Newslink September 2025

msagb.com

Newslink

The Voice of MSA GB

Issue 392 • September 2025

Autumn diary

Details of MSA GB events

and training sessions

How to save

a life added

to theory test

We work for all Driver Trainers. Want to join? SAVE £30 – see pg 39 for special offer

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

Road safety strategy

has glaring omissions

that will upset many

Colin Lilly

Editor,

Newslink

DURING August information began to

emerge on what may be included in the

Government’s road safety strategy, due to

be published in the Autumn.

The strategy targets a number of areas,

but one that looks likely to be brought in is a

way to deal with the issue of older drivers’

eyesight, by introducing a compulsory eye

test for over 70s when they apply for the

three-year extension to their driving licence.

A clearly defined requirement is needed

not only to identify problems with older

drivers but to encourage all drivers to have

their eyes tested regularly. Problems can be

identified at an early stage and treatment

begin which retards the conditions

development. To suddenly become aware of a

condition at 70 resulting in the loss of a

licence could be devastating for an older

driver with a need to drive. An appeal against

a DVLA decision is extremely difficult.

But anything that improves the eye health

of drivers is welcome.

Other older drivers’ policy are thought to

take the form of requirements relating to

dementia.

Another proposal the strategy will look at

is whether England and Wales should reduce

the alcohol limit for drivers from 35

micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of

breath to 22 micrograms. The lower limit

would see those two countries fall in line with

the limit in Scotland. Again, the policy will

make the responsible drivers even more

aware of their responsibilities.

In line with the alcohol policy changes are

proposals on roadside drug tests, to allow

police to proceed with the results based

roadside saliva tests. This will help with the

fight to reduce the increasing problem of drug

driving in relation to drink driving.

Some interesting items, but what was an

important feature of the information was

what is not included. A glaring omission is any

mention of graduated driving licences.

This has already been rejected by the

Government but the public will not be

satisfied by a lack of action. Driver trainers

may need to reconcile themselves with the

fact that a more varied and rigid driver

training policy may be needed.

There is little doubt that a thorough

knowledge of the dynamics of vehicle control

is lacking in many young drivers, with fatal

consequences.

But driver trainers cannot be held

responsible alone; action by other

government bodies needs to be involved.

CONTACT THE EDITOR:

To comment on any of the articles in

Newslink, or to submit your own,

contact Colin Lilly, Editor, Newslink, at

editor@msagb.com

“A glaring omission is any mention of graduated driving licences.

This has already been rejected by the Government but the public

will not be satisfied by a lack of action. Driver trainers may need

to reconcile themselves with the fact that a more varied and rigid

driver training policy may be needed.”

Welcome to your

digital, interactive

Newslink

See a pale blue box in any article or

on an advert? It it contains a web

address or email, it’s interactive. Just

click and it will take you to the

appropriate web page or email so you

can find more details easier.

You’ll also find these panels across

the magazine: just click for more

information on any given subject.

To get the

full story,

click here

How to access this

magazine

You can read Newslink in three ways:

Go online and read the interactive

magazine on the Yumpu website; or,

if you would like to read it when you

don’t have a mobile signal or WiFi,

you can download the magazine to

your tablet, PC or phone to read at

your leisure. Alternatively, a pdf can

be found on the MSA GB website, at

www.msagb.com

COVER STORY

CPR is to be added

to the theory test

in a bid to improve

cardiac arrest

survival rates.

See page 8

Follow the link

MSA GB sends

you to access

Newslink,

and then just

click Download

(circled above)

to save a copy

on your device

NEWSLINK n SEPTEMBER 2025 03

Contents

22

26

20

06

16

Dates for your diary

More events confirmed for the MSA GB

autumn series of training events. See

where your area event is being held

– pg 6-7

CPR push on theory test

FROM 2026, driving theory tests will include

questions on new cardiopulmonary

resuscitation (CPR) and, for the first time,

questions about defibrillators to boost

cardiac arrest survival. – pg 8

Newslink

The Voice of MSA GB

The Motor Schools Association

of Great Britain Ltd

Head Office:

Peershaws,

Berewyk Hall Court,

White Colne, Colchester,

Essex CO6 2QB

T: 01787 221020

E: info@msagb.com

Waiting lists still hot...

Summer saw no let-up in the battle to

obtain an L-test slot, but is there a glimmer

of hope for the autumn as more tests are

conducted and slightly fewer forward

bookings logged in the system? – pg 10

Citroen gets serious

The French manufacturer issued a robust

‘stop-drive’ recall on some of its older

models after new evidence emerged of

airbag faults – pg 14

Newslink is published monthly on behalf of the MSA GB

and distributed to members and selected recently

qualified ADIs throughout Great Britain by:

Chamber Media Services,

4 Hilton Road, Bramhall, Stockport,

Cheshire SK7 3AG

Editorial/Production: Rob Beswick

e: rob@chambermediaservices.co.uk

t: 0161 426 7957

Advertising sales: Colin Regan

e: colin@chambermediaservices.co.uk

t: 01942 537959 / 07871 444922

Views expressed in Newslink are not necessarily those

of the MSA GB or the publishers.

Making the case for 20

Sadiq Khan used a column in The Guardian

to make the case for more 20mph limits in

our cities. Newslink sees whether his view

stands up to closer scrutiny – pg 18

Driving the wheel of change

Steve Garrod’s drink-drive rehabilitation

courses often discuss ‘the Wheel of

Change’, but can this way of reshaping a

person’s thinking around risky habits be

applied to other areas of driving? – pg 20

Although every effort is made

to ensure the accuracy of

material contained within

this publication, neither MSA

GB nor the publishers can

accept any responsibility for

the veracity of claims made

by contributors in either

advertising or editorial content.

©2025 The Motor Schools

Association of Great Britain

Ltd. Reproducing in whole

or part is forbidden without

express permission of the

editor.

04 NEWSLINK n SEPTEMBER 2025


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: 07989 852274

E: arthur.mynott@msagb.com

Keep in touch

If you have updated your address, telephone numbers or

changed your email address recently, please let us know

at head office by emailing us with your new details and

membership number to info@msagb.com.

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

on 01787 221020.

Follow MSA GB on social media

Just click on the icon to go

through to the relevant site


MSA GB News

MSA GB Autumn training

dates for your diary

MSA GB is excited to offer a fantastic line-up of events this autumn to

help you enhance your tuition skills and stay ahead in the everchanging

driver training profession.

Whether you’re a new or experienced ADI or PDI, these area events

provide valuable chances to learn from road safety experts, connect

East Coast

Date: Sunday, September 28

Venue: The Double Tree by Hilton, 24 Ferensway, Hull HU2 8NH

Join members of MSA GB for coffee at the Hilton in Hull. This informal meet-up starts at

10.30 am to around midday.

All PDI/ADIs, new and established, are most welcome. This is your opportunity to meet the

Hull Road Safety Officer, Alan Robins, and learn about the new proposed Cyclops junction in

Hull.Mark from Safer Roads Humber will also be in attendance to talk through a number of

Humberside Police initiatives that ADIs can help out with.

Also in attendance will be Nick Saddington from IAM Roadsmart. The driving charity is

looking to recruit ADIs to work in the Hull and Humber areas, and several road safety

projects will be discussed. There will also be a comprehensive update on the latest from our

profession from Mike Yeomans, MSA GB National Chairman.

To book: Contact Mike Yeomans, National & Area Chairman on

mike.yeomans@msagb.com or 07772 757529

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

Date: Monday, October 27

An MSA GB Autumn East Coast event is being organised at the moment, which will include

guest speakers from DVSA and other industry experts. Details are being finalised at the

moment but to reserve a space or to be kept up to date, contact:

Mike Yeomans, MSA GB National & Area Chairman, on

mike.yeomans@msagb.com or 07772 757529.

with key contacts, and keep up with the latest updates in our

profession.

With sessions featuring DVSA reps, local road safety officers and

other specialists, each event is designed to support your professional

growth and keep you informed on important developments.

London &

South East

Date: Sunday, November 2

An MSA GB London & South East event

online training event is being planned

for Sunday, November 2.

It will run from 2-4pm, with various

speakers from the DVSA and MSA GB

already confirmed, with others invited.

For further details or to book, send an

email to tom.kwok@msagb.com or call

him on 07956 269922, and he will keep

you informed.

To book on any

MSA GB event,

see the website,

CLICK HERE

West Coast & Wales

Date: Monday, November 3

Venue: Holiday Inn, Birmingham M6 - Jnc 7

Cost: £45/£50 for members/non-members

before September 1; £55 after that date.

MSA GB West Coast & Wales’s area training

day & conference is being held on Monday,

November 3 at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham

M6-J7, Chapel Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham,

B43 7BG from 9am until 4pm. It’s a day you

won’t want to miss with a great line-up of

speakers confirmed:

n Colin Stewart, DVSA Assistant Chief

Driving Examiner/Technical Policy Lead &

Driver Training Manager

n Alan Gott, FBTC, Digital tax & how it will

affect you

n Mike Newman & John Galloway Speed of

Sight

n Mike Yeomans, MSA GB National

Chairman.

A two-course buffet lunch and refreshments

are included, giving you even more time to

network and build valuable connections.

Book your place before 1st September for

early-bird pricing, £45 for MSA GB members

and £50 for non-members. After that, all

tickets are £55.

For further details, contact arthur.mynott@

msagb.com or 07989 852274



Scotland CPD boost at training seminar

Date: Sunday, November 2

Venue: Castlecary Hotel, Castlecary Road,

Castlecary, Glasgow, G68 0HD.

Cost: Early bird price £45 if booked before

September 30; £55 after that date.

MSA GB Scotland annual Training Seminar

will be held on Sunday, 2nd November at our

traditional venue, Castlecary Hotel.

More details will be added as we get closer

to the event, but we already have a packed

schedule with several high-profile guest

speakers confirmed.

Gemma Collier will be discussing health

related matters

Mick Knowles, ORDIT trainer and cofounder

of Knowledgeable Instructor Training

will be delivering a talk

A senior representative from the DVSA will

be in attendance

Alan Gott, FBTC, to discuss digital tax and

how it will affect you

Peter Harvey MBE will keep us up to speed

with changes within the industry, plus more.

Cost

Early bird cost until 30th September 2025

is only £45; and £55 thereafter.

Included is a two-course hot lunch with

regular tea/coffee breaks, plus all relevant

papers and a CPD certificate.

Book your place

To book contact: Steven Porter, Area

Chairman on steven.porter@msagb.com or

call 07747 600672

n Fancy making a weekend of it? We have

negotiated great room rates with the hotel,

with B&B prices starting at £95. To book, call

Castlecary Hotel on 01324 840 233 and

quote booking reference “MSA Scotland/

Northern Ireland” to secure your special rate.

ADI & PDI ONLINE COURSES

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SEPTEMBER 2025 n NEWSLINK 07

News

CPR questions added to theory test in

bid to boost cardiac arrest survival rate

FROM 2026, driving theory tests will include

questions on new cardiopulmonary

resuscitation (CPR) and, for the first time,

questions about defibrillators to boost

cardiac arrest survival.

Theory tests will include the enhanced first

aid questions from 2026, building on existing

first aid content that has been part of driver

education for years.

The DVSA is expanding the theory test

question bank to:

n include enhanced CPR content

n add questions about automated external

defibrillators (AEDs).

The move aims to address the UK’s low

cardiac arrest survival rates by teaching more

people how to respond in emergencies.

Cardiac arrest: what it is

A cardiac arrest is when your heart

suddenly stops pumping blood around your

body. They can be caused by:

n dangerous heart rhythm disorders

n heart attack, when blood flow to part of

the heart muscle is blocked, which can then

trigger dangerous heart rhythms that stop

the heart from pumping effectively

n heart muscle and structural problems

n severe blood loss or oxygen shortage

n other factors, such as electrocution or

drug overdoses

Signs and symptoms that suggest a

person has gone into cardiac arrest include:

n the victim appears not to be breathing

n they’re not moving

n they do not respond to any stimulation,

such as being touched or spoken to.

The questions will be added to the current

multiple-choice question bank. The vast

majority of questions will continue to cover

topics such as road signs, traffic laws, vehicle

safety and hazard awareness. The pass mark

will remain the same, at 43 out of 50.

The hazard perception test about spotting

hazards on the road will remain unchanged.

The changes involve no additional cost,

test time, or difficulty - they simply update

existing first aid content with current best

practice.

Mark Winn, DVSA Chief Driving Examiner,

said: “Part of being a safe and responsible

driver is knowing what to do in an emergency

– how to step in and make a real, life-saving

difference.

“Learning CPR and how to use an AED is a

very simple skill and adding this into the

official learning resource is a great way for

DVSA to support the drive to raise awareness.”

Why drivers need these life-saving skills

Drivers are often first on the scene when

someone suffers a cardiac arrest. Data from

Resuscitation Council UK shows more than

40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur

in the UK each year, but fewer than 1 in 10

people currently survive. However, when

CPR is given and an AED used within 3 to 5

minutes of collapse, survival rates can reach

70%. Every minute without CPR reduces the

chance of survival by up to 10%, making

immediate bystander intervention crucial

while waiting for emergency services.

Common scenarios where drivers might

need CPR skills include road traffic incidents,

when collisions cause cardiac arrest from

trauma or shock. Drivers having cardiac

arrests can cause incidents; and drivers may

be aware of other roadside emergencies,

such as people collapsing in public spaces.

What learners will study

From autumn 2025, car and motorcycle

theory test candidates will need to familiarise

themselves with:

The correct

technique for

delivering

potentially

life-saving CPR to

someone who has

suffered a cardiac

arrest



n CPR techniques including proper hand

placement and compression rates

n how to use automated external

defibrillators.

The knowledge builds on existing first aid

content in driving education materials. Official

DVSA learning guides for car drivers have

already been updated with improved

information about these life-saving

techniques.

Other learning resources

Learner drivers can access free training

resources, including guides on how to do CPR

and use defibrillators. These have been

created by the Resuscitation Councils from

across Great Britain.

Len Nokes, Chair of Save a Life Cymru,

whose daughter Claire died from

complications following cardiac arrest in 2017,

said: “When Claire had her cardiac arrest,

some knowledge of CPR might have made a

difference.

“We hope that by making CPR and

defibrillator use part of the theory test, we

will significantly increase the number of

EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

The new questions will test practical knowledge that could save lives.

Examples include:

An adult casualty is not breathing. To

maintain circulation, CPR should be given.

What’s the correct depth to press down on

their chest?

A) 1 to 2 centimetres

B) 5 to 6 centimetres

C) 10 to 15 centimetres

D) 15 to 20 centimetres

people with this life-saving awareness.”

James Cant, Chief Executive Officer of

Resuscitation Council UK, said: “By

embedding these life-saving skills into such a

widely taken assessment, we can help

ensure that more people gain the knowledge

and confidence to act during a cardiac arrest.”

Act quickly

When someone has a cardiac arrest, every

minute counts. Quick action by bystanders

before ambulance crews arrive can be the

difference between life and death.

Who can use a public access defibrillator

(AED)?

A) Paramedics only

B) First aiders only

C) Doctors only

D) Everyone

Correct answers are B and D. Did you get

them right?

By restoring blood flow and oxygen to vital

organs faster, immediate CPR and

defibrillation can prevent organ failure and

brain damage.

Currently, public-access defibrillators are

used in fewer than 10% of cardiac arrests,

partly due to lack of public awareness and

confidence in using them.

Training millions of new drivers will give

more people the skills and confidence to act

in those vital first minutes. This could

significantly increase survival rates and

potentially save thousands of lives each year.


News

Wait for tests hots up over summer

but glimmer of hope for crisis easing

OVER 80% of test centres were operating at

the maximum 24-week waiting time over

the summer, a sharp increase on the

previous year’s average waits of around 14

weeks.

Nationally, the average waiting time is

around two weeks below the possible ceiling.

But a minor reason to think the crisis could

by easing came with the release of data on

the number of tests conducted and those

already booked on the system.

In July, 170,822 L-tests were conducted, up

12,000 on the previous month and nearly

30,000 higher than in the months prior to

that.

The July figure is the fifth highest figure on

record, only surpassed by the number of

tests provided in November 2023, when

196,481 were held.

This was the first month that every DVSA

official who held a warrant card to conduct

L-tests was asked to do so.

After a dip in December of that year, the

months of January-March 2024 also saw

larger numbers of L-tests (circa 185,000

each month).

Since then the number of L-tests held

every month has floated around the140-

160,000 mark, so 170,000+ is a big uplift.

It is also interesting to see how many tests

were in the system during July. According to

DVSA data, 621,230 test slots were taken.

While this is a considerable increase on the

number for months in 2024, when on average

550,000 tests had been booked, it is down on

the tests in the system in May and June

(631,472 and a high point of 656,649,

respectively).

This suggests that slightly more tests are

available to book right now than in summer,

though when you consider the scale of the

L-test operation, having an extra 30,000 test

slots isn’t quite as impressive as it sounds, as

they are spread very thinly around the

country. However, it is a sign of progress, and

as the DVSA is continuing its recruitment

drive for examiners, it is hoped that waiting

times could start to edge down in the

autumn, albeit by small amounts and

certainly leaving the average waiting times a

long way above the target of 7-8 weeks.

The DVSA is currently offering financial

incentives to examiners to take on more

tests, but it is believed this has produced poor

results with take-up of the offer slow over

the summer.

What could be a crucial factor is whether

DVSA examiners recommence industrial

action at any stage over the autumn, as any

days lost to strikes would be a huge blow to

progress made. It is also hoped that few tests

will be lost to bad weather over the winter

– though this issue is obviously out of

anyone’s control!

The National Audit Office has been asked

to launch a full investigation into driving test

delays and the challenges the DVSA faces, in

a bid to find if other areas could be found to

improve performance rapidly.

NASP has also asked DVSA to provide an

update on examiner recruitment.

New DTCs: now let’s hope

extra examiners move in

ADIs in Reading, Grimsby, and Grantham

can look forward to new driving test

centres in the coming months after the

DVSA confirmed it would be replacing

older facilities in the three towns.

A new site in Reading at Pacific House

will replace the existing Elgar Road centre,

and the expanded facilities will allow the

DVSA to house more examiners there.

Grimsby’s Coldwater site will close, to

be replaced by new premises in the town

at Olympia House, and the new centre in

Grantham’s Autumn Park Business Centre

replaces an ageing facility.

The DVSA said the new facilities

highlighted its determination to upgrade

its test centre estate and provide a good

environment for its staff and candidates.

L OF A WAY TO PASS WORKSHOP

MSA GB has arranged for L of A Way 2 Pass

to host one of its excellent workshops in

Norfolk on December 5.

The workshops look at ways to help pupils

overcome anxiety and nerves and includes

FREE access for two months to Driving Test

Nerves Pro, giving you and your pupils access

to the techniques covered in the workshop.

Delegates will also receive the workshop

manual and other guides.

This workshop will teach you amazing

techniques to help your pupils with driving

anxiety and test nerves, give you in-depth

insights into how the mind works: understand

why pupils do what they do, and more

importantly, how to deal with it!

The cost of the workshop is £150, but MSA

GB members will receive a £10 discount if

they use code DIANE10 when booking.

The workshop helps lower stress

levels and reduce anxiety in pupils

To Book: https://www.lofaway2pass.com/

product/driving-test-nerves-specialistworkshop/



News

April 2026: that’s when Making

Tax Digital gets serious

ANOTHER month, another reminder from

HMRC - get your tax in order now, as Making

Tax Digital is coming fast!

If you receive qualifying income from

self-employment and/or property, you’ll be

legally required to use Making Tax Digital for

Income Tax – based on the level of qualifying

income – from the following dates:

n April 2026 , if your qualifying income is

over £50,000 in the 2024 to 2025 tax year.





The government has set out plans to

introduce legislation to lower the qualifying

income threshold to this level.

Making Tax Digital for Income tax – individual

authorisation and enrolment

As part of a dedicated series, register for

an HMRC webinar to help you navigate the

requirements of MTD for Income Tax. We’ll

guide you through:

n who’s affected

n when MTD becomes mandatory

n how to sign up early

You’ll also discover the benefits of early

enrolment, how to choose compatible

software, and what to expect after signing

up.

How to get ready for MTD if you

are a business

Register for this live webinar about getting

ready for Making Tax Digital, during which the

HMRC will look at:

n the requirements of MTD for Income Tax

n practical steps you can take to prepare

your business

n the rules, who will be affected and when

n making informed software choices

n authorising your agent, if applicable, and

signing up to MTD

n utilising any benefits and opportunities

Get the app

There is more help available through the

HMNRC app. The app is a quick and easy way

to get information about your tax, National

Insurance and benefits.

You can use it to check your:

- tax code and National Insurance number

- income and benefits

- employment and income history from the

previous five years

- Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for Self

Assessment

- Self Assessment tax and how much you

owe

- Child Benefit

- State Pension forecast

- gaps in National Insurance contributions

and how to fill them in.

You can also use it to:

- get an estimate of the tax you need to pay

- make a Self Assessment payment

- make a Simple Assessment payment

- set reminders for Self Assessment

payments

- access your Help to Save account

- work out your take home pay after Income

Tax and National Insurance deductions

- claim a refund if you have paid too much tax

- ask HMRC’s digital assistant for help and

information

You can find more details on the app,

including where to download it, as well as

information on the webinars at GOV .UK.

Changes to regulations for motorcyle trainers

DVSA has made several changes to the

approved training body (ATB) manual for

motorcycle trainers and the motorcycle

instructor application form.

The manual tells ATBs and motorcycle

trainers how they can set up and run a

motorcycle training school.

This includes detail on how they can meet

the legal requirements and fulfil their

responsibilities as authority holders and

instructors.

The application form is for those applying

to be authorised as a certified motorcycle

instructor so they can conduct compulsory

basic training (CBT) courses.

This section has been updated with new

information on the Protecting Vulnerable

Adults scheme in Scotland, which became

mandatory from April 1.

DVSA will now ask for details when an

application is made.

Manual-specific updates include adding

that: DBS certificates are required every

four years; DBS certificates must have been

issued in the last six months; you can only

order DL196 certificates online; and

changes to the DL196 books now means

that certificates are now produced in

duplicate rather than triplicate..

ATBs wanting to continue to use DVSA

motorcycle manoeuvring areas (MMA) will

need to re-sign the updated MMA

agreement online.

How can I see the updates?

You can familiarise yourself with the full

revised manual on GOV.UK. Make sure your

instructors are aware of the changes too.

If you have any questions about the

changes, contact your local business

account manager (BAM).

You can find out who your local BAM is

and how to contact them in their recent

blog post, which can still be accessed

through GOV.UK.



Classic fans to get new

help as red tape slashed

THE DVLA has unveiled a major update to its

vehicle registration policies, making it

significantly easier for enthusiasts to register

repaired, restored and modified vehicles.

The new guidance reflects modern

restoration methods and simplifies the

registration process, helping classic car

owners keep their vehicles on the road while

ensuring safety and accurate records.

These changes follow an extensive call for

evidence, which received more than 1,350

responses from classic car owners, motoring

clubs and the historic vehicle sector. In

response, DVLA is replacing its existing

policies on rebuilt and radically altered

vehicles with two new sets of guidance that

will apply to all vehicles, regardless of age.

Key changes include:

n like-for-like repairs and restorations will

no longer require notification to DVLA,

providing the vehicle’s appearance is the same

as when it was originally manufactured and

there are no changes to the log book (V5C)

n vehicles that have been subject to

significant structural modifications will be

able to keep their original Vehicle

THE government is said to be eyeing a major

shake up in e-scooter laws which could see

users required to display licence plates, take a

basic road safety test and hold insurance.

The move comes as road safety experts

say the current practice of leaving their use

unregulated is looking increasingly

dangerous. Key proposals include:

n A minimum age limit of 14 for private

riders

n Compulsory rider training for road

awareness

n Speed limiters on new e-scooter models

(capped around 12.5mph).

The reforms are designed to regulate

privately owned e-scooters, which are

currently illegal for road use but widely

adopted since the pandemic. While rental

schemes already require a driving licence,

private models often operate unchecked,

making enforcement difficult for police.

The decision to act comes as e-scooters

have been linked to over 20,000 incidents in

Identification Number (VIN) and registration

number, but the registered keeper must

notify DVLA of the changes

n vehicles that have been converted to

electric will also be able to retain their original

identity, but the registered keeper must

notify DVLA of the changes

The changes came into effect on August

26. The Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian

Greenwood, said: “We know how much love,

time and effort goes into keeping classic cars

– and we’re right behind the community.

These changes are about cutting red tape and

making it easier to keep classics on the road.”

E-scooters in line for regulation

the past three years, ranging from thefts to

serious assaults. Road safety experts warn

that unregulated scooters pose a risk to

pedestrians, especially vulnerable groups

such as older people and those with visual

impairments.

The movers would bring the UK more in line

with other European countries which have

also seen an increase in e-scooters on their

roads and have made steps to regulate their

use.

Potholes are British

motorists’ public

enemy number one

THE UK’s hatred of potholes has seem this

blight on our roads overtake holiday traffic

jams and parking tickets as the thing British

motorists loathe the most.

A third (30%) of drivers would prefer to sit

in hours of Bank Holiday traffic than hit a

pothole, while a quarter (24%) said they

would rather be slapped with a costly parking

ticket.

The details come from a report by

Mercedes-Benz at the challenges faced by

modern day van drivers. It also reveals over a

third (35%) would rather spend their time

paying vehicle tax than hit a pothole.

Almost a quarter (22%) who have hit a

pothole say they have forked out up to £500

on vehicle repairs as a result.

The UK is currently battling an epidemic of

potholes, with over a million currently

recorded on British roads - costing motorists

an estimated £1.7billion in 2024.

The figure marks a 149% increase since

2014, when damage from potholes was

estimated to have cost UK drivers

£684million.

By comparison, parking fines cost UK

drivers an estimated £1.2bn every year.

As Brits’ hatred of potholes has grown, so

too has their role in the national conversation.

Almost six in 10 (59%) say potholes are

their top ice-breaker in conversation -

overtaking football and the weather, while

one in six admitted they’ve been asked to

stop talking about potholes by a longsuffering

loved one.

Amazingly, such is our obsession with

potholes that a quarter admit to being in a

WhatsApp group dedicated to warning others

about potholes.

Councils have come under increasing

pressure to do more to improve the condition

of Britain’s roads amid fears the pothole

menace is leading to costly – and sometimes

fatal - traffic collisions.


News

Citroen feels the heat as ‘stop-drive’

order makes life tough for owners

THE crisis affecting older Citroen cars has

increased, with the French manufacturer

strengthening its recall of C4, DS4 and DS5

models to a ‘stop-drive’ as of Thursday,

August 7.

These models were already subject to a

recall notice due to an issue with the airbag

system, and includes all C4, DS4 and DS5

vehicles built between February 2, 2010 and

May 20, 2018. However, the new warning is

an order not to drive the vehicles at all.

DVSA fully supports the manufacturer’s

decision to issue a ‘stop-drive’ notice.

Ignoring a ‘stop-drive’ can invalidate your

insurance.

Citroen warning: The

stop-drive order

complicates matters for

owners, as it is not clear

how they should get

their cars to dealerships

for the repair work, as

they cannot be driven.

Industry experts say

drivers should check

with their insurers

before getting behind

the wheel.

What do I have to do?

Citroën is issuing advice directly to owners

of affected cars with guidance on how to get

the issue repaired.

If you drive one of the affected models, you

should follow the manufacturer’s advice. This

advice should be followed on driving lessons

or on a driving test.

You can check if your car is affected using

the Citroën online checker tool using the car’s

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

If a Citroen is used on L-test

Driving examiners and ADI examiners will

check any Citroën C4, DS4 and DS5 models

brought for an L-test which were built in the

years affected, to make sure they have had

the necessary repairs carried out.

If the recall check shows the repair still

needs to be carried out, the car will not be

able to be used on test.

Telling your pupils

The DVSA is contacting all candidates with

a car or instructor driving test to make them

aware of the recall, how to check if their car is

affected and what to do if it is.

If you or your pupils need to cancel a test

due to the recall you will not lose your fee if

you cancel your test within the 10 days short

notice cancellation period if you do this

before September 7.

What’s the problem?

Citroen, which is part of the giant Stellantis

Group, has been alerted to incidents where

airbags have deployed incorrectly and

exploded, sending metal fragments into the

cabin. The stop-drive order affects around

120,000 cars in the UK, and all three models it

covers are popular with ADIs as tuition

vehicles.

There have been no cases of injuries

caused by this airbag failure in the UK, though

the stop-drive order shows the authorities

are concerned that at some point a driver or

passenger could be injured, possibly fataly.

The issue of the airbags came to a head in

France in June when a woman was killed

when hers deployed incorrectly. It was

initially thought that extreme high

temperatures were linked to the failure.

A number of Citroen owners have

complained that local garages are struggling

to cope with the infux of cars needing

restorative work.

Stellantis said it was “working to

maximise” the number of vehicles it could

repair each day, and that priority needed to

be given to those with the most urgent

needs.

All the faulty airbags were produced by the

now defunct Japanese supplier Takata. It is

the latest development in a long-running

saga which began in 2013 and has led to the

recall of an estimated 100 million cars

worldwide over the past decade.

The issue was brought back into focus last

month by the death of a French motorist in

northern France. A 37-year-old woman

driving a Citroen C3 was killed after a minor

collision in Reims when she was struck by

flying metal from a faulty airbag.

Takata was once one of the world’s biggest

suppliers of airbags, but in 2013 reports

began to emerge of people being killed or

injured by their products.

Explosive chemicals, used to inflate the

bags quickly in the event of an accident, were

becoming more volatile over time, especially

in warm and humid conditions. This could

cause them to explode with too much force,

fracturing their metal container, and sending

shrapnel into the cabin of the vehicle.

Car makers responded with a swathe of

recalls. However, Stellantis said Takata

airbags made in its European factories were

not affected, and they continued to be fitted

in new vehicles as a result.

Takata filed for bankruptcy in 2017, its

reputation destroyed by the affair.

Stellantis has insisted that it was only

made aware of incidents involving Europeanmade

airbags in 2019, and initially believed

only cars in hot and humid regions could be

affected. It began a recall campaign in those

areas.

The recall was extended across the whole

of Europe in April, but people were still

allowed to drive their vehicles while they

awaited a repair.

The ‘stop-drive’ call ramps up the pressure

on Stellantis which has insisted it has no

plans to provide compensation to affected

motorists. Instead it would “mobilise the

whole company to source the number of

replacement airbags required.”

A spokesperson for the company accepted

that some owners would be inconvenienced:

“It is inevitable, with such a large number of

vehicles affected, that customers will be

inconvenienced in the short term.”



European fears as Atlantic trade deal lowers

barriers to ‘unsafe’ American vehicles

THE European Transport Safety Council

(ETSC) has slammed EU negotiators after it

emerged that a new trade deal with the US

effectively allows American cars to enter the

European market with lower safety

standards than European ones.

In a Joint Statement on transatlantic trade

and investment, the United States and the

European Union said they would “accept and

provide mutual recognition to each other’s

[vehicle safety] standards”.

But as Antonio Avenoso, executive director

of the ETSC pointed out, this risks allowing

cars on to Europe’s roads that have fewer

safety systems and are more of a danger to

other road users: “By signing up to mutual

recognition of vehicle standards with the

United States, the European Union has waved

the white flag on road safety. Europe’s

mandatory requirements for life-saving

technologies such as automated emergency

braking, lane-keeping assistance and

pedestrian protection have made our cars

safer and our roads less deadly. None of

these protections are guaranteed under US

rules.

“This is not a technical detail - it is a political

choice that puts trade convenience ahead of

saving lives.

“Allowing American vehicles onto the EU

market on the basis of ‘mututal recognition’

of standards is a betrayal of Europe’s safety

leadership, and it will cost lives.

“Europe now risks being flooded with

oversized, under-regulated US pick-up

trucks and SUVs - vehicles that are heavier,

more dangerous to other car drivers,

pedestrians and cyclists, and completely out

of step with Europe’s vision for safer, more

sustainable mobility.”

Political commentators say the UK is not

immune to this influx of US vehicles either.

An academic from the University of

Manchester told Newslink: “We may have left

the EU but we are now in a position where

through our post-Brexit trade deals, we

effectively have to accept EU rules without

any say in their make-up. Sadly, it is price the

Government had to pay to maintain access to

vital EU markets.

“As a result anything the EU lets in, by

default we will probably have to do the same.

“It is hard to see how the UK’s vehicle

regulations could now shut out US-made

cars even if they don’t match our higher

safety standards – and we can also look

forward to more ‘over-sized’ US cars on our

roads, with all the incumbent problems they

will bring.”

Greek research supports more 30km/h limits

ACADEMICS from the University of Athens

have backed expanding the proportion of

streets with a speed limit of 30km/h after

their research revealed major

improvements in road safety, casualty

figures , pollution and noise levels. They also

reported increases in the number of people

cycling, walking and using public transport,

all of which help ease traffic congestion.

George Yannis and Eva Michelaraki looked

at the effectiveness of city-wide 30 km/h

speed limits in Europe. Results from 40

cities across Europe, including Brussels,

Paris, and Zurich, indicated that reductions

in speed limits improved road safety, with a

23%, 37%, and 38% reduction in road

crashes, fatalities, and injuries, respectively.

However, in addition to the expected

improvements in casualty figures, lower

speed limits also yielded environmental

benefits, with emissions decreasing on

average by 18%, noise pollution levels by 2.5

dB, and fuel consumption by 7%, indicating

enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced

environmental impact as congestion eased.

Encouraging citizens to embrace walking,

cycling and utilising public transit services

contributes to a safer urban environment.

The academics said: “Lowering speed

limits is often met with resistance because

of concerns about increases in travel times

and congestion, but research indicates that

any increases are between 3 and 5%, and in

some cases, reducing speed limits can lead

to improvements in travel times.

“The change is lower than most people

intuitively assume, possibly because in

urban areas, the proportion of the time that

can be driven at more than 30 km/h is quite

low, especially during rush-hour.”

The paper can be read in full HERE.

• Mayor Khan backs 20mph - pg 18


News

Shock rise in drink-drive deaths

drives demands for lower limits

THE Government is to consult on proposals

to reduce the legal drink-drive limit in

England and Wales as part of a broader road

safety strategy aimed at reducing fatalities

and serious injuries on UK roads.

Currently, the legal alcohol limit for drivers

in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 35

micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of

breath, or 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of

blood – the latter being the better known

limit. That’s the hightest level in Europe, and

recent data has revealed that it is not

working, with more than 250 people killed by

drink-drivers on Britain’s roads in 2023.

The statistics, published at the end of July,

show there were 260 fatalities in drink-drive

accidents in 2023. Although this marks a

reduction from the previous year, it remains

higher than the number recorded a decade

ago. In total, 6,310 people were killed or

injured in drink-related road incidents last

year.

The South East accounted for 20% of all

drink-drive casualties in Great Britain, while

the North East saw the fewest, with just 2%.

According to the Departmebt fior

Transport, the Government is looking to

reduce the limit to 22 micrograms and 50

milligrams respectively. This would match the

threshold in Scotland where stricter laws

were introduced in 2014.

The proposal is backed by research

showing that even small amounts of alcohol

significantly increase crash risk. A key study

found that drivers with a breath alcohol level

of 22 micrograms are six times less likely to

be involved in a fatal crash than those at the

current legal limit.

“The UK (with the exception of Scotland)

remains an outlier with the highest legal

drink-drive limit in the developed world,”

says Hunter Abbott, managing director of

AlcoSense Laboratories, a leading personal

breathalyser firm.

“This means we have drivers who are legal

but lethal on our roads. The evidence is clear

- even modest reductions in blood alcohol

concentration significantly lower crash risk.

“Bringing our limit closer to a level where

intoxication is meaningfully reduced should

be a no-brainer. It’s a simple, effective step

toward saving lives and would bring England

and Wales in line with international standards.

“This is a data-driven, safety-focused

initiative that would reduce alcohol-related

crashes and deaths, while also encouraging

more cautious behaviour among drivers”.

Labour will publish its road safety strategy,

including the proposed limit change, in

Autumn this year, with public consultation

expected in late 2025 and early 2026.

Road safety organisations have also called

for novice drivers to have a 0mg limit, along

with other restrictions in the first two years

after passing their L-test.

Government looks at black box tech to stop drink-drivers

Th e Government is looking at using in-built

breathalysers and black box-style recorders

to reduce drink-driving offending,

particularly among novice drivers.

Government officials are said to be

reviewing the potential of introducing alcohol

interlocks and Event Data Recorders (EDRs)

into all newly manufactured vehicles.

Such a move would bring UK vehicle safety

standards closer to those already adopted by

the European Union under its General Safety

Regulation.

Since July 2024, the EU has required all

new cars and vans to include technologies

such as EDRs and driver monitoring systems.

While the UK is no longer bound to EU

legislation, officials have left open the option

of voluntary alignment.

Alcohol interlocks are in-built breathtesting

devices that prevent a vehicle from

starting if the driver is over the legal limit.

These are commonly used in other countries

for repeat drink-driving offenders and can

reduce reoffending rates by 90%.



Older drivers claim victimisation as DfT

looks at compulsory eyesight checks

OLDER drivers are claiming they are being

unfairly targeted and victimised after the

Government said it was looking to introduce

compulsory eyesight checks for all drivers

aged 70 and above.

The new rules would tighten up current

regulations that simply require drivers aged

70 and over to self-certify their fitness to

drive, and would mean all who apply for a new

licence at the age of 70 would need an

optician’s report confirming their fitness to

drive.

However, the news was not greeted

warmly by older drivers. “Why just the over

70s?” said people responding to the story in

The Sunday Times.

Other respondents said: “Why put this for

people over 70 and not everyone? Why make

it sound like they are targeting the elderly?”,

while another said it was a classic case of

“blaming the elderly when by far the worst

offenders in terms of road traffic collisions are

the just-passed-the-test lads and the

reckless speeders,” continues another.

“They need to focus on young drivers who

speed,” was another response.

However, many in the road safety industry

said the reform was long overdue, but there is

some agreement that it shouldn’t just be the

over-70s who are targeted.

GEM Motoring Assist believes that all

drivers should be tested, not just those aged

70 or over. “For too long, we have relied on

self-reporting of eyesight problems and we

welcome the prospect of this welcome shift

towards proactive safety enforcement.

“Too many people – and not just those

aged 70 or over – are driving with defective

eyesight that has deteriorated to a dangerous

level.”

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC

Foundation, also believes that professional

eye testing should be a standard element of

driver licensing for all drivers. This should

include a requirement to provide evidence of

a full eye test both when first applying and at

each driving licence renewal.

However, a spokesman for the Department

for Transport said that testing everyone felt

like overkill and was unjustifiable when

eyesight issues of under-70s were rarely

cited in fatal road crash inquiry. “We know

from opticians that just about everyone

suffers from a deterioration in their eyesight

during their lifetime, but the sight loss

becomes most acute once people reach 70.

It’s at that point that the problems occur,

which is why we are so keen to insist on that

age group taking tests.”

He was also quick to point out that the

most recent push for this reform was a report

from the Lancashire Coroner’s Office after it

conducted four fatal inquiries on road traffic

incidents in which four people were killed.

In each case the driver prosecuted had

highly defective eyesight (see panel).

The DfT also rejected calls they were

ignoring the problems caused by novice

drivers. “We are looking at a host of reforms.

We are well aware of novice drivers, and are

looking to strengthen the driving test to

improve their standard.”

However, the DfT confirmed that it was not

currently looking at introducing graduated

driving licences for new drivers.

Deaths prompt calls for

compulsory eyesight checks

Calls for compulsory eyesight checks on

older drivers have intensified in recent

months after a series of tragedies linked

to poor eyesight.

In June Dr James Adeley, HM Senior

Coroner for Lancashire, said the current

system was “ineffective and unsafe”

after four people were killed by drivers

with failing eyesight in three separate

incidents in the county.

One driver had been told his vision was

inadequate and he should not have been

driving, while another had cataracts in

both eye. A third’s eyesight was so poor

he could barely see the steering wheel

and knew he would not pass a DVLA

eyesight check.


The case for 20mph limits

Mayor makes the case for 20mph

zones as data backs campaign

LONDON’S Mayor has issued a

powerful call for England to embrace a

greater roll-out of 20mph zones,

pointing out that the evidence from

his city supports claims that not only do the

lower limits save lives and prevent crashes,

they have no impact on journey times.

Sadiq Khan made his claim in an article in

The Guardian in which he outlined rigorous

new research by Transport for London that

showed the number of people killed or

seriously injured on London borough roads

reduced by 34% following the

implementation of 20mph speed limits. Even

more stark was the impact they had on

children’s deaths: these fell by 75% , albeit on

a very small sample.

“That means fewer grieving families and

fewer people’s lives made a misery,” he said.

But at the same time, the predicted ‘cost’

of this success – that drivers would see

journey times greatly increased – has not

materialised. “Despite what their detractors

might claim,” he said, “20mph speed limits

haven’t actually made journeys slower

because journey times are largely dictated by

junction delays, not vehicle speed.” This

meant that while there were minor increases

in some journey times across London, the

majority were stable: no surprise really, as

average journeys across the capital rarely go

faster than 15mph, reaching above 20mph

only in outer London suburbs.

But the mayor was keen to point out that it

wasn’t only these factors that have made the

20mph zones a success: neighbourhoods

with the lower speed limits “are quieter,

encouraging more people to walk or cycle.

Those who do drive have fewer collisions and

pay less for their insurance as a result.”

Given all that, he says, perhaps it’s no

surprise that “residents overwhelmingly

back slower speed limits in their own

communities; more than three out of four

think that 20mph is the right speed for the

area they live in.”

London has been rolling out 20mph zones

in greater numbers for the past five years but

as Newslink readers will be aware, it is not an

isolated experiment: Wales’s own taste of

20mph, brought in as a nationwide policy in

An advertisement from TfL in 2020,

announcing the new lower speed limits

2023, is also bearing fruit [see Newslink July],

with 100 fewer KSI victims in the first year of

full operation.

Mayor Khan is not a stupid man: he knows

the Daily Mail et al will dub the 20mph zones

part of a ‘War on the Motorist’. So Khan was

quick to defend his actions as being grounded

in data and facts: “As Mayor, my approach to

road safety has never been about ideology,

belief or bias; it’s about following the

evidence and doing what is best. If we want

to save lives, the evidence shows rolling out

20mph speed limits on appropriate roads

works.”



“As mayor, my approach to road:

safety has never been about:

ideology, belief, or bias; it’s about:

following the evidence and doing:

what is best. If we want to save:

lives, the evidence shows rolling:

out 20mph speed limits on:

appropriate roads works.”:

The scale of that roll-out is impressive: half

of London’s streets are now 20mph zones,

and his office has created more than 800

‘school streets’ across our city, cutting toxic

air pollution and giving thousands of children

a safer, healthier way to get to school.

At the same time, cycle routes have

increased fivefold, giving more

Londoners the confidence to swap

four wheels for two.

One of Khan’s proudest boasts is the

extension of his sometimes controverial

ultra-low emission zone (Ulez). But as he

points out, before it came in London’s air

quality was a national embarassment, with

rising levels of roadside nitrogen dioxide – a

chemical linked to lung cancer and childhood

asthma. So bad was the situation that I recall

a friend of mine who lived near the North

Circular, in Palmer’s Green, telling me his

daughter’s primary school did not let the

children out to play in the late spring and

summer months, as the air quality was so

poor it made them ill.

Given that position, it was hardly surprising

Khan decided to act, and his Ulez project has

worked: “ In 2024, the year after we

expanded it, levels of roadside nitrogen

dioxide declined by 27%. Since 2019, the year

the scheme was first introduced, air quality

has improved at 99% of monitoring sites

across the capital.”

Just in case you think this is a marginal

issue, remember that doctors have linked air

pollution to 4,000 early deaths every year in

the capital.

It is also clear that where London goes,

others follow. His Ulez scheme was a world

first but it has been copied by dozens of

other major cities since its success was first

reported: Amsterdam, Berlin, Oslo, Paris,

Shenzhen, Foshan and Luoyang in China, as

well as Singapore, Los Angeles, Santa Monica

and Montreal all now have low emission

zones inspired by London’s.

London was also the first city to demand

lorries give their drivers a clear view of the

nearside to cut collisions with two-wheeled

traffic.

“ When it comes to improving road safety,

the record in our capital is second to none,”

he adds. “But there are still too many places

where higher speed limits are putting

pedestrians at risk. We can and must do

more, because not a single one of the

tragedies that take place on the capital’s

roads is inevitable. This fundamental principle

– that one casualty on our roads is one too

many – underpins my Vision Zero for London.

By implementing it, we aim to eliminate all

deaths and serious injuries on our transport

network by 2041. But we will not succeed

unless borough councils do their bit.”

It’s also clear that at the moment, London’s

councils are backing him, despite concerns

their residents may have. 21 of the capital’s

boroughs have a default 20mph speed limit

somewhere on their patch. There are a few

who are not playing ball, and he urges them

to change tack: “To those councils, my

message is clear: it’s time to step up. Because

there is nothing to be gained by playing

politics with speed limits – only people to be

injured and lives to be lost.”

He meets many people who he says back

his plans, “the vast majority ordinary citizens:

children walking home from school; parents

cycling to work; carers driving to see relatives.

What they want is simple: the freedom to go

about their lives in the knowledge that they

are safe from harm. For their sake, the fight for

safer roads must continue,” he said.

It’s a call that could resonate louder and

louder in the years to come. With first London

and then Wales seeing huge improvements in

KSI figures, and little evidence of longer

journey times, it could well be that the march

of the 20mph zones will – rather ironically –

accelerate even quicker in years to come.


Towards your CPD

Drivers looking to improve

needs to take a spin on

the ‘Wheel of Change’

STEVE GARROD

I

HAVE been fortunate to be involved in

working on drink driving rehabilitation

courses for the past three years, and one

of the elements that we discuss is the

Wheel of Change.

Developed in 1982 by psychologists James

Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, the Wheel

of Change describes the stages of how and

why people change habits, either on their

own or with the help of a professional. The

model has been used to help people to

change their addictive behaviour, such as

alcohol and drug dependency, losing weight

and adopting a healthy diet, or to improve

someone’s current situation.

There is a reason it’s called a wheel and

that is that people can spin through the

process several times before finding a stable

kind of change.

Key stages

The stages can be applied to any kind of

change you try to make on your own, such as

a New Year’s resolution, but it is often more

helpful for the person’s mentor, or coach to

understand these stages as well. (How many

New Year resolutions work?) Regardless or

not of whether you try something on your

own or with help, the stages remain the

same. The most important thing is to be

motivated to continue, even when things go

wrong.

What I have found interesting is how it can

be used in training qualified drivers, whether

it is as part of a fleet training day, someone

looking to take an advanced test (Part 2 ADI,

for example) or someone undergoing

remedial training after a ban or a road traffic

incident.

When trying any new skill there will always

be a time when we revert to old habits, in this

case it is called ‘relapse’. Without sufficient

motivation it is easy to admit defeat, such as

someone trying not to break the speed limit

gets a ‘toot’ from a following motorist, which

they perceive as them now driving too slowly

and justifying why they feel they need to

speed.

As you can see in the wheel above, there

are various stages of the model (and the

behaviour expected of the person

experiencing change) and it may be useful to

discuss these to show you how we can use

this for many of our own clients.

Pre-contemplation

A logical starting point for the model. This

is where a person may be unaware that

there’s a problem and has no intention to

change their behaviour, for example a driver

consistently breaks the speed limit and sees

no reason to change their way, because

‘everyone speeds’ and has yet to be caught.

Prochaska & DiClemente’s

Wheel of Change 1982

This is known as ‘downward comparison’. It is

when someone looks for an easy way out in

an attempt to justify why they speed. Think

of a delivery driver who says he must park on

the pavement to do his deliveries or has to

speed to get his deliveries completed on time.

Dare I say this can also be the same with

someone failing a Standards Check. I know

many who have been unsuccessful and have

not taken any training prior to the Standards

Check, which then places them on this part

of the wheel.

Contemplation

This is where the person becomes aware

that there is a problem but has made no

commitment to change. This could be when

they receive a speeding fine or following a



“The person falls back into old

patterns of behaviour... many

people find excuses for their

relapse rather than accepting

that things take time to

change.... drivers under

pressure may feel the need to

resort to old habits such as

speeding to make an

appointment on time.”

near miss. In the first chapter of Roadcraft, it

explains the importance of reflecting on any

near misses and taking responsibility for our

own actions and admitting we could do

something to reduce the risk of such an

incident being repeated. Following a training

session the driver may be aware of the

problems that cause them to drive too fast,

such as not being able to recognise changing

speed limits, so they now have the

knowledge to put what they have learnt into

practice when driving alone. It is the time

when someone thinks about additional

training.

Preparation

The person is intent on taking action to

correct the problem; usually requires buy-in

from the client (ie, the client is convinced that

the change is good) and increased selfefficacy

(ie, the client believes they can make

change). This can follow a training session, eg,

someone can identify ways to drive within

the speed limit. This is where a driver-trainer

can play an essential role with careful

coaching techniques.

When we think of training qualified drivers

we have to sell road safety to them, because

it is unlikely they will be taking another

driving test, therefore they need to see the

benefits of driving in a way that saves them

fuel, stress and points on their licence.

Action

The person is in active modification of

behaviour. This means they can drive in the

same way when they are not on a training

session. Something I often hear is when I

train someone for the Part 2 test of driving

ability is that they don’t get enough time to

practise their driving in between training

sessions, even though they drive to and from

work each day, or they actually drive for

work. The Action stage means that they are

willing and understand the need to drive in

the new way at all times so that it becomes

natural and not that they can ‘pull-it-out-ofthe-hat’

on their Part 2 Driving test.

Maintenance

Sustained change occurs and new

behaviour replaces old ones. This can take

more time than expected, but the person is

now driving in the new way most, if not all of

the time. It is suggested that it can take

around six months to adopt the new

behaviour. This can be likened to a golfer

learning how to restructure their swing, the

new swing has become natural, even under

pressure. This is the challenging phase and it

means there has been no relapse into old

ways.

Relapse

The person falls back into old patterns of

behaviour. This is quite common, and many

people find excuses for their relapse rather

than accepting that things take time to change.

An example could be that a company driver

has attended a course following them gaining

speeding points and has been doing well until

he is under pressure and feels the need to

resort to his old habits of speeding to make

an appointment on time. It could also be due

to feeling under pressure from their manager

to make deliveries on time.The important

thing is to get back onto the wheel before

getting stuck at this stage.

When we coach qualified drivers, we need

to explain that it is only natural to feel that

they met be holding up other drivers if they

have been used to driving too fast and that

that feeling will go with enough practice. It’s

important that whatever new skill is being

learnt we should not be too hard on ourselves

for a relapse.

If you have a few minutes, perhaps reflect

on something you would like to change and

see how this Wheel of Change could help you.


Towards your CPD

Making that vital connection

between what you see,

and what the hands then do

Everyone has had a pupil at one time in their career who just doesn’t seem to be able

to connect what they see on the road with what their hands then do on the wheel.

Tom Harrington looks at the difficulties some have in eye-hand co-ordination

DRIVING is one of the most complex

tasks that ordinary people perform

daily. It requires the integration of

multiple senses, rapid decisionmaking,

and precise physical control.

Among the many abilities a driver must

develop, eye–hand coordination stands out

as fundamental. It links perception to action:

the eyes collect visual information about the

road, while the hands translate that

information into accurate steering, gear

selection, and other control inputs.

This seamless interaction between vision

and movement underpins everything from

lane-keeping to emergency manoeuvres.

What I will do here is examine the role of

eye–hand co-ordination in driving, explaining

how it develops, how it functions in real

traffic, and why its refinement is critical for

safety.

It also considers the limitations of human

performance, the impact of distractions and

fatigue, and how training methods and

vehicle technologies can enhance or

undermine this vital skill.

1. What Is eye–hand co-ordination?

Eye-hand co-ordination is the ability to

process visual information and use it to guide

manual actions. In driving, it means that what

you see directly informs what you do with

the steering wheel, gear lever, indicators, or

other controls.

This is not a conscious step-by-step

process; experienced drivers do not think, “I

see the bend, so I must turn the wheel two

inches to the left.” Rather, their brains have

built strong neural pathways linking

perception to muscle movement, so that

steering corrections happen almost

automatically.

However, this ability is not innate. A learner

driver must develop it through practice. At

first, visual information may be processed

too slowly, resulting in late or excessive

steering inputs.

With experience, the process becomes

faster, smoother, and far more precise.

2. The science behind

eye–hand co-ordination

Human vision provides most of the

information needed to drive. The eyes take in

data about lane markings, approaching

vehicles, road curvature, and hazards. This

information is processed by the brain’s visual



“Even a healthy,

alert driver has a

reaction time of

around 0.7 to 1.0

seconds. That is why,

at motorway speeds,

a vehicle may travel

25–30 metres before

the driver even

begins to act. Eyehand

co-ordination

therefore depends not

only on speed of

response but also on

anticipation. Skilled

drivers learn to read

the road ahead...”

cortex and integrated with other sensory

cues such as balance and proprioception (the

sense of body position).

The motor cortex then sends signals to the

hands to make steering or control

movements. The process happens

astonishingly fast — often within fractions of

a second. Nevertheless, there are natural

delays. Even a healthy, alert driver has a

reaction time of around 0.7 to 1.0 seconds.

That is why, at motorway speeds, a vehicle

may travel 25–30 metres before the driver

even begins to act. Eye-hand co-ordination

therefore depends not only on speed of

response but also on anticipation. Skilled

drivers learn to “read the road” ahead,

adjusting steering inputs before problems

develop.

Research also shows that drivers use two

types of visual information:

n Focal vision, which identifies specific

objects (such as traffic signs or brake lights).

n Peripheral vision, which detects motion

and helps keep the car centred in the lane.

n Effective eye–hand co-ordination

requires both. If a driver focuses too

narrowly, steering may become jerky and

delayed. Looking further ahead provides a

steady visual reference and allows for

smoother, more accurate control.

3. Development through practice

When learners first take the wheel, they

often stare at the bonnet or the road

immediately in front of the car. This creates

constant small corrections because the

driver reacts to every tiny movement rather

than anticipating the vehicle’s path. Driving

instructors teach pupils to lift their gaze,

scanning 100–200 metres ahead where

possible. This habit gives the brain more time

to process information and leads to more fluid

steering.

The pull–push method of steering, often

taught to new drivers, reinforces deliberate

and balanced hand movements. Although

more experienced drivers may steer more

freely, early structured training helps to

establish sound control habits. Over time, as

eye–hand coordination improves, drivers

become less conscious of their steering

inputs. Actions feel natural, and corrections

are made instinctively.

4. Applications in real driving

Cornering and lane positioning rely heavily

on eye-hand co-ordination. When

approaching a bend, the eyes must judge its

sharpness and angle. The hands then apply

exactly the right steering input to follow the

road smoothly, neither cutting the corner nor

drifting wide. Poor co-ordination here is a

common cause of crashes, particularly

among novice drivers who either over-steer

or fail to steer enough. Overtaking and

merging also test this skill. A driver must

check mirrors, judge speed differentials, and

smoothly guide the vehicle into a new lane

without sudden swerves. Similarly, parking

manoeuvres — whether parallel or bay

parking — require precise timing between

visual reference points and hand movement.

In emergencies, eye–hand co-ordination

becomes critical. If an obstacle suddenly

appears, the driver must steer accurately

while braking. Jerky or exaggerated inputs

can lead to skids or loss of control, whereas

skilled drivers apply just the right amount of

movement to avoid the hazard.

5. Factors that disrupt

eye–hand co-ordination

Even skilled drivers are not immune to

factors that degrade co-ordination:

n Fatigue slows reaction time and reduces

alertness, causing delayed or sloppy steering

inputs.

n Alcohol or drugs impair judgment and

motor control, making precise coordination

impossible.

Continued on page 24


Towards your CPD

Continued from page 23

n Distractions, such as mobile phones or

in-car infotainment systems, draw visual

attention away from the road, breaking the

link between eyes and hands at exactly the

wrong moment.

n Stress and anxiety can lead to overcorrection

or ‘freezing up,’ especially in

learners.

Age also plays a role. Younger drivers

typically have faster reflexes but may lack

experience and anticipation skills. Older

drivers often compensate for slower reaction

times with better hazard perception, though

very advanced age can reduce both vision

and dexterity.

6. Enhancing eye–hand co-ordination

Because eye–hand co-ordination is

trainable, it can be improved deliberately:

n Structured driving lessons help learners

build early habits of looking well ahead,

steering smoothly, and anticipating hazards.

n Simulation and hazard perception

training allow drivers to practise rapid

responses in a safe environment.

n Advanced driver courses such as IAM or

RoSPA focus on reading the road more

effectively, further sharpening the link

between vision and control.

n Off-road practice with steering drills—

for example, using a large dish or wheel to

practise the pull–push technique — can

reinforce correct movements before entering

traffic.

Sports and activities requiring coordination

(such as ball games or video racing

simulators) may also provide indirect

benefits, as they train the brain to link vision

and hand control quickly.

7. Technology and its influence

Modern vehicles increasingly assist or

even take over some driving tasks. Power

steering, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive

cruise control can reduce physical effort, but

they also risk diminishing the driver’s active

engagement. If people come to rely too

heavily on automated corrections, their

eye–hand co-ordination may weaken from

lack of practice.

On the other hand, driver monitoring

systems that detect inattention and

heads-up displays that reduce eye

movement can support coordination by

ensuring that the driver’s gaze remains on

the road.

Clearly the challenge is to strike the right

balance between human skill and

technological help.

8. The legal and safety perspective

From a legal standpoint, poor eye-hand

co-ordination is rarely mentioned directly in

road traffic law. However, many offences,

such as careless driving, lane drifting, or

failing to maintain proper control, stem from

inadequate co-ordination or inattention.

Driving tests worldwide include manoeuvres

designed to check this ability indirectly,

ensuring that candidates can translate what

they see into safe, deliberate control inputs.

Road safety campaigns also stress that a

vehicle is not simply “pointed and pushed”; it

must be guided continuously. Drivers who

understand this are more likely to appreciate

why distraction, fatigue, or impaired vision

pose such serious dangers.

Conclusion

Driving is an intricate partnership between

perception and action, and eye-hand

co-ordination is at its core. It allows the brain

“Structured driving lessons

help learners build early

habits of looking well ahead,

steering smoothly, and

anticipating hazards.”

to convert what the eyes see into precise

steering and control movements, ensuring

that a car follows the intended path smoothly

and safely. While the process becomes

automatic with experience, it must first be

learned through deliberate practice and can

be disrupted by fatigue, impairment, or

distraction.

As vehicles evolve, drivers must remain

actively engaged rather than surrendering all

responsibility to technology. Training,

practice, and awareness are the best tools to

preserve and sharpen this essential skill. A

driver who looks far ahead, anticipates

hazards, and guides the car with measured,

accurate inputs is not only safer but also

more confident and in control.

Eye-hand co-ordination is not merely a

technical ability; it is the invisible thread

linking vision, thought, and action.

On the road, that thread holds lives in its

grasp.



Olivia’s getting closer to her dream new

career as she nails Parts 1 and 2

Brian

Thomson

MSA GB Scotland

OLIVIA’S getting closer !!

Exciting times for a potential driving

instructor, Olivia Dey, an ex-pupil of mine,

from Montrose.

Part 1, completed, Part 2, completed, 40++

hours training with me and getting as much

advice as she can before she embarks on her

own career teaching safe driving for life to

students in our area.

Olivia’s grandad managed to source a car

for her, a Hyundai 120 hybrid, and her dad,

who just happens to run a garage in the town,

fitted the duals and ensured the car was fully

serviced for its life ahead as a training car.

Olivia currently works as a pharmacy

dispenser in Dundee, approximately 80 miles

round trip daily, but fancied a career change.

She contacted me for information on

becoming a driving instructor, and so her

journey started. We arranged a meeting with

a local well-known instructor trainer for

guidance and assistance to get things off the

ground and to obtain some training for the

Part 2 after Olivia had nailed the Part 1 no

problem.

So then it came to instructor training.

“Perfect”, I say, sit in the back as much as you

can, we’ll do role play as student and

instructor and get that green badge.

However, what I didn’t factor into the training

equation was that Olivia and her partner

were ‘mid’ renovation of their first house, nor

did I factor into the training plan that she

would become pregnant! So between still

dishing out drugs in Dundee Monday to

Friday, driving more miles in a week than I

drive in a month (almost), organising all the

trades required for the house renovations,

and coping with having to sit in the back seat

of the Corsa bouncing around the streets and

roads around Montrose, the training started

to stretch a bit as two or three hours became

Olivia’s threshold for comfort.

Moving on, lilttle Eadie was born and after

a shorter break than I would have needed,

Olivia was back in the Corsa, getting in the

hours again. She’s got her own car up and

running, she’s getting students in and

developing a teaching style that suits her. I

kept saying during the 40 hours she’s spent

with me, “don’t copy what I say and do, get it

across in your own way”.

Wishing Olivia all the best during her

training, for the Part 3 exam and a future in

the industry.


Area News

Move over, Birmingham, Clevedon is the

real birthplace of British carmaking

Colin Lilly

Editor,

Newslink

IF I ASKED you where the first all-British car

was built, I suspect many of you would name

a town or city in the Midlands. You’d be

wrong: it was, in fact, Clevedon in Somerset.

The brains behind the project was Richard

Stephens, an enterprising engineer who was

very forward-thinking and who designed

that very first car, which was built by local

engineers.

Interest in Stephens’ work has recently

been revived by the erection of a replica on a

roundabout in the town. This was the result of

the efforts of an American film director Mark

Reber who has relocated to the town. He

became aware of the history of the car and

set about raising funds for the statue in a

prominent spot in the town. He did this

through private donations and organising a

series of ‘Cars and Coffee’ events.

The statue to commemorate Stephens,

which is constructed from galvanised steel,

was installed in July.

Richard Stephens was born in Cwmbran in

1856. On leaving school he became a miner

but his talent for things mechanical meant he

became a mining engineer.

He moved to America, working for the

Cleveland Iron Cliff Co, where he worked

alongside Thomas Edison. His travels brought

him into contact with Henry Ford and Ransom

Olds, founder of the Oldsmobile Car

Company.

He moved back to the UK, and Clevedon, in

1888 to become the local council steam roller

driver and town engineer. Alongside his day

job Richard and his wife set up the Clevedon

Cycle Depot and Refreshment Rooms.

He obtained backing from local Baronet, Sir

Edmund Elton to set up Stephens Engineering

& Motor Car Works in 1897, located in the

town centre.

The first car was produced in 1898. It was a

four seater with independent front

suspension designed by Stephens – a first

for a British car. It was powered by a twin

cylinder 2000cc engine capable of revving to

8,000rpm. It had two forward gears making it

capable of speeds up to 40mph, and would

cruise at 30mph.

Mass production was not the aim of the

project but developing the car for customers’

requirements. Only 12 cars were built but

remarkably two remain on the road and take

part in the London to Brighton Veteran Car

run each year. One is reputed to still run on its

original tyres.

A six-seat version was built for a taxi

company in Bath and was the first motorised

taxi in the city. A nine-seat bus version was

also built.

Stephens also ran excursions to nearby

towns such as Portishead and Cheddar for

the public.

By the early 20th century Stephens’ cars

were beginning to look dated alongside the

others being produced around the world.

They were introducing covered models and

the company folded in 1916.

Stephens could be described as an

unappreciated genius. Having spent the first

22 years living in Clevedon I feel a bit

embarrassed now that I was unaware of this

aspect of the town’s history.

Living nearby I probably walked past the

original workshop several times a week and

to me it was just a TV and radio shop where I

purchased batteries for my portable radio

from time to time.

The fund that organised the statue is now

planning a blue plaque and hope to have a

mural painted on the side of the building

which housed the workshop.

“Only 12 cars were

built but

remarkably two

remain on the road

and take part in the

London to Brighton

Veteran Car run

each year....”

Left, one of the original

Stephens cars, pictured out

and about in the 1960s



If Ernie had needed an ADI for his

milkcart, I’d have been there like a shot

Arthur Mynott

West Coast

& Wales

IN JULY I was delighted to attend the MSA GB

national training event. It was covered in detail

in last month’s Newslink, but I thought I’d

share a few thoughts of my own from the

weekend.

I was there along with the other board

members and MSA GB members, to listen to

an excellent mix of speakers, such as Alan

Gott from FBTC (making tax digital is now a

reality), Kevin and Tracy Field from Confident

Drivers and Pauline Reeves from the DVSA, to

name just a few.

I have attended every MSA GB Conference

over the last 20 or so years, apart from one

when I had inadvertently booked a cruise from

Barbados which clashed.

Pre-Covid there was upwards of 150 people

in attendance at these events but things have

changed so much since then. There is now so

much information (or misinformation)

available over the internet we’ve seen a

reduction in the numbers now attending

events such as this. Personally I think that’s a

mistake and it is still better to meet other

people in our industry in person, socialise with

them and discuss any issues we have – plus

Weight loss target

smashed!

Just to keep you up-to-date on my

weight loss/fitness drive, I was

delighted to discover that I had achieved

my target weight loss of three stone at

my most recent weigh-in, writes Arthur

Mynott. Right is a photo taken at Marie’s

60th birthday meal which was the main

inspiration for me to begin losing weight.

Below is a more recent photo, showing

the diet’s effects. I have since been back

to the doctors and the recent blood test

results have all come back as perfectly

healthy for a 67-year-old man; all the

levels that were high before I began

losing weight are now back to normal.

buy each other a drink or two!

As this year marked the 90th Anniversary

of the MSA it was a celebratory weekend also.

On the Friday evening there was a buffet

followed by a quiz which incidentally our table

won, and this was followed on the Saturday

evening by a three-course meal served at the

table. The food was truly delicious.

The entertainment this evening was a disco

playing mainly music from the 1960s to the

1980s but there was also the opportunity to sing

on the karaoke. The Scottish Area Chairman

Steven Porter kicked off the singing, belting into

four songs which we all sung along with at our

tables. He is a very, very good singer.

Now, people who know me will know that I

am normally quite shy but after drinking the

Left, Arthur before

the diet – and below,

a more recent photo

showing the effects

of his weight loss

best part of a bottle of wine, two or three

ciders and the odd short or two, I thought I

would get up and and have a go. Whenever I

have done this in the past I always sang one

certain song which my late wife Marie used to

cringe and laugh at the same time – ‘Ernie’ by

Benny Hill. She always enjoyed it though, and I

sang this in honour of her.

Interestingly, when I’m teaching learners I

generally have the radio playing quietly in the

background as long as they are happy with it.

Occasionally, if the situation allows, I will sing

quietly along though I always apologise for the

quality of the singing, telling the learner that

I’m tone deaf. Some would consider it a

criminal offence when I sing, and I should be

arrested!

However, after the wine and ciders, etc, I

had enough Dutch courage to get up and sing (I

thought it was singing anyway) ‘Ernie’, and I

like to think my West Country accent added to

the effect. Anyhow, the audience clapped me

afterwards – though whether that was in

sympathy or not I don’t know.

The next morning we had a board meeting

but upon waking up I realised I hadn’t packed

any paracetamols as I was feeling the effects

of the mixture of drinks the night before. The

headache did clear before the meeting though

so all was good in the end.

If you didn’t come this year then try and

come to our next one; they have always been

excellent events and you never know, you

might get to hear a lovely rendition of ‘Ernie,

and he drove the fastest milk cart in the West’.

I bet you were singing that as you were

reading it!!


Area News

ADIs team up for a wonderful

day’s golf at the Carrick

Steven

Porter

MSA GB Scotland

One day in August

August 8, now why does that date ring a bell?

Ah, that’s it, it was four days after my 25th

wedding anniversary... I had better go and do

something to mark the occasion!.

So I did; I went with some friends to The

Carrick Golf Club at Loch Lomond and played

in The Dash Cam Claims golf outing with 43

others from within the driving instructor

industry.

Some of these guys I’ve known for years

and quite a few I had never even met before,

such is the size of the industry we work in. A

quick selection: one is an old golf buddy and

fellow ADI from way back, Eddie Gray; a

distant friend and ADI who I see more online

than in person, Michael McNiven; and

someone I only see at events and who will be

one of our speakers this year at the Scottish

AGM & Conference on November 2nd

Castlecary Hotel, Castlecary, Mick Knowles

(from Knowledgable Instructor).

Also playing with me is my fellow committee

member Brian Loney, and a long standing MSA

GB member, friend, ADI and Young Driver

Scottish representative/instructor Raymond

McNaughton, who has recently retired, so

happy retirement, Raymond.

We met up early doors to be greeted by

Sandy Hillan, the owner of Dash Cam Claims

and the man who had invited us all. We

caught up with life and old friends over a cup

of tea and bacon roll. We then had a 120 balls

to hit on the range before our round, some of

us felt like we had played our round before

stepping onto the course.

The Carrick is a tough golf course with a

few water features around the first few holes

which makes it even tougher and yes, you

guessed it, yours truly only went and found

the water on the 3rd hole. I did, however,

manage to NOT find the water on the 4th,

indeed I managed to come off with just a

bogey. Some of my playing companions

didn’t have the same fortune though.

The winning team from

Nationwide Accident Hire

It was tough though and made even

tougher when I pulled a muscle on my right

arm which remained for the rest of the round

and meant that I was cringing before I even

connected with the ball, then had another big

cringe after connecting. I did manage to see

the round out, well almost, but we will get to

that.

Over the round it was pretty typical golf, as

it is most times of the year: I hit a worldie and

think I’m Scotty Scheffler, then shank it into

the bushes like I’m Happy flipping Gilmore; not

very happy I’ll tell you. That’s just the average

handicap golfer, you never know what is

coming next.

We stopped after the 9th hole for a quick

snack and drink, non-alcoholic I may add,

then up to the scenic 10th hole with breathtaking

scenery to your right as you can see in

the photo – though I reckon the photo

doesn’t do it justice, trust me.

The golf started to get better although on

Steven Porter

with fellow

golfers



The stunning Carrick

Course, by the banks

of Loch Lomond

Sandy Hillan (centre)

presents the prizes

the par 3 12th hole all three of us managed to

find the green off the tee... only for all three of

us to three putt and walk off with a bogey

four.

There was another aptly named par 3

called Tappit Doon (‘Tap it down’ for you

non-Scottish speakers). Now this one had a

prize of a box at Anfield or St James’s Park IF

you hit a hole in one at it. Promise me you

won’t tell Sandy, but I told a little white lie at

that one, I thought he meant hit the green in

one ,and I did! What he doesn’t know can’t

hurt him.

Anyway, I thought I was getting better as

the round went on until the 18th hole. I

thought it’s a dog leg and not far to the bend

so instead of being all gallus (look it up) and

going with my driver I thought I’d box clever

and baby down a 3 wood. Well, that will be the

last time I try this whole course management

nonsense; I pulled it left into the bushes and

then hit my provisional shot into the same

place. End of round!

After my strop and we’d all wiped away the

tears (not mine, honestly) we went into the

clubhouse and as we were the first out we

had a long wait till the others came in, so one

47 golfers attended the Dash Claims Cup Corporate Golf Day

Single Event Winners:

1st: Stephen Sweeney of Kerr Brown Solicitors with a score of 36. He won a Powakaddy Electric

Golf Trolley and Bag.

2nd: Chris Sharples of Nationwide Accident Hire, with a score of 35; he won a Callaway Mini Driver.

3rd: Brian Roberts of Dash Claims scored 34 and won a Vehicle Valet kit donated by Autosmart

Ayrshire.

Team Event:

1st: Chris Sharples, Craig Kennerly, Andy Wilson & Sahil Najak of Nationwide Accident Hire won a

Fourball at Carrick Golf club, donated by Cameron House.

2nd: Chris Potts, Fraser Evans, Thomas Higgins & Chris Varney of Accident Credit group won a four

ball at Cave Castle Golf Club, donated by Mick Knowles of Knowledgeable Instructor Training.

3rd: Stephen Sweeney, Connor McLeod, Fraser Hoehle & Ben Conke of Kerr Brown Solicitors won a

bottle of malt whiskey each.

or possibly two beverages may have passed

my lips, well, why not seen as Raymond was

being an absolute gentlemen and was giving

me a lift home.

After being forced to wait a little longer

than we thought for everyone to come in I

may have had another one or two then sat

down for a lovely two-course meal to finish

the day off and await the prizegiving, of

which yours truly was to get absolutely

nothing, although I think Sandy must have

felt sorry for us all and allowed us to take

away some booby prizes so as not to look too

stupid. Me, stupid?

Brilliant day had by all, and from my friends

and I, to Sandy, thank you very much for the

invite and I hope you got as much out of it as

The Carrick did; the course now owns the golf

balls Brian lost on his way round the course.

The prize winners are all listed left and

congratulations to them all as it was a very

windy day throughout, making a tough

course tougher still.


Area News

Another ramble –this time

from the middle of Nowhere

John Lomas

West Coast

& Wales

As you can see on

the Google map, the

road coming running

north to south, well,

just goes nowhere...

Where is Nowhere?

There is a location somewhere in

America to which Google maps gives that

name. There is also a road in Yate, South

Gloucestershire, which is known locally as

the Road To Nowhere, where it is rare that

vehicles are seen emerging from it and yet

many of you will have seen it without being

aware of the fact. It has been used during

filming for various films and TV programmes

for motoring and crash scenes.

Whether it will ever be completed over

the railway to join the A432, who knows?

Spotting motorbikes

Those ramblings above were just a

preamble to remind you about the article

by Tom Harrington in the August issue (pp

24-25) about the reason why motorbikes

are not seen.

I remember when I was taking part in the

Driver Improvement Scheme in Lancashire,

one of the videos we used showed how an

LGV some distance away could draw an

emerging driver’s eye to the extent that

they didn’t see a motorcycle only half the

distance away, even if they were wearing

High-Viz clothing and had headlights

illuminated. These did not always make the

biker more noticeable, indeed it is possible

that a cyclist even nearer could be missed

because the driver was fixated on the LGV.

Another video we used was a public

information film used during the Think

Once, Think Twice, Think Bike campaign.

This is an older video but is of the same

subject. You can watch it HERE.

Another aspect which is often forgotten

is the principle of the ‘Constant Angle of

Approach’. Any of you who have sailed or

flown light aircraft are probably aware of

this already, and I did mention this a few

years ago in relation to a very open

crossroads junction in the New Forest

where vehicles were often emerging

straight into cars, motorcycles or even

pedal cycles on the priority road.

This is because the position of their

windscreen pillar (A post) was such that

when combined with the relative speeds

and distances to travel to the point of

impact, the vehicle on the priority road

actually stayed hidden behind the A post.

The driver looking to emerge from the side

road never sees the motorbike on the main

road and, having looked at the road they

are about to enter, has switched off to the

prospect of another vehicle being on the

road when they emerge.

Of course, the relative thickening of A

pillars in recent years as windscreens have

been made with a more pronounced slope,

usually in SUV style vehicles, has

exacerbated this problem. Some cars even

have double A posts with just a small

triangular window between them.

There is a relatively simple way to avoid

being caught out by the Constant Angle of

Approach; don’t keep you head still and

swivel your eyes, instead MOVE YOUR

HEAD when looking round your A posts.

Obviously you could say that the vehicle

or bike on the priority road should notice

that the other one isn’t slowing, but they

may well be focused on their road ahead.

The specific junction mentioned in this

article is the Ipley Crossroads and the

problem was serious enough that they

have now realigned the road, but you can

still see on Gmaps where the road

previously went. (see image right)

RAC Reg

When I read Colin’s editorial piece on



The legendary ‘Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bike’ campaign from the 1980s. They were the days when governments used TV advertising and

other media opportunities to reinforce road safety messages, often (as you will see if you watch this film on You Tube), quite dramatically

page 3 in August’s issue, on the MSA GB

Conference and celebration of its 90 years,

I noticed that he used a statement which I

had also heard at the conference: that the

MSA [sic] was the only MEMBERS-LED

instructors’ association active at the time

when the ADI register became compulsory

in 1970 (coincidentally the year I started

instructing as well).

I wondered about this as I remembered

seeing instructors with RAC Reg IDs long

before that. However, looking back at the

history I did for Newslink in 2015 I found

that the RAC scheme was actually an

industry-led attempt at a voluntary

register. It began in the 1950s and 1960s; I

have certainly seen pictures of driving

school cars from the early ‘60s sporting

their distinctive RAC L-plates.

I haven’t found out whether it was

organised by the Royal Automobile Club

itself, which is their governing body, or its

breakdown and recovery arm known as the

RAC with their patrols. The badges are the

same anyway.

The Ipley

Cross junction.

The junction

was staggered

to prevent any

further

crashes as

cars on the

side road

entered the

main

carriageway

without

spotting bikes

on the main

road. The

route of the

old road can

still be clearly

seen.

So where is Nowhere?

Editor’s note: So where is the place John

refers to, Nowhere, USA? According to

Wikipedia it is an unincorporated community

in Caddo County, Oklahoma, at the southeast

end of Fort Cobb Reservoir between the

towns of Albert and Anadarko. The

settlement consists of a gas station, bait

house, and water tower. There is one family

lives there (presumably servicing the gas

station).

Looking online it looks a lonely spot in a very

sparsely populated state

An RAC ‘ADI’ badge from the 1950s

and 60s. Looking at it the scheme

appears to have had some success,

as the number is ‘8050’, suggesting

plenty of instructors had joined

what was a voluntary scheme


A final comment ...

To paraphrase Douglas Adams ...

So long and thanks

for all the copy

Journalist and publisher Rob

Beswick has been involved with

MSA GB magazines and

newspapers in some capacity

for nearly four decades, but

sadly this issue of Newslink

marks his final contribution.

At the MSA GB’s request,

he looks back at the changes

he has witnessed in the driver

training sector

Newslink

during the

depths of

Covid: A

tough time

for ADIs,

and

publishers

KEEP Death off our Roads (K-DOOR)

was formed, I think, in the late 1980s;

it was a road safety campaign group

set up by a grieving mum who had

lost her son in a car crash shortly after he

passed his driving test.

It doesn’t appear to be still going, and a

quick Google search found only one reference

to it: a Hansard report from the House of

Commons in 1996, in which it was listed as a

contributor to a debate on whether

grandfather rights should be granted to HGV

Drivers over new eyesight requirements.

Back in 1988 it was active, however. It was

based on the south coast, in Sussex I think,

and so it came to the attention of Denis

Phillips, an ADI many older readers of

Newslink will recall fondly. Denis was based in

Hastings and was one of the then MSA’s

network of regional editors, providing copy

on behalf of MSA South East for Th e

Southern Instructor, one of three A5

magazines published for the MSA in 1988 by

Integral Publishing, a Stockport-based

publisher. These regionalised magazines

accompanied a national title, MSA News

Journal, a glossy A4 mag published bi-monthly.

Denis was one of the more active editors,

and he threw himself into the publishing

world alongside his job as an ADI in Hastings,

writing columns and articles on a host of road

safety/driver training matters. He was often

nobly assisted by his wife, Margaret, who

contributed some cookery and lifestyle

thoughts in her own occasional column.

Between Denis and his colleagues in the

Metropolitan Region (London) and the

Western Region they came up with enough

copy to fill the 40-odd pages of The Southern

Instructor, which was a companion to Th e

Northern Instructor (which covered MSA

regions Scotland, North West and North

East), and the Midlands and Eastern

Instructor (West and East Midlands, Eastern

and South Wales).

Each one added a local flavour to the hot

topics of the day, with plenty of grumbling

about test centres, examiners, ridiculous

waiting times, residents complaining about

practising routes and thoughts on the latest

changes being brought in by the Department

of Transport. They were much loved and

valued by MSA members.

It was during his work for these titles that

Denis came across K-DOOR, and he thought

its campaign – which centred on tightening

the rules on young novice drivers post-test

– was worthy of an article in The Southern

Instructor. Problem was he didn’t have the

time to interview the charity’s founder.

Was anyone at the publishers available to

call her, he asked? Well, there was one person

sat around with little to do…

Why, I hear you ask, are you being told

this? Because I’m being nostalgic and that

‘someone’ sat around waiting for a job to do

was myself, and it just happens that the

article on K-DOOR was the very first piece I

ever contributed to the MSA’s various

publications.

It was September 1988 and I’d just been

taken on by Integral Publishing as a ‘trainee

production journalist’. I didn’t actually know

what the job title meant, but the lady in the

Job Office said it sounded interesting, and it

was only around the corner from my mum

and dad’s house in Hazel Grove, Stockport, so

I thought I’d apply.

I was a bit surprised to get the job, to be

honest, as I’d done no prep for it, and just

sort-of rocked up for the interview. However,

I had the presence of mind to wear a shirt and

tie (my dad’s idea, who thought smart would

tip the balance) and when I was given a test

of my English the older gent who marked it

said it was “very good… but we might need to

brush up on your apostrophes a little…”

I got the job, and was tucked firmly under

the wing of two experienced journalists at

Integral: Mac Greenwood and Tony Mellor.

They taught me everything they knew, which

was an awful lot as these were seasoned

hacks who had ‘got their knees dirty’, as one

journalist once commented, and they helped



So what’s the best story you ever worked on...?

I’ve had a few good stories cross my desk over the years. ADIs

being shot at, motorway lessons, acting as John Lepine’s pupil on a

check test, interviewing Chris Chope MP, as Minister for Road

Safety, chatting to a professor at Nottingham University on driver

behaviour... but the funny ones are the best.

I had the pleasure of sitting next to Stephen Hammond MP at the

launch of the new theory test at the DVSA head office in Cardington.

He was the Minister in charge of roads and road safety, so

theoretically the man the DVSA reported to. He was lovely, a very

warm avuncular man who you could see being very popular down

his club. Would I trust him to drive me anywhere? No chance. He

took the new hazard perception part of the theory test and failed it

so badly he swore me to secrecy. “This will finish me,” he said. It’s a

secret I’ve kept 20 years so can leak it now. I don’t think it’s a scoop.

My favourite story is very old, however. It involved an ADI (name

forgotten) who worked in Barrow, near the nuclear submarine base.

He had been teaching a naval rating to drive who had moaned about

his poor pay in the Navy, and the kindly ADI offered “to help him

out” in some way. The instructor was thinking of knocking a few

pence off a lesson but the sailor took his kind gesture as something

more sinister, particularly as the next day he had a crew briefing on

‘approaches from foreign spies looking for naval secrets, who may

offer you inducements’.

He reported what he thought was just such an approach to the

police who promptly launched an investigation into the ADI’s

background. By sheer coincidence this brought up some

circumstantial links with foreign nations who MI5/MI6 were wary

of, and the whole story ended with the ADI’s house being raided by

Special Branch, and the ADI dragged into his local police station for

questioning.

His innocence was soon clear to all concerned, and the damage

done to his house repaired. He was amazingly relaxed about the

ordeal, at one point during the interview saying ‘it’s a mistake

anyone could make’.

The story dates from about 1990. I’ve often thought that people

today would be a lot less forgiving!

kickstart a career in publishing – and a near

40-year connection with driving instructors

and the MSA [MSA GB].

It’s not been consistent. I’ve dipped in and

out of MSA GB work over that time as

contracts and my own employment has

waxed and waned, but the association and

the world of ADIs have been pretty much a

constant feature in my working life. I can still

recall some of the big stories of my early

days. The time when the Government, in its

infinite wisdom, decided that ADIs needed

checking up on and were going to bring in a

Check Test to maintain standards. A tougher

theory test was being called for, and ADIs

wanted to be allowed on motorways.

There was a concern that novice drivers

were being involved in far too many crashes

post-test, that older drivers posed a

problem, and that plenty of full-time

instructors were upset by the ‘pin money

brigade’: part-time ADIs, often with a civil

service pension to fall back on, who were

hoovering up local learners on cut-price deals

and suppressing earnings.

Booking L-tests – by phone and post! –

was challenging and frustrating, and waiting

times were often in double figures.

If you are a long-standing ADI you may

remember these stories from the 1980s and

90s, and others. Some of them will even feel

topical: proof that some things never change.

Looking back the industry then felt a

million miles away from the far more

professional industry it is today. Back then

An editor’s note

from the

inestimable

Mr John Lepine

MBE, from 2017.

Pass rates have

been a regular

topic of

conversation

over the years....

there was no talk of CPD or further training

for ADIs once their licence was secured. With

no check tests, there was little oversight of

standards; instructors being removed from

the register was a rare event. There was no

organisation in place to oversee the trainers

of new ADIs, and PDIs often taught lessons

with the learner oblivious to the fact that

their instructor was themselves a learner.

The idea of a driving education curriculum

was unheard of, and few ADIs recorded pupil

details or considered a structure as to how

they taught driving.

All these things were still to be brought in,

often driven by a committed few who were

determined to raise standards. The MSA was

at the vanguard of this, led by its inestimable

general manager John Lepine and MSA chairs

Betty Blair, Ron Feltham and Peter Harvey.

Backed by their regional network, they were

flying the flag for greater professionalism.

The stories from the 1980s and 1990s flit

back and forth in my head, sometimes

coming to the fore and being wholly

memorable before fading from view. But

what stays solidly in view is a team of

hard-working ADIs volunteering as editors,

providing copy and insights for their fellow

ADIs, driving the debate and encouraging

others to follow.

A few of this team come to mind now. Colin

Lilly and John Lomas are the most obvious as

they are still supplying copy today, as does

Rod Came occasionally. A wonderful writer

called Jill Callaghan provided some really

thoughtful prose in the 1990s and was

missed when she put down her pen, as did

others whose names may be familiar, or not:

Denis Griffin, Mike Collins, Geoff Little, Karl

Satloka, Steve Johnson, Stewart Izat, Tony

Phillips, Dave Pepperdine, Terry Pearce, Ron

Feltham. In more recent years Janet Stewart

was a prized contributor, as were Scotland’s

Brians (one spelt right, one spelt wrong).

The MSA was always a nice organisation to

work with. After I’d been at Integral

Publishing for a while I was deemed

competent enough to attend events. My first

was the MSA national conference down in

Hastings where I was greeted warmly by

everyone I met, and was given a traffic cone

as a gift. As a recently graduated student I

had a few of these lying around anyway, but

this was my first gained legitimately: it was to

help ADIs handle the new reverse parking

exercise that had been added to the L-test.

Continued on page 34


Farewell

Eyes down:

Checking their

bingo numbers

at the 2016

Conference are

John Lepine,

Geoff Little,

Peter Harvey

and Carole

Lepine. “You

couldn’t hope

to work with a

nicer quartet

of people”

Continued from page 33

The Hastings conference was one that John

Lepine and Peter Harvey will recall for less

fond reasons, as the hotel was going through

some kind of disastrous refit when we

arrived, it was freezing cold (end of January)

and the electrics were dodgy. Huge industrial

hot air blowers had to be brought in to raise

the room temperatures to something above

freezing, and occasionally all the electrics

blew and the hotel was plunged into darkness

(A note on that: my then girlfriend, who had

accompanied me, pleaded guilty to causing

this afterwards; her high-powered hairdryer

had shorted the electrics while she was

getting ready…)

But with any publishing contract comes

change, and the increasing cost of print and

distribution led Integral Publishing’s MD,

Harry Ramsden (no, not THAT one) to insist

on the A5 Instructor magazines being rolled

into a new monthly newspaper which would

replace the glossy News Journal. With some

reluctance the MSA agreed, though in truth it

was a better deal; Newslink, as the new

monthly newspaper was called, offered more

space, and the regional editors’ thoughts

were included within its pages. It even had

colour… though this being 1991, the colours

were always a little dodgy and the

registration never quite lined up, giving every

photo an odd, blurry halo effect.

The first colour photo on the cover was of

MSA North West editor since the 1980s, John

Lomas: He compiled a painstakingly

researched history into the driving test and

training profession which was serialised in

Newslink to mark the association’s 80th

anniversary, in 1985

Ron Feltham, newly installed as Chairman.

The studio got the orientation of his photo

the wrong way round and he was effectively

‘flipped’. No-one noticed except Ron, who

pointed out that we had given his hair a right

side parting, something he would never do!

Again, great stories from this time come

back to me. One of the most memorable was

a seering piece by Colin Lilly on a car crash on

the M4 near Hungerford in 1991 which

claimed 10 lives. He compared the lack of

action afterwards on road safety to the huge

changes brought in after the late 1980s gun

massacre near the same town. I also recall

the concerted drive by the MSA to bring in

motorway lessons and more appropriate

manoeuvres on the L-test; the fuss created

by the Show Me, Tell Me challenges; and the

drama as the theory test was upgraded from

a brief look at a Highway Code flipchart to the

more hi-tech test we have today. ADIs had to

take it… it went down badly.

Newslink now sits on issue number 392,

pretty much one a month ever since. I’ve not

worked on every one: indeed, my links with

the MSA ended at the start of 1993 when I

left Integral to help set up a new publishing

company, Imprint Publishing. But a chance

meeting with John Lepine in a greengrocers

led to a bid for the contract, which the MSA

board graciously granted Imprint in 1995.

After that I stayed in post, working with the

MSA, through the rest of the decade until

2005. A promotion meant my day-to-day

duties didn’t leave me time to work on the

MSA contract directly, so I left Newslink in the

very capable hands of a couple of my

production team: first, a wonderful young

lady called Sue Hurst (nee Chesters), who

was a far nicer person for the MSA editors to

liaise with; and then Sam Al-Hamdani, a true

gent who took over from Sue when she left

after having a couple of children. The fact that

Sam shared Mr Lepine’s love of Manchester

City eased things greatly.

I always stayed in touch with MSA life

though, and always enjoyed my dealings with

the MSA board and its ever-evolving cast of

officers and contributors.

Integral was taken over in 2005 by a bigger

firm, and as a director I was politely asked to

vacate the premises, as I’d expected would

happen. I set up on my own as a freelance

journalist, working with anyone who would

have me and thinking that my days of

working with the now MSA GB were over.

However, another chance meeting with John

Lepine (he must have thought I was stalking

him) offered the chance of another crack at

the contract. And so I set out on my third stint

as publisher for the association in about

2008, and apart from a short break just



Ring a bell? Left, Newslink calls out Smart Motorways in 2021... and in 2016 there was growing

concern that L-test waiting times were above 7.4 weeks – the DVSA’s target date... often

learners were having to wait as long as nine weeks for a test date...

before Covid, have remained in post ever

since.

Covid was hard. We stopped publishing

Newslink in its printed form as advertising

revenue dried up, and the difficulties of

printing and delivery meant a monthly

magazine could take four weeks to reach its

target audience, reducing its value to the

membership. An online future beckoned. Not

everyone liked it but in truth, publishing is a

tough place to work now, and with more and

more advertising revenue being taken by

search engines and social media giants, the

days of printed membership publications are

sadly coming to their end. But we soldiered

on, creating an online magazine that delivered

real news fast to MSA GB members in a

format that hopefully they enjoyed, with

plenty of room for the local stories and quirky

features that members want to read.

I’ve seen the driver training industry

change hugely since 1988. One of my

daughters has been through it as a learner –

thank you, Tom Kwok, for your assistance in

getting Eleanor on the road. Over the years I

have gained something of an expertise in

road safety – well, as long as there isn’t an

ADI nearby who could put me to shame. I’ve

absorbed a lot of knowledge along the way,

and feel I can argue the road safety corner as

well as anyone.

I’ve also seen how far the profession has

come. Back in 1988 there was no real theory

test, no demonstration of maintenance skills,

the test was a short 20-minute drive and

no-one bothered to ask if you could park the

car, drive it at speed or know whether it had

any oil in it. Learners who pass today take a

test that’s miles above the one in the 1980s

– when I obtained my own licence. Would I

succeed now, I wonder?

Today the average ADI seems better

educated, better remunerated and better

motivated than back then - certainly more

professional. The problems ADIs face are still

there: parents who begrudge paying a lot for

their children to gain skills that may save

their lives, while governments are more

scared of negative headlines in the Daily Mail

than making real improvements to road

safety. But if I’ve gained anything since 1988

it is an appreciation of how hard most ADIs

work to promote good standards of driving

and behaviour in young people, and how little

the public appreciates that.

I’m off now. I’ve reached an age where I

fancied a new challenge, so I’ve left publishing

behind after 37 years to do something very

different: teaching. It would really bring this

article full circle if I said I was becoming an ADI

but in truth, that would be too neat, and my

driving is rubbish. Instead it’s back to school

where I am going to embark on a new career

as a geography teacher.

So it’s adieu from me. All the best, MSA GB.

It’s been lovely working for you.

Rob Beswick

Ex-journalist, ex-publisher, friend of MSA GB

n The Chairman & Board of Management

would like to thank Rob for all his hard work

over the years in producing the various

magazines for MSA GB. On a personal note, I

would also like to thank Rob and his family for

all the extra effort they have put in to help

support the association through some really

good times and some not so good. It has

been a pleasure to work with you Rob, and

we would like to wish you every success in

your new career. All the very best.

Peter Harvey

Public wants law

toughened for

uninsured drivers

A YouGov survey on behalf of the Motor

Insurers’ Bureau has revaled that

three-quarters of the British public don’t

believe the current fines for driving

uninsured are high enough.

Government figures show the economic

cost of uninsured driving, including

compensation for victims, emergency

services, medical costs and loss of

productivity, is £1 billion a year.

The survey, published in July, finds that

78% of respondents don’t think the

current £300 fine for driving an uninsured

vehicle is enough to deter people – while

75% support increasing the fine to £1,200

MIB is calling on the government to

increase the fine to £1,200 as part of its

new five-year strategy, Accelerating to

Zero, which aims to end uninsured driving

for good.

Angus Eaton, CEO at MIB said: “Over the

last 80 years, we’ve achieved a great deal

as an organisation in managing claims and

tackling the wider uninsured driving

problem.

“But we know that in simply managing

claims, we’re not dealing with the problem

early enough because uninsured drivers

still wreck lives. And it’s getting harder to

solve. Accelerating to Zero is our

commitment to end uninsured driving for

good.

“A first step is working with the

government to increase fines for those

driving uninsured. We believe that the

current penalty of £300, which hasn’t

changed in over ten years, simply isn’t

enough of a deterrent.

“We’re calling for the penalty to be

raised so that it is double the average

premium, to help eradicate the issue.

“Accelerating to Zero is an ambitious

plan, but we believe that in five years’ time

we will be able to look back and be proud

that we’re much closer to ending

uninsured driving.”

The call for increased fines is just part of

a series of initiatives MIB has planned to

end uninsured driving. These include

better education for young drivers,

improved data services to identify those

driving uninsured, and stronger

partnerships with the government, police

and the insurance industry.


Membership offers

Get 10p off every litre of fuel

with special MSA GB deal

THE cost-of-living crisis is putting many

ADIs under considerable financial pressure,

and nowhere is it felt more than through

the rising cost of fuel.

So to help alleviate some of the burden

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For more details and to obtain

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MEMBER OFFER

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The prices right are the latest available unleaded petrol and diesel averages across

supermarket, motorway and independent forecourts in the UK, according to data

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talking-up the chance of price increases later this year. The Autumn Budget will be

keenly watched to see if the Chancellor increases fuel tax or continues the

tradition of keeping it at the same level.

MEMBER OFFER

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MSA GB has teamed up with leading supplier of personal

breathalyser kits AlcoSense to bring our members a

very special offer.

The AlcoSense kits give an instant and accurate

snapshot of whether you – or your pupil – has alcohol in

your/their system, and are particularly useful ‘the

morning after.’

Peter Harvey, MSA GB national vice chairman,

commented: “These are a quality product. They arrive

well packaged, with the required batteries, five

mouthpieces and full instructions. They are very easy to

use, with a simple menu, and can be adjusted to suit the

country you are in depending on the legal limit there.

Once set up, the breathalyser gives a very clear reading

in traffic light colours, making it easy to follow.

“Green, as you would expect, tells you you are okay to

drive. Amber advises you that alcohol is present but you

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More membership deals

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are below the limit you entered at set up – though it is so

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use it. Red is pretty self-explanatory – Don’t drive.

“The set is very compact, about the same size as a

mobile phone but a little deeper. It is ideal for eliminating

any concerns you may have the morning after – or for

your pupils.”

The Excel model costs around £100 and can be viewed:

https://alcosense.co.uk/alcosense.html.

But we’ve negotiated a special discount on the entire

AlcoSense range (except single-use disposables) of 10

per cent for members IF BOUGHT THROUGH THE MSA

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

the top-of-the-range Ultra (£249.00), with other

options available.

Find the special members discount section of our

website by CLICKING HERE

36

NEWSLINK n SEPTEMBER 2025

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

ADI groups and associations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

that it’s ‘you against the world.’

In every issue of 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, 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 Roman Park Hall, Sir Henry Lee

Crescent, HP18 0YT. 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

Coatbridge/Hamilton DIA

Chairman: Brian Lonnie

T: 07508011412

E: Brianlonnieadi@icloud.com

Meetings are held in The Coach House, 97

Main Street, Bellshill ML4 3DZ

Membership costs £20 per year.

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

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

contact Peter Harvey on peter.harveymbe@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.

Why join a local association?

Local news, local input – a local voice...

NEWSLINK n SEPTEMBER 2025

37

Benefits and discounts

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.

Tyresafe and MSA GB: A crucial

partnership for tyre education

TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety charity, partners with the MSA GB, the

longest established trade association for driver trainers in GB, to promote tyre

safety education across the nation. This collaboration is a significant step towards

ensuring that the next generation of drivers understands the critical importance of

tyre maintenance. By leveraging the strengths and resources of both organisations,

TyreSafe and MSA GB are committed to making UK roads safer for all.

See msagb.com for more details.

Ford updates special

members’ offer

To get the full

story of the

discounts

available,

click HERE

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 a Motia

Fuel Card. Motia, the new name for Fuel Card

Services, offers a large choice from leading

brands such as BP, Shell, Esso and UK Fuels, so

you can decide which networks to include on

your business account.

n Save up to 10p per litre

n Increased security - fuel cards are safer

than 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.

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 can offer

up to a 40% discount off the

underwriter’s standard rates.

This is a comprehensive plan which provides

cash benefits for surgery and other charges.



PUPIL INSURANCE

Join the Collingwood

Instructor Programme and

refer your pupils for learner

insurance.

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.

TRAINING COURSES

Gates & Gibson is offering

all members a 10% discount

on two of it most popular workshops, How to

Manage Your Students and British Sign

Language for ADIs and PDIs, and access to a

30-minute Business Discovery Call FREE OF

CHARGE. The content of all three is tailored

precisely to ADIs’ needs.

MSA GB OFFER:: 10% discount to MSA GB

members. Add code: MSA10 at checkout on

the Gates and Gibson website,

https://www.gatesandgibson.com

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, to

manage VAT and income tax.

Plus their package for businesses managing

projects, stock, VAT, and income tax.

The packages are contract-free with no

cancellation fee. Contact our MSA GB

representative at Quickbooks - Ollie Nobes,

on: 07723 507 026 or email: Ollie_Nobes@

intuit.com quoting: **MSAGB**

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 £30

Call 01787 221020 quoting discount code

Newslink, or join online at www.msagb.com

We’d like you to

join us

We’re there to support

you every step of the way.

Our office-based staff

are there, five days a week,

from 9am-5pm, ready to

answer your call and help you in

any way.

In addition our network of experienced

office holders and regional officers can

offer advice over the phone or by email.

But membership of the MSA GB doesn’t

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

in trouble. We also offer a nationwide

network of regular meetings, seminars and

training events, an Annual Conference, and

a chance to participate in MSA GB affairs

through our democratic structure

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

membership magazine Newslink every

month, with all the latest news, views,

comment and advice you’ll need to become

a successful driving instructor.

You’ll also automatically receive

professional indemnity insurance worth up

to £5m and £10m public liability insurance

free of charge.

This is essential legal protection covering

you against legal claims ariving from your

tuition.


Newslink September 2025

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