 20mph limits on September 17.
As reported by BBC News, it found speeds
had dropped by 2.3mph.
However, this compares with a fall of
3.1mph in the first week of the new limit,
when Agilysis carried out a more widespread
study.
The analysis also showed speeds of the
fastest drivers – the top 15% – dropped by
4.9mph after the first week but this had
changed to only a 3.8mph reduction last
week.
Richard Owen, chief executive officer of
Agilysis and the report’s author, said: “The
evidence on this smaller sample of roads
indicates there is no room for complacency.
“Although the majority of motorists are
sticking to the limit, there will be concerns
about the minority who haven’t adjusted
their speed choices enough.
“Understanding which roads are seeing
lower levels of compliance could be critical in
targeting education and enforcement to
achieve better compliance.”
The new analysis involved TomTom data
covering approximately 10,000 vehicle
movements along B4487 Newport Road in
Cardiff and A5152 Chester Road in Wrexham.
This compared with a much larger sample
of nearly 30 million vehicle movements in
Wales in the week after the new limit came
into effect.
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 17

News
More than 600,000 drivers face ban
with ‘one touch of their phone’
More than 600,000 British drivers face
disqualification with “one touch of their
phone”, a road safety charity has warned.
Analysis of data obtained by IAM Road
Smart found that 547,287 drivers had six
points on their licence as of August 5, and a
further 94,088 had nine points.
The punishment for illegally using a mobile
phone behind the wheel was toughened in
2017. Those caught face six penalty points
and a £200 fine. Drivers who accumulate 12
or more points within three years are usually
handed a six-month ban.
Varying amounts of points are handed out
for motoring offences, such as three for using
a vehicle with defective brakes, between
three and six for speeding and 10 for
drug-driving.
The number of drivers with six and nine
points on their licence was 6% and 8% higher
than a year earlier respectively.
The figures are based on analysis of a
response to a freedom of information request
to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
(DVLA).
Virtually all hand-held use of mobile
phones on Britain’s roads is banned. A
loophole allowing drivers to escape
punishment for hand-held phone use if they
were taking a photograph or playing a game
was closed by new legislation in March last
year.
Department for Transport statistics show
22 people were killed and a further 148 were
badly hurt in crashes on Britain’s roads in
2022 where a driver using a mobile phone
was a contributory factor.
IAM RoadSmart director of policy,
campaigns and standards Nicholas Lyes said:
“It is astounding that there are more half a
million drivers just one touch of their phone
away from a driving ban.
“Anyone with six points on their licence
that is tempted to text or take a selfie on
their phone is not only risking a ban but is a
potential danger to themselves and other
road users.
“A pinging phone can be a massive
distraction, so it is best to put it out of sight,
out of reach and on silent.
“Drivers with any number of points on
their licence – but especially those with six
or nine – should not only evaluate their
driving skills but think about the risk a driving
ban could have on their livelihoods.
“Thankfully, education and training courses
can play a role in making people safer drivers,
along with changing behaviours and
attitudes.
“There is a widely held suspicion that
driving standards are deteriorating.
“The worrying jump in the number of
people with points on their licence should be
a wake-up call to the Government to roll out
new enforcement measures and publish their
updated road safety strategy.”
Some cyclists frequently use footage
recorded by their head cameras to report
illegal mobile use to police.
Michael van Erp, who runs the Cycling
Mikey YouTube channel, said he has reported
1,555 drivers for motoring offences since
2019, resulting in a total of 2,161 penalty
points being handed out.
n MSA GB members are reminded that ADIs
can lose their licence to teach driving after
obtaining six points on their licence. Pupils
should be reminded that under the New
Drivers Act, they would also lose their
hard-won licence if caught using their phone.
US regulators look at self-driving cars after crashes
US regulators are investigating General
Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division
after incidents where self-driving cars did
not use proper caution around pedestrians.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) said the reports
involve automated driving system equipped
vehicles encroaching on pedestrians on or
entering roads, including crossings.
This could raise the risk of a vehicle striking
a pedestrian, which could result in severe
injury or death, according to the NHTSA.
The NHTSA’s Office of Defects
Investigation (ODI) said that it has received
two reports involving pedestrian injuries from
GM’s Cruise vehicles.
It has also identified two additional
incidents from videos posted to public
websites. The office said the total number of
relevant pedestrian incidents is unknown.
The ODI said its investigation is looking at
causal factors that may relate to ADS driving
policies and performance around pedestrians,
and to fully assess the potential safety risks.
In August, GM agreed to cut its fleet of San
Francisco robo-taxis in half as authorities
investigated two crashes in the city. The state
also asked for a reduction in the time a Cruise
vehicle can be without a human driver after
one collided with an emergency vehicle.
18 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

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There’s a light on - and now I understand
how hybrid electrics really work
Rod Came
MSA GB London
& the South East
It was on a Sunday a few weeks back. The
sun was shining from fairly early in the
morning, the forecast was wall-to-wall
sunshine all day, just the opportunity we
needed for a day out.
A 20-odd mile drive to a place we had
visited before, also favoured by others which
made it a convivial meeting location, but not
crowded.
We set ourselves up, unfolded the chairs
from the back of the car and sat down to
enjoy the ambience of the place. It was really
relaxing. To stop the car getting too hot I left
the tailgate up and the front windows open.
Oh what bliss!
We were there about six hours, quite long
enough to regain our equilibrium, be happy
and think that all was right with the world.
Chairs and picnic hamper returned to the car,
wife installed in the passenger seat (she likes
to knit when I am driving, takes her mind off
the excitement you know), ready for the
return home.
I rather like the car. It’s a Toyota RAV4
Hybrid, quite big, 2.5-litre petrol engine and a
small electric motor. The best part is it gives
me 53.5mpg and it goes rapidly when you put
your foot down with the economy button
switched off.
Well, it usually does. On this occasion it
didn’t. Pressing the START button did not
result in the chorus of beeps with an
instrument panel lit up like Blackpool seafront
on a dark night – instead nothing, absolutely
nothing.
If we were in my 52-year-old Morris 1000
Traveller I would immediately diagnose the
problem as a flat battery, but in an 18-month
old car, no way.
Where’s that book they give you that tells
you how to drive the thing? You know, the
manual. On page 1348, paragraph 19(a) it
states ‘the battery is located in the rear of
the vehicle on the right under a cover’. Well
so it might be but I couldn’t get to it, no tools.
Nothing for it but to call the cavalry,
otherwise known as the recovery service.
After just over an hour our hero, a knight in
shining armour hidden under blue overalls,
turned up. By this time most other people
had gone home, we were somewhat solitary.
Our hero drove toward us, coming down on
the driver’s side, but did not stop. Instead he
circled round the back then parked on the
passenger side facing forward, as were we.
Bit odd I thought, I wonder why.
“They tell me it won’t start”, he says.
“That’s right, there’s no ignition lights and the
brakes are locked on.” “OK, open the bonnet”
I’m starting to think that this guy knows
something I don’t know. He takes the cover
off a black box which reveals all sorts of
electronic gizmos that have no place in a car,
plunges his voltmeter into this mass and
announces that it shows only five volts when
it should read 12/13.
A pair of old fashioned jump leads are
produced, the red one is connected to a
terminal in the box of tricks, the other to a
convenient bolt head, while the other end is
plunged into a socket on the front of his
Transit.
“OK, start it up.” I am bemused but do as
I’m told. A press of the START button reveals
the Blackpool illuminations along with sound
effects, including that of the engine starting.
Oh joy!
The explanation: because it is a hybrid
vehicle it has two batteries. The big one
provides power to the electric motor, which
assists the petrol engine, thus the economy.
The other one, the small one, possibly the
size of a AAA, provides current to the starting
circuit, the instrument panel and the
ancillaries such as the interior lights when a
door is open. It does not have the capacity to
provide lights for SIX hours. I have to ask,
why not?
Although I had not heard of this before he
told me that it is a regular occurrence which
he has to deal with several times a week. So
be warned. The call out was nearly £60. A
good day out? Well, I learned something new,
so maybe it was.
“Because it is a hybrid vehicle
it has two batteries. The big one
provides power to the electric
motor ... the other, possibly the
size of a AAA, provides current
to the starting circuit, the
instrument panel and the
ancillaries such as the interior
lights when a door is open. It
does not have the capacity to
provide lights for SIX hours...”
The Rav 4 hybrid engine layout
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 19

Towards your CPD
It’s good
to talk
Steve Garrod looks
at how best to deliver
feedback - with the
emphasis, as ever,
on painting a positive
picture to your pupil
Giving feedback is a way of boosting a
learner’s confidence and motivation and
reassuring them that they are making
progress towards their goal. All learners need
to know how they are doing and what they
are doing well and what they need to improve
on. Your feedback should help them to
understand these points.
Think about the last time you gave
feedback to a learner. Was it positive,
negative or a bit of both? (be honest!) Make a
few notes before reading any further.
Feedback should be a two-way process,
allowing time for discussion to clarify points
and for pupils to play an active role in fault
identification, analysis and remedial action
(which used to be known as the Core-
Competences). This may mean you need to
pull up to ensure that what is being discussed
is of value and effective.
For example, if a fault happens on the move
a reassuring tone, a well-timed question or a
‘mental marker’ will help you both to
remember a key point for discussion once
you have pulled over, eg, “Do you need to
signal?”
Once you have time to discuss this point in
more detail you could ask your learner, “Why
do you think I asked you about the signal on
the High Street?”
A mental marker is similar to ‘flagging a
question’ on the theory test, because it
allows you to return to or recall a situation
once there is time to discuss it more detail,
for example if your learner stops too close to
the car in front in a queue, you may mention
something about that car, eg, what the driver
is doing or a sticker on the back.
Just the other day we were following a car
with a sticker in the rear window proudly
displaying ‘I’d rather be watching Charlton
Athletic’. We briefly reflected on just how bad
this poor chap’s life had become. Once you
have had time to pull up to discuss
performance, you can refer to the car before
explaining the fault.
There are times, however, where it would
not be suitable to ask a question, eg, in the
middle of a busy crossroads. In this case it
would be safer to say that a fault has been
made and you will need to pull over as soon
as possible to discuss this. This may sound
negative but, as was pointed out to me in a
recent ORDIT observation, old methods do
still have a place in modern teaching.
The skill of an instructor is to grade the
seriousness of the fault and decided on what
action to take, eg, if no other road user is
affected by it then it could possibly be
discussed at the time of it occurring such as
positioning while waiting to emerge with no
following traffic. This way your pupil can see
where they have incorrectly positioned
before being guided into the correct position.
We often think of feedback as being oral,
but it can be our body language, facial
gestures, such as smiling, raising eyebrows, a
nod of the head, hand gestures, sighing or
tone of voice.
The point we are making here is that
anything you do or say while teaching can be
interpreted as feedback (both positive and
negative). Often how you say something is
more effective than what is being said and
non-verbal communication can be just as
reassuring as saying ‘well done’ or ‘good
decision’.
There are a few things to remember when
giving feedback to make sure your feedback
remains effective:
Feedback is for the benefit of the learner,
not the instructor! Therefore, think about the
impact it will have on the receiver. Will it have
the effect you want?
Try to give feedback as soon after an
activity as possible to prevent the positive
points being forgotten. The longer you leave
it the greater the chance of only being able to
recall the negative points.
With faults come risks and it is essential
that the risk, danger or disadvantage of the
identified fault are discussed.
Most people respond to something
encouraging; therefore, it makes sense to
start with something positive.
This suggests that you have observed the
whole performance and not just looked for
faults.
20 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
When giving negative feedback try to link
it using ‘however’ rather than ‘but’, to
something positive and encourage your
learner to analyse their own faults and find an
alternative way of doing things, eg, “Your
speed on approach to the junction was good,
however, did you notice your road position?
(for example, if their road position was too far
to the right).
If they have realised that you could then
add, “Why do you think that happened?” or
“What is the risk of doing that?”
(Some learners feel that ‘but’ is a negative
expression, where as ‘however’ is positive, it
depends on your point of view. One could
argue that ‘however’ is just a longer way of
saying ‘but’!)
Keep feedback in the ‘here and now’ and
don’t bring up old faults, eg, “I noticed that
you are having problems with…” and not,
“That’s a constant fault of yours”.
All feedback should be constructive, even
positive feedback. If you say “Well done” say
what was well done, and why it was well
done.
Finish all feedback on a high, if you have
encouraged your learner to analyse his or her
own mistake (such as understeering at the
junction) then give praise for working it out.
Even the worst of drivers can feel motivated
if you have guided them to finding a solution!
Encourage refection, eg, “How do think
that drive went?” “How could you make that
easier for yourself next time?”
It is just as important for learners to be
able to give their own feedback to you. This
could help you identify a more productive
way to teach them. As an example, “how was
today’s lesson? Is there anything I could do to
help you more effectively?”
Avoid stereotyping learners, eg, “Large
people always struggle with reversing”
Don’t overdo the praise and avoid using
superlatives, it sounds a bit sickly! “Fantastic
gear change, excellent mirror check!” is way
over the top. An example of this happened to
me when I had to ring my bank and was
congratulated on remembering my date of
birth.
During the next week or so, try to think
about your feedback and see if it makes a
difference with your pupils.
We’d also like to hear your feedback about
if what we write in this publication works!
Finish all feedback on a high, if you have encouraged your learner to
analyse his or her own mistake (such as understeering at the junction)
then give praise for working it out. Even the worst of drivers can feel
motivated if you have guided them to finding a solution!
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 21

Towards your CPD: Colour blindness and driving
What red
light?
The peril of driving when
you are colour blind
Most of us take many things for granted, all
of which we should feel blessed about. For
example, the ability to see the world’s beauty
in all its different colours.
This might be normal for you, but people
with colour blindness have difficulty
distinguishing colours correctly without
wearing colour-blind glasses. But since there
is a lack of awareness around colourblindness,
there is a chance that you might
not know about this issue or have some
misconceptions.
Proper knowledge of this topic is essential
for ADIs if we are to understand and
empathise with colour-blind people. It is
possibly more common than you think; colour
blindness (colour vision deficiency, or CVD)
affects approximately 1 in 12 men (8%) and 1
in 200 women in the world. That adds up to
around 200 million people around the globe,
or three million in the UK.
It’s important to understand that there are
different causes of colour blindness. For the
vast majority of people with deficient colour
vision the condition is genetic and has been
inherited from their mother, although some
people become colour blind as a result of
diseases such as diabetes and multiple
sclerosis, or they acquire the condition over
time due to the ageing process or medication.
Colour blind people are usually ‘partially’
colour blind, in that they can see colours but
struggle with particular ones: red, green or
blue light (the primary colours). The two
major kinds are those who have difficulty
distinguishing between red and green, and
those who have difficulty distinguishing
between blue and yellow.
Why does it happen?
Eyesight is controlled by rods and cones. In
the most basic sense, rods are responsible
for our ability to see at night, while cones
allow us to see colour during the day. In cases
of colour blindness there is often a loss or
limited function of the protan, or red cone,
and the deutan, or green cone. This is
referred to as red-green colour-blindness.
Anomalous trichromasy is a mild form of
colour deficiency when one or more of the
three cones in the eye have altered light
sensitive pigments whose peak sensitivity is
shifted. This impairment includes the most
common types of colour blindness,
protanomaly and deuteranomaly, or
red-weakness and green-weakness,
respectively. In people who have
protanomaly, they see shades of red, orange,
and yellow as shades of green. Conversely,
people who have deuteranomaly vision sees
those shades shifted towards the red end of
the colour spectrum.
As you might imagine, someone who has
these vision impairments might have some
trouble when it comes to differentiating the
colour of traffic lights...
The problem on the road
Think about those colours for a second, as
far as driving is concerned. Struggle to
distinguish between red and green... well
that’s going to make traffic lights challenging,
22 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
isn’t it! Green, Amber, Red...… three-colour
traffic lights are now a daily part of every
road user’s life. But how do colour-blind
drivers cope? Many have trained
themselves to associate the location of
the light with the action that light
dictates. For example, when a
colour-blind person sees that the
bottom light is illuminated, they
know that space is associated
with ‘green’ which means go
when driving. (Provided it’s safe
to do so. Ed.) While this method is
effective, it does require a number
of steps before the brain can send
the signal to actually go. Do you
have a pupil who always hesitates
at traffic lights, when it is clearly on
green? Have you asked what their
colour vision is like?
One way to test for colour blindness is
to take the Ishihara test . This is a colour
vision test for detection of red-green colour
deficiencies by your optician. You can get
simple Ishihara plates to test your pupils in
your car. A smart move could be to get some
and have them in the car for the first lesson
with every new pupil.
Driving and colour blindness: other issues
Driving is more difficult for many people at
night, as depth perception is more limited, as
is the ability to distinguish colour.
It’s important to keep your eyes at their
peak level of functionality and avoid looking
at a GPS/sat nav screen, dashboard, or other
car’s headlights for prolonged periods of
time. Doing so can quickly fatigue your eyes,
further limiting your ability to see the road
ahead.
Certain glasses make you think you see
better, but are actually blocking more light.
Prescription glasses have anti-reflective
properties that allow more light in, causing
your eyes to adjust with the amount of
sunlight rather than harshly as your vehicle
moves in and out of sunlight.
Keep your eyes moving. Eyes at rest can
become focused on one item and cause you
to stare, missing an important road sign or a
block in the road ahead.
Familiarise yourself with the location of
the lights, and teach your brain to associate
that location with the driving action (stop,
slow down, or go). Through practice, you’ll be
able to master your driving reflexes and
safely handle the roads!
The biggest problem has always been the
traffic light colours and even if some
countries have made the first steps towards
supporting new projects, only a few of them
actually made a significant progress in this
matter. The solution, however, might be
entitled Uni-Signal, a project proposed by
Yanko Design. Uni-Signal is based on a simple
idea: every single colour will come with a
unique standardised shape and thus allow
colour blind people to understand the
significance of the light at any given moment.
So red could be set on a square, triangle used
for amber and a circle for green, for instance.
However, while this could lead to an
improvement in road safety, in practice it
would takes years to change every traffic
light, at considerable cost. With roads in
desperate need of repair and maintenance,
blowing the highways budget on new traffic
lights doesn’t seem that sensible for a
problem that may not be too much of an
issue.
Can it be treated?
Because the vast majority of colour vision
problems are something we are born with,
there is no treatment for colour deficiency.
Those with the condition will find that they
can adapt to it to some extent but may not
be able to pursue professions where accurate
colour vision is required. A pilot is one –
though not an ADI, interestingly enough,
despite the question mark it places on your
ability to respond promptly to traffic lights, or
even distinguish them in some cases.
There is help available, however. Many
computers and phones now have settings to
help people with colour vision deficiency, and
‘‘
One way to test for
colour blindness is to
take the Ishihara test.
This is a colour vision
test for detection of
red-green colour
deficiencies by your
optician. You could keep
some Ishihara cards in
your car to act as a guide
before your first lesson
with a new pupil... it’s
always good to know if
they have a problem ...
by investing in some good quality lighting it
can help your colour vision at home.
Diagnosis/treatment/future treatments
If you have trouble seeing certain colours,
or one of your pupils does, it’s best to speak
to your optician. They can test to see if you
have a colour deficiency. You’ll likely be given
a thorough eye exam and shown specially
designed pictures made of coloured dots that
have numbers or shapes in a different colour
hidden in them. If you have a colour vision
deficiency, you’ll find it difficult or impossible
to see some of the patterns in the dots.
While there are no treatments for most
types of colour vision difficulties, it can be
brought on by taking certain medicines or
eye conditions. Discontinuing a particular
kind of medication may improve your colour
vision.
Another option is to wear a coloured filter
over eyeglasses or a coloured contact lens,
which can help enhance your perception of
contrast between the confused colours. But
such lenses won’t improve your ability to see
all colours. Generally speaking, colour blind
glasses are only suitable for red and green
colour blindness. After wearing the glasses,
you can see the shape of the test map, which
can help patients improve their ability to
distinguish colours. Wearing colour blind
glasses can make the original blurred colour
blindness clearly identified, so as to help
patients correct the disorder of colour vision.
Continued on page 24
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 23

Towards your CPD: Colour blindness and driving
Pass it to the bloke in red...
Continued from page 21
If patients are troubled by colour blindness,
they can wear colour blind glasses to
compensate for the problem, which generally
will not affect their daily life.
Some rare retinal disorders associated
with colour deficiency could possibly be
modified with gene replacement techniques.
These treatments are under study and might
become available in the future.
Conclusion
Colour vision deficiency – also known as
colour blindness – is a condition which limits
a person’s ability to recognise and
differentiate between different colours. It
does not stop you from driving, and most of
the estimated three million sufferers in the
UK will also hold driving licences.
But because so much of driving is linked to
coloured signs, drivers who are colour blind
need to take extra precautions. They have to
respond differently to the colour sequence of
traffic lights, for instance, and not rely on a
burst of amber and then green light to know
it’s time to go.
Rather, their signal to move off if safe to do
so is more understated and possibly harder
to spot.
When we teach pupils to understand traffic
signs we get them used to the different
shapes of the signs, and what they mean. We
say, for instance, that road signs in the shape
of an equilateral triangle are designed to warn
you about the road layout or any hazards that
lie ahead, such as sharp bends.
But note that they almost always have a
red border; if your pupil struggles to see red,
then that crucial piece of evidence as to what
this sign is saying is lost to them.
Similarly, circular road signs give orders
which must be followed. But those warning
circles are always encased in red, too.
Remember too that we teach pupils that
blue circles usually give a positive instruction,
such as ‘turn left ahead’. Again, if a pupil can’t
Team sport administrators have often been
criticised for not taking into account the
difficulties colour blind fans have in following
the action when teams play in clashing kits
- as far as colour blind people are concerned.
The photo far left shows two players from
the Switzerland v Cameroon match at the
Qatar World Cup in 2022; the photo to its
right shows how the players looked to
someone who struggles to differentiate
between red and green.
The Football Association in England have
tried to counter this by launching a campaign
to encourage teams to be more aware of the
difficulties that kits in some colours can
create. Above, the photo left is of modern
kits, with their ‘colour blind alternatives’ to
the right
pick out the colour blue, a bit of your
guidance is lost on them.
In short, there’s nothing to say you can’t
drive while colour blind, but there is a chance
you may struggle in some scenarios if you
are not careful.
Possibly a bigger problem comes when
driving at night, when there is a link between
a driver’s colour blindness and their lack of
depth perception, which is important in
calculating distances.
THE COLOUR VISION STANDARD
A colour vision standard was introduced in Britain for bus drivers in
the 1930s soon after traffic lights came into use, but was abandoned
after Norman’s investigation was published in 1960. Various
European countries have or have had colour vision standards for
drivers of motor vehicles but the EU, in its endeavours to set up a
Europe-wide driver’s licence, seems to have no plans to introduce
one or even an inclination to discuss it.
However, 40 US States have a colour vision requirement, as does
the US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the
body that regulates interstate commercial motor transport.
It requires its medical examiners to state whether the applicant has
the ‘ability to recognise the colours of traffic signals and devices
showing standard red, green, and amber’ but does not seem to have
a defined test procedure to assess this.
There is doubt whether the FMCSA ‘standard’ for colour vision of
drivers in the US is effective: its handbook for medical assessors
observes that ‘true color perception deficiencies are rarely
disqualifying’.
24 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Why it pays to stay local
Sometimes there are things out there that we take for granted... until they are gone, when we wished we’d supported
them more vigorously. That thought comes to mind among many in the ADI community who are members of local ADI
associations and groups. Being an ADI is often a lonely one-person band business, and it is easy to become isolated
from your fellow professionals. That’s where local groups come in, offering a handy forum for your concerns,
grievances and to offer support. One such member who truly values the connections he has with his local group is
DAVE ALLEN (pictured), who is a member of the BIRMINGHAM APPROVED DRIVING INSTRUCTORS group.
Here he explains why he’s proud to be a member of his local association, and the benefits he gains from it.
I want to make you aware of local driving
instructor associations and the benefits of
joining them.
Let’s start with what local ADI
associations are. These are groups of driving
instructors which are either fully qualified or
in the process of qualifying as a driving
instructor.
The local ADIs generally have monthly
meetings where they invite a speaker to
deliver a presentation relevant to our
industry. The speakers who are invited to
these meetings have in the past consisted of
members of the DVSA who conduct or
manage local driving tests, or ADI Part 2 and
3s.
Once with us they can provide us with info
on any relevant changes within our industry.
At our association, as with many others,
we also hear from speakers who are industry
specialists, who can provide information and
advice on how to run our businesses more
effectively, by using best business practices,
or keep us up-to-date on the latest learning
techniques that improve the quality of our
instruction. There’s a win-win knock-on
effect with this, in that we in turn deliver
pupils to our local driving test centre with a
better chance of passing, improving our test
centre pass rates, and we also see a spike in
recommendations from happy pupils.
Many local ADI associations also have
social media groups, where the members can
communicate between each other via
WhatsApp or Facebook groups.
With the L-test waiting times still
worryingly large, local ADI groups can be a
real help in swapping test slots between
pupils, particularly when you know one of
yours won’t make the grade but another ADI
has a pupil who is ready to take their test.
We can also pass on pupils to other
members as well, when you either can’t cover
the area they want lessons in or they require
the car to have a specific type of
transmission (the pupil wants auto when you
drive a manual).
You can even look at using your local ADI
group for mock tests; rather than you taking
the pupil out, get a ‘stranger’ to do so, to
better simulate the conditions of the test
itself.
However, one of the most important
reasons to join an association is to show that
you are not alone ,with nobody to ask for
advice or help, as you can feel isolated if you
have nobody to turn too.
They can also provide a bit of a boost to
your social life. You’ll have seen in the pages
of Newslink that many ADI associations have
social evenings and nights out, to breed a
feeling of camaraderie among instructors.
What does it cost?
To join a ADI association costs a very small
of money, normally a yearly fee or a single
meeting attendance fee or a combination of
both. These fees pay for the meeting venue
room hire and costs of running specialist
training days or mileage paid to trainers who
deliver these workshops.
The local associations are run by
volunteers who don’t get paid for helping out.
Interested in getting involved?
We have a list of ADI groups who have
made themselves known to the MSA GB on
pg 27; have a look to see if there is one in your
area.
Failing that you will often see details of ADI
groups advertising in your local driving test
centre.
Being an ADI can be a lonely business; by
coming together we can gain and share
knowledge, improve ourselves as instructors
and give a better service to our pupils.
Left, members of the Angus Driving
Instructors Association (ADIA) group pose
for a photo after a recent meeting. At the far
right of the photo is MSA GB deputy
chairman Peter Harvey, who had been invited
to address the meeting on the latest news
from the DVSA. MSA GB officials are happy to
attend local ADI groups, to facilitate
information sharing within the driving
instructor community
Photo: Fiona Thomson, PDI
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 25

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 are open now. Just click on the link below to book. See 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 nondelegate
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.
https://msagb.com/msa-gb-national-conference/
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/
26 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
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: £45 non-members
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 that the speakers
now include DVSA Chief Executive Loveday Ryder,
who will address the meeting by video link. Ms
Ryder will be joined by a number of other speakers, including:
n Matt Cleevely, Cleevely Electric Motors, who will make sure cars
are available for test drive.
n Alan Gott, FBTC Accountancy, Making tax digital, and more
n Haydn Jenkins, Disability Driving Instructors
n Mike Yeomans, MSA GB National Chairman, who will be conducting
the AGM.
n Peter Harvey MBE, MSA GB Vice Chairman.
You can book on this event by
emailing Arthur Mynott at
arthur.mynott@msagb.co.uk
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.
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.
Discounted
training
Sign up for discounted standards check
training sessions with the award-winning
Knowledgeable Instructor Training.
COURSE DATES
20th November: Southend
21st November: Cambridge Shelford
Rugby Club, Great Shelford, Cambridge
CB22 5JJ
1st December: Pontefract The Hut
Kershaw Avenue, Castleford
TIME FOR ALL EVENTS:
8.45am – 4.30pm
COST: These workshops should be £115,
but MSA GB has negotiated a £16
deduction for Members, bringing the
cost down to £99.
Please book this directly through the
website www.adikit.co.uk/courses/
book using the code MSA-16.
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 27

Members’ section
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
28 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
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
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 29

Members’ section
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
30 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

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
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
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
Why join a local association?
See pg 25 for some reasons why
If you want to see your local ADI group listed in this index,
contact Peter Harvey on peterharveymbe@msagb.com
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.
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 31

Area News
20mph might look good on paper, but it’s
an unnecessary hindrance on the road
Arthur Mynott
MSA GB
West Coast & Wales
In September, Wales switched to a default
20mph speed limit in built-up areas, and you
will have read some thoughts from Welsh
ADIs in the October issue.
This month I thought I would offer my
thoughts on 20mph zones, not least because
they are increasingly cropping up around
England, and Scotland is seeing more
pressure to introduce them, too.
Please note that these thoughts are my
own personal ones and not necessarily those
of the MSA GB.
In my local town, Taunton, there are only
three 20mph zones, and a couple of them are
in the vicinity of schools, which I completely
agree with. Obviously I know where these are
and don’t need to look out for them.
Recently my wife and I have been away,
firstly in Edinburgh for four days sightseeing
and then four days in the Wirral playing golf
with DIGA, the Driving Instructors Golf
Association. In both of these locations we
were unfamiliar with the roads. When
travelling around these areas I was following
the sat nav, looking out for direction signs,
looking at road markings for the correct lane
at the same time as keeping an eye on my
speed and on some occasions missed a
20mph sign. I had to rely on my knowledge of
the Highway Code regarding street lamps and
any relevant repeater signs to ascertain the
actual speed limit, and also found myself
asking my wife as another check.
Now, I consider myself to be a professional
driver with many, many years experience on
the road and, as I have said before, I am a
trainer for our Advanced Drivers Association,
but I struggled on two points. First, as I have
just said, if you don’t know the area then it is
possible to miss the speed limit signs and
second, it is quite easy to creep over the
20mph limit as I found myself doing
occasionally.
Before now I have referred to 20mph as an
“in between gear”: sometimes too many revs
for second and too few for third depending on
the geography of the ground.
Upon leaving the Wirral, rather than take
the M6/M5 to return home we took the
scenic route towards Chepstow and over the
first Severn Bridge. Obviously we travelled
through some of Wales and in every village
we went through, we were restricted to the
new 20mph limits which, in my humble
opinion, were unnecessary as there was very
little traffic, pedestrians, etc. In many of these
villages the old 30mph would have been the
more appropriate speed. Several times, not
just in Wales, I was tailgated when keeping to
the limit and I was even overtaken on a
couple of occasions!
On a final note, one occasion when driving
through Wales I saw a weight limit sign of 20
tonnes on which the ‘t’ was very faint and
could easily be mistaken for a speed sign!
n Please note that there is still time to book
for the West Coast & Wales Conference.
There are more details below, but it is on
November 9th in Gloucester.
Details are on the ‘Area Meetings and
Events’ page in this issue.
CONTACT
Arthur Mynott, Chairman West Coast &
Wales MSA GB
Tel: 07989852274
E: arthur.mynott@msagb.com
West Coast & Wales Area Meeting
Date: Thursday, November 9
Venue: Gloucester Robinswood
Best Western Hotel
Time: 9.30am-4pm
Cost: £45
We are delighted that DVSA Chief Executive
Loveday Ryder has agreed to address this
meeting by video link. Ms Ryder will be joined
by a number of other speakers, including:
n Matt Cleevely, Cleevely Electric Motors,
who will make sure cars are available for test
drive.
n Alan Gott, FBTC Accountancy, Making
tax digital, and more
n Haydn Jenkins, Disability Driving
Instructors
n Mike Yeomans, MSA GB National
Chairman, who will be conducting the AGM.
n Peter Harvey MBE, MSA GB Vice
Chairman.
The price includes refreshments throughout
the day and a two-course delegate lunch. Free
parking is available at this hotel.
You’ve still got time to get in; you can book
via the MSA GB website, or by contacting
Arthur Mynott at the above address.
Travel advisory
John Lomas writes...
I mentioned in a previous Newslink that
there was a possibility of diversions if using
the A419-A417 when travelling to the MSA GB
West Coast and Wales meeting, because of
possible closures at the Golden Heart junction.
We now know that there will be an
overnight closure on the hill down from the Air
Balloon towards Gloucester on the day of the
meeting, November 9.
As always with overnight closures, they
should be clear by 7am but if you are coming
that way it may be good idea to have traffic
news on your radio, as sometimes repairs
overrun.
The local station is Radio Gloucester, but I
can’t tell you which of their frequencies is best
on the Wiltshire side of the area. (I listen on
Freeview at home).
If you have traffic access and diversions on
your Sat Nav hopefully it will pick any
problems early, but be aware that the ‘official’
diversions adds about 8-10 miles to your
journey, round to the North, whereas in fact
the option of going Cirencester-Stroud-
Stonehouse is shorter.
32 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Remembering the importance of ‘me’ time
Steven Porter
Chairman,
MSA GB Scotland
In March 2020, I travelled down to
Birmingham for the Driving Instructors Golf
Association (DIGA) annual golf day, though
the less said about my golf that day the
better.
Despite the standard of my play, the golf
day out was good, with rolls in the morning
and a meal afterwards, but while we waited
for the prize giving there was a big golf news
update on Sky News: the US Masters had
been cancelled because of this new virus that
was sweeping the world, coronavirus, or
Covid-19.
I think this is when a lot of people, and not
just driving instructors, changed the way
they lived their lives in many different ways;
it’s definitely when I changed.
Since the dreaded Covid I have looked at
my life differently and I am now starting to
take a lot more ‘me’ time than I ever have. As
I’m sure many of you have done, I used to
looked at my diary and think, ‘oh no another
Bank Holiday I’ve forgotten to blank out’ as
you realise you already had names in for
lessons on the day. You immediately feel
‘well, I can’t let them down’ as it wouldn’t be
fair on the pupil, though it’s not fair on you
either.
This year I have changed my diary and now
work roughly 9-5, occasionally slightly over.
My pupils now do 1.5hr lessons rather than an
hour, which reduces the running about from
pupil to pupil, place to place.
I have also done a lot more things I’ve
wanted to do like play more golf, as I kind of
need to sort my handicap out, she’s never
happy but I try my best. You lot don’t know
my wife so I’m safe she’ll not see this, I hope. I
have, though, played some championship
courses like Gleneagles I always said I would
do, but never did. It’s never a good idea by the
way to start par, par, par, only goes downhill
from there.
I’ve also got back into fly fishing; soon after I
finish writing this I’m off to fish one of Scotland
best trout rivers with a close friend, again
something I’ve always said I wanted to do.
Earlier this year I went with this same
friend who I also play golf with to watch his
son-in-law John McPhee race in the British
Super Bikes at Donnington with my youngest
son. He’s been passionately watching John
race for the past few years and seen all the
highs and lows he’s been through, from
finishing on the podium earlier in the year in
Australia to breaking his back when riding in
Moto3 last year. If John didn’t have bad luck
he would have no luck at all and as I write this
he has parted ways with his team and fingers
crossed will get a decent ride to restart his
career, as he is one of the top riders in the UK
at the moment.
The day we went to Donnington John’s bike
had a problem with the suspension and he
had to ride it in the qualification round only to
come off and fail to set a time, causing him to
start at the back of the grid.
It was a very frustrating weekend and my
only thought was the poor boy was racing at
his home circuit and anything that could go
wrong went wrong, but he never showed
anything other than professionalism when he
invited us in to the pit to see him, so Robbie
(my youngest) could see his bike and meet
his team.
He was a pure gentleman. Robbie was in his
element and a bit star-struck to meet John,
this guy he only ever saw through a TV
screen.
Later that day John, riding a bike that’s
settings had not had time to be worked on,
Right, John McPhee -
officially much better at
bike racing than Steven is
at golf...
came out and did himself proud to finish 18th
after starting 30th, with all his loyal
supporters all sitting having the odd ‘swally’
of some sort, in a wee corner of the track.
By the way, if anyone has a spare few
hundred thousand pounds doing nothing,
John could do with a sponsor!
Going full circuit here (see what I have done
there) I was playing golf last week at my own
course with Richard Tookey, whom I last saw
Golf date
The Driving Instructors Golf
Association will be holding its annual
competition at Telford, the day before
the MSA GB national conference, on
Friday, March 22.
If interested contact Richard Tookey on
07711518877 or at r2key19@gmail.com
at the DIGA golf day out back in 2020. He was
up here visiting his son who lives not too far
from me.
We had a lovely game of golf and a good
chat until on the 16th tee I gave Richard my
hook which I had picked up on the 10th tee
after having a glorious front nine. I think he
took offence and further down the fairway
tried to take me out with a wild swing of an
iron and his ball whizzing past my right
eyebrow. These things happen on the golf
course.
All kidding aside, DIGA will be hosting more
golf outings in the future including the Friday
before the National Conference which I intend
playing (praying Richard has managed to lose
my hook by then)
The moral of this story is, remember
there’s more to being an ADI than being the
richest one in the graveyard; get out there
and have some ‘me’ time.
That can be anything you wish, just turn
those wishes into reality.
n One positive footnote: as I was preparing
to submit this article I learned that John
McPhee has signed up with D34G team and
will see out the season on a Ducati V2,
covering for Olí Bayliss who is recovering
from an injury.
He’s had a few rides on a much better bike
and finishing 13th and 14th after jumping
straight on without any serious practice
sessions straight into qualifying laps.
Now watch the wee man go!
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 33

Area News
Amazon looks at gifts from the sky
– and from its robot fleet
Janet
Stewart
London & the
South East
Listening to the radio recently, I heard that
Amazon is going to start deliveries by drone.
Parcel delivery from the air using drones is far
from being a new idea, of course: those
banged up in His Majesty’s Hotels have been
receiving drugs to their accommodation in
this manner for some time. Why is it that the
bad guys are always two jumps ahead?
Anyway, it struck me that if Amazon really
wanted to be clever they would have this
system in place for Christmas and have their
drones looking as if they were pulled by
reindeer.
According to what I heard, the drones are
limited as to the weight they can carry and
will find a suitable spot to drop the package
from no higher than 12ft.
No doubt this will all come about sooner or
later but I am rather more interested in the
little self-driving delivery vehicles that have
been trialled in Milton Keynes by Tesco (I am
sure other supermarkets are available). On
the face of it, this looks like a rather exciting
development.
The last stage of the grocery delivery is by
something that looks rather like a suitcase on
six wheels. These vehicles will negotiate
pavements, crossing roads, stopping for
pedestrians, knowing when it is safe to cross
at a pedestrian crossing and managing to get
up and down kerbs.
They are even polite: On arrival at its
destination the Starship robot says “Good
morning/afternoon, here is your delivery”.
What’s not to like? I have watched several
demonstration videos and am attaching the
link at the end of this article.
Naturally, there will be those who object
and, of course, I was watching promotional
videos and they were not going to show their
cute little vehicles going wrong, falling over,
getting stuck or delivering to the wrong
address – all of which happens to normal
delivery vans, I might add (apart from the
falling over). I will be happy to share my road
space with them and I am pretty certain they
will be safer than many other road users. I
shudder every time I see someone walk
straight out into the road in front of a vehicle
with eyes glued to their phones.
The Starship robots run on electricity, so
they are clean. They will obviously be
economically advantageous to the
supermarkets and other enterprises that
depend on deliveries to residential addresses.
I suspect they probably don’t swear at the
customers either.
People will say that jobs will be lost but
that has always been the case with
innovation, particularly where technology has
been involved with machines replacing
people. The Luddites are still with us.
At the beginning of his The Origin of
Species Charles Darwin quoted Bacon: ‘To
conclude, therefore, let no man out of a weak
conceit… or an ill-applied moderation… think
that a man can search too far or be too well
studied… but rather let men endeavour an
endless progress or proficience in both.’
Off we go: The little Starship
home delivery robot
successfully navigates a
pavement drop on its rounds
in Milton Keynes. According
to its inventers the robots
can handle pavements,
know when to cross roads
safely and avoid
pedestrians. How ‘idiotproof’
they are – ie, can they
avoid the idiots in society
who think it is amusing to
interact with them – is not
made clear
34 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Little star: The
Starship’s route
looked a little
handpicked but it
certainly handled it
well
On a lighter note, I am just back from a
holiday in Morocco. I was on a small local bus
which had to squeeze past a traffic ‘incident’.
A taxi making very slow progress on poor
roads had been hit from behind by a cyclist
and the taxi number plate had been broken.
Passengers and driver were out of the car,
the cyclist was holding his unharmed bike and
a crowd was gathering.
I was sitting at the front of the bus with the
driver, as is my wont, and I remarked in my
very best French that the taxi only had to
move a metre to let us pass easily. Oh no, said
the driver, no-one must move at all until the
Police arrive. One broken number plate,
no-one harmed and no other damage! We
proceeded and some time later saw a Police
car on its way, very slowly, but with flashing
lights. Job creation scheme or what?
• To see the You Tube film of the Milton
Keynes delivery report, see this link https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=13jqscTESNM
Did you know...?
The original Michelin Man was first brought to
the public’s attention in 1894.
As you will know, the Michelin Man is white
because rubber tyres are naturally white. It
was not until 1912 that carbon chemicals were
mixed into the white tyres, which turned them
black.
The change was structural, not aesthetic. By
adding carbon, tyres became more durable.
At the same time Michelin began reviewing
restaurants, but this wasn’t a case of
promoting good eating, even for the French.
Rather, it was so that more people would
travel further distances in their cars to eat at
these restaurants. This in turn would wear
down their tyres faster and force them to buy
more.
The star system that Michelin uses goes up
to three and is broken down by whether or not
it’s worth driving to the restaurant.
One star: ‘A very good restaurant in its
category’; Two star: ‘Excellent cooking, worth a
detour’. Finally, Three star: ‘Exceptional cuisine,
worth a special journey.’
You just have to factor in the extra wear and
tear on the tyres as well as the bill (and the
tip!)
The original Michelin Man: ‘Drive further
for something good to eat...’
Rocket men’s genius
invention: WD-40
Did you know that the motorists’ Godsend, WD-40, was invented in San
Diego in 1953 as a rust-prevention solvent for Atlas missile outer skins?
A chemist at the Rocket Chemical Company created a compound that
would prevent rust and corrosion on the Atlas. It took him 40 attempts to
get the water displacing formula right, but the end result became the
formula for WD-40.
Once the company learned that people were using the product at
home, they began putting it into aerosol cans. It first appeared on stores
in San Diego in 1958. By the following year the company had nearly
doubled in size, selling 45 cases a day to stores in the area.
In 1961, the first truckload order was filled when employees worked
overtime to produce additional concentrate to meet the disaster needs of
victims of Gulf Coast hurricane Carla. WD-40 was used to recondition
vehicles and equipment that had been damaged by the flooding.
It made history again in 1964 when NASA used WD-40 on Friendship
VII, in which astronaut John Glenn circled the Earth. In 1970, the Rocket
Chemical Company was renamed WD-40 Company. In 1973, the company
went public, still with only one product. The company that started with
three employees had grown into a company of more than 300, with
annual sales of more than $300 million.
Why this popularity and fierce loyalty? Former WD-40 Company CEO
Gerald Schleif explained, “Unlike very few things in this world, the product
actually delivers far beyond the user’s expectations.”
• Editor writes: As you would expect, we
watched the video Janet mentioned. It’s very
interesting.
As is YouTube’s want, as soon as it finished
it immediately began playing the next video
in the sequence, which was on a similar
theme to the Milton Keynes one, though
painted a rather less rosy picture of the joys
of home delivery by little self-driving cart.
Check it out yourself. It seems these little
chaps don’t like
snow. Now that’s a
minor hindrance in
much of the UK, a
fairly big pain in
northern Scotland
– but a real howler in
Canada, where this
particular film was
shot! Watch it at:
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Lik2e
GIgUhI
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 35

Q & A with...
A life on the road led to ... a life on the road!
After a break for a few issues, we’re delighted to bring back our
popular ‘Q&A with an ADI’ feature. This issue, we chat to
South East-based ADI Bob Page about his life as an ADI,
and his thoughts on the profession
When did you become an ADI, and what
made you enter the profession?
I became an ADI in the 1990s after a life on
the road, hitch-hiking across Europe, Asia and
Africa then driving an HGV as far afield as
Russia and the Middle East. When I became
disaffected with living in a lorry, it made
sense to teach others how to drive.
What’s the best bit about the job?
Best thing about the job is I like people and
I like the flexibility that being an ADI brings
you.
And the worst?
Three things come to mind: potholes
– which are as bad as they’ve ever been –
L-test waiting times and the perennial
problem of being let down at the last minute.
What’s the best piece of training advice you
were ever given?
My old instructor told me not to focus on
when to start to get ready but rather to work
on when to be ready. He was also the first
person who recommended that I sit in on lots
of L-tests.
What one piece of kit, other than your car
and phone, could you not do without?
A bottle of frozen water at the start of the
day. Stays nice and cool all day.
What needs fixing most urgently
in driving generally?
What needs fixing? Driver attitudes – but
how to approach that? Perhaps the
Government could do more media
presentations to get over safe and
responsible driving messages; that might
help.
What should the DVSA focus on?
Obviously DVSA needs to work on waiting
times but I think they know that.
What’s the next big thing that’s going to
transform driver training/testing?
Next big thing should probably be 10-year
driver assessments, and tests if necessary,
plus there needs to be a growing awareness
of the quietness of electric cars.
It’s very apparent how many pedestrians
rely on their hearing to tell them a car is
coming; if the car is silent they are denying
themselves a crucial sense that keeps them
safe.
Who/what inspires you, drives you on?
Most inspiring thing in the industry is the
people and organisations (MSA GB, DIA, etc)
who spread knowledge and information to
the ADI community. I also like the many
random acts of courtesy I see every day.
Electric cars – yes or no? And why?
Electric cars are inevitable and all we can
do is prepare for their arrival.
As for their technological big brother, the
driverless car... well, I think I prefer to remain a
Luddite!
“Obviously DVSA need
to work on waiting
times, but I think they
know that...”
Favourite film: Forrest Gump,
starring Tom Hanks. Pictured
waiting...
36 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
“We were being tailgated by a
tipper driver in an obvious
hurry when my pupil hears an
emergency vehicle siren...”
What keeps you awake at night?
All the things I haven’t done, and it’s usually
paperwork!
No one is the finished article. What do you do
to keep on top of the game?
I read trade magazines, attend CPD
meetings both in person and online, and I
constantly analyse my own performance.
What’s the daftest/most dangerous thing
that’s happened to you while teaching a pupil
on a lesson?
My favourite funny story is from one of my
trainees when out on a test as an observer. A
young guy on test was driving along Hastings
sea front on a warm sunny day. All is going
well when in the near distance he sees two
attractive girls walking on the pavement.
Now, he knows he would normally have an
innocent look as he passes by them but says
to himself “No, you’re on your driving test, so
stick to the observations that you need to
drive safely”.
A minute or so passes before he is
alongside and now nature takes over and as
he turns his head he realises his mistake
could cost him his test.
What a relief, then, when he sees that the
examiner is also looking to his left!
Back to full concentration in less time than
a legitimate observation would have taken
and a lesson learned.
He passed but for him and myself, the
story will live on.
The most dangerous moment on a driving
lesson was when we were going downhill in
heavy rain, down a steep hill. We were being
tailgated by a tipper driver in an obvious
hurry when my pupil heard an emergency
vehicle siren from somewhere near. They
couldn’t see the vehicle itself or the lights, so
they panic and before I have time to react
they jump on the brakes!
I pride myself that in 20 years I’ve only
shouted twice at a pupil but I did that day!
“Off the brakes NOW” I roared.
It worked but it remains an unforgettable
moment.
When or where are you happiest?
Happiest when I’m swimming, fishing or
dancing... but not all at the same time!
If you had to pick one book/film/album
that inspires, entertains or moves you, what
would it be?
Book: Slaughterhouse 5,
Movie: Forrest Gump; and
Album: Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
“Next big thing should
probably be 10 -year driver
assessments, and tests if
necessary, plus there needs to
be a growing awareness of the
quietness of electric cars...”
Recovery safety boost
after red lights approved
The Government has approved the use of
rear-facing red flashing lights for
recovery vehicles. National breakdown
provider Start Rescue said it was
“excellent news - the independent
recovery industry has been campaigning
for this for years to keep our customers
and recovery workers safe.”
The use of red flashing lamps by
recovery operators is part of a Plan for
Drivers published by the Government. It
amends legislation to permit breakdown
vehicles to be fitted with rear-facing red
flashing lights when recovering brokendown
cars, in a bid to keep recovery
personnel and stranded motorists safe. It
will come into law in 2025.
Police failing to charge
car thieves
Fewer than 7% of car thefts reported to
the police result in anyone being charged,
with 69% dropped because no suspect
can be identified.
Between 2019 and 2022, just 6.7% of
the 396,000 reported car crimes resulted
in anyone being charged.
Dash camera specialist Nextbase,
which submitted the FOI, claims a lack of
video evidence is one of the key reasons
why the police are unable to identify the
criminals behind the wave of car crimes.
Stockholm to put a block
on petrol, diesel cars
Stockholm is set to ban petrol and diesel
cars entering its city centre to reduce
pollution and cut emissions.
The new regulations will come into
force on December 31st 2024 – meaning
that drivers have 14 months to prepare
for the switch.
Lars Stromgren MP, the city’s Vice
Mayor, said: “Nowadays, the air in
Stockholm causes babies to have lung
conditions and the elderly to die
prematurely. We need to eliminate the
harmful exhaust gases from petrol and
diesel cars.
“That’s why we are introducing the
most ambitious low-emission zone to
date – a total ban.”
NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023 37

News
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
ADIs. 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 guesswork out of
whether there’s residual 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.
FUEL CARDS
Save up to 10p per litre of fuel with Fuel Card
Services. Fuel Card Services offers a large
choice of networks from leading brands, such
as BP, Shell, Esso and UK Fuels so you can
decide which networks you wish to include on
your business account.
MSA GB OFFER:: An MSA GB fuel card will save
you up to 10p per litre.
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
38 NEWSLINK n NOVEMBER 2023

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
PUPIL INSURANCE
Join the Collingwood
Instructor Programme and
refer your pupils for learner
insurance.
MSA GB OFFER:: MSA GB OFFER:: £50 for
your first referral and £20 for all additional
referrals.
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 n NOVEMBER 2023 39