Mild West best for driving tests

Published on Saturday 9 July 2011 12:39

WANT to know the secret of passing that dreaded driving test first time? Take it in the rural west of Scotland.

Figures published by the government's DVLA have revealed that failure rates in quiet Argyll and Highland towns are as low as 20 per cent, drastically lower than rates of up to 65 per cent in the Scotland's urban areas.

Mallaig, 30 miles west of Fort William, has emerged as the test centre where you are most likley to pass with just one in five drivers failing first time, while the top ten is dominated by other towns and islands in the area such as Inverary, Islay and Skye.

The highest failure rate of 65 per cent is in the Lanarkshire town of Hamilton, which is one of the most likely places to fail in the UK. First-time failure rates in Glasgow are around 60 per cent while slightly lower in Edinburgh at around 58 per cent. Dundee's rate is around 55 per cent and Aberdeen's around 49 per cent.

The hardest test centre in the UK is Wanstead in north-east London.

Word is getting around. With the cost of driving lessons starting at around 25 per lesson, many driving schools in Scotland say that city dwellers from as far as London are travelling to outlying areas in an attempt to defeat the system. However, urban driving schools and the AA have warned rural passes can leave drivers unprepared for the city.

Martin Brown, 35, who runs the Flying Colours Driving School Argyll and uses the Campbeltown and Lochgilphead centres, which are both in the UK top ten for passing, said: "I've had people get in touch from Glasgow and Edinburgh, and from London even, who book tests in Lochgilphead.

"One man from London had never even driven before and did a one week intensive course there before coming up to Lochgilphead. Needless to say he failed miserably because he didn't know the area. It is easier to drive in rural areas, because there is less traffic, fewer roundabouts, but then again there are tight country roads, and overtaking on those is different."

Meanwhile Colin Adam, 34, who runs the busy West End Driving in Glasgow, said many drivers passing in rural areas may not be prepared for busy city centres

He said: "Learning in Glasgow can be very challenging. I've driven for over ten years but when I drive around Braehead there are these huge multi-lane roundabouts, and I really have to be on the ball."

AA public affairs spokesman Luke Bosdet said that high pass rates may be appealing to prospective drivers but there are pitfalls.

"Those who learn on quieter roads will at some stage have to face more intense cities and towns and might not be prepared."