Frequently Asked Questions

• Licence Requirements
• How many lessons are needed for a complete beginner to reach driving test standard?
• Use of own car
• Can I insure the family car for more private practice?
• How Do I Book A Test Online?
• Driving Test Fees
• Availability of cars for driving tests
• Lesson payment arrangements.
• Driving test cancellation policy.
• Lesson cancellation policy
• Lesson cancelled by 1st Central
• Driving Test Routes
• Recommended Private Study

Licence Requirements

You will need to have a suitable driving licence before you can take any lessons with us. This can be a provisional licence, a full driving licence, an international driving licence or suitable motor cycle licence. It must be up-to-date, valid and produced on demand to your instructor (you won't need to bring it for every lesson, but you will be asked to produce it before your first lesson and inform your instructor of any changes, eg penalty points).

In no circumstances will a currently disqualified driver or driver unable to produce a valid licence be permitted to take a driving lesson.

Further details can be obtained from Directgov

Back to Top

How many lessons are needed for a complete beginner to reach driving test standard?

A rough estimate can be based on the pupil's age. 90 minutes per each year of age will convert to the average number of hours needed, eg 27 hours for an 18 year old rising to 52.5 hours for a 35 year old, according to the aptitude for driving of the pupil. Generally older pupils take longer to gain the required driving skills (this does not mean they cannot become good drivers, only that they take a bit longer to learn).

Recently released DSA statistics show that the average learner needs 45.3 hours of professional driving tuition and needs to take the driving test twice before successfully passing the practical driving test (Despatch, Autumn 2004 edition).

Be warned that driving tests are becoming increasingly demanding. Tests last approximately 40 minutes in varying traffic conditions and roads which often include dual carriageways, multi-lane roundabouts, country roads and major and minor urban roads. Two reversing manouveres are required, one of which will usually (but not always) involve successfully parking the car. There is a one-in-three chance of being asked to carry out an emergency stop. Where possible, a hill start will also be required and an angled start.

Back to Top

Use of own car

We are prepared to allow customers to use their own cars during lessons if this is their preference. This is, of course, subject to their driving being of a suitable standard, the car being in a reasonable, roadworthy condition and it being properly insured and meeting all the other legal requirements needed for driving on public roads. Several of our customers have successfully passed the driving test using their own car. Older drivers seeking an assessment or refresher session with us will usually be able to use their own car.

Back to Top

Can I insure the family car for more private practice?

Yes you can. Collingwood have a scheme where you can be insured to practice in the family car without it affecting the owner's existing no claims cover. More details are available from Collingwood Learner Driver Insurance.

Be clear this is at both your own and the owner's own risk in regard to your suitability for driving a car and their suitability for supervising it. Any such practice should strictly be seen as a supplement to and not a substitute for lessons with a professional driving instructor.

Back to Top

How Do I Book A Test Online?

Theory and Practical tests can be booked directly online through this site: Booking Your Theory & Practical Driving Test

Please be advised that if you wish to use 1st Central's services for your driving test you will need to contact us first.

Back to Top

Driving Test Fees

Directgov will have all the latest fees. The current theory test fee is £30 and the current practical test fee for cars is £56.50 (weekday) and £67 (evenings and weekends). Please note that 1st Central will not cover evening or weekend tests unless it has been expressly agreed in advance.

Back to Top

Availability of cars for driving tests

1st Central willingly allows the use of its cars for driving tests if the customer's driving has reached a suitable standard. Payment is based on the overall time the car is needed for the test, any pre-test preparation (usually at least 1 hour unless you live near the driving test centre) and any "dropping off time" requested after the test.

Please note that DSA driving test fees do not get passed on to 1st Central by the DSA (they have their own costs to meet) and also that the DSA do not provide customers with a car for their driving test - it is the candidate's responsibility to turn up with a suitable car.

1st Central reserves the right to withdraw the use of cars for driving tests for customers whose driving has not reached or been kept at a realistic standard. Customers who book lessons regularly and keep their instructor informed of their test plans will not normally have any difficulties with this policy. It is designed to prevent ill-prepared drivers or drivers yet to reach test standard using one of our cars.

Please note that 1st Central is a driving school NOT a car hire business. We don't take driving test bookings from anyone not known to us or already assessed by us as being ready for a driving test.

Please also note that we cannot guarantee the availability of any of our cars or instructors for a driving test unless this has been checked and confirmed BEFORE the test is booked. If your instructor already has commitments it may not be possible to change them, so please check with us first.

Back to Top

Lesson payment arrangements.

If paying by cheque, the payment must be made at least 7 days in advance to allow the cheque time to clear before the lesson.

If paying by cash, this is welcome on the day of the lesson but must be offered to the instructor at the start of the lesson. Please try to have the correct amount available as change cannot be guaranteed (change will be given if available but otherwise you will be asked to put the balance towards the next lesson you book).

To keep overall costs down, 1st Central does not accept credit or debit card payments.

Back to Top

Driving test cancellation policy.

Sometimes, unfortunately, the DSA will cancel driving tests at short notice for reasons beyond our control. This is usually on account of bad weather such as fog, snow or icy roads or because an examiner has not reported for work on account of sickness. As these are factors completely out of 1st Central's control we cannot refund the cost of lessons already booked to cover the period of a driving test. However we do recognise the disappointment and inconvenience caused when Tests are cancelled for these reasons. At the instructor's discretion we will offer a £10 discount off the cost of the aggrieved pupil's next lesson. Please view this however as a goodwill gesture and not a contracturally binding commitment on our part. You also retain the right to seek compensation from the DSA.

Back to Top

Lesson cancellation policy

We require at least 24 hours notice of any lesson a customer wishes to cancel or alter (most other driving schools operate a 48 hour or 72 hour cancellation notice period).

Failure to give notice of cancellation will result in a £15 penalty fee which must be paid before any further lessons take place. If the lesson has already been paid for, the fee is liable to be forfeited.

We will seek to be sympathetic to unexpected emergencies, but customers should realise that late cancellations can cause inconvenience and loss of income to instructors and also to other customers who may have wanted a lesson at that particular time and who then chose not to go ahead with an alternative booking.

At the discretion of the instructor we will accept cancellations without a penalty within the 24 hour notice period in certain circumstances such as an emergency - provided 1st Central are contacted directly first. Leaving a message on an answer machine or sending an e-mail at the last minute is NOT adequate notice. If the instructor arrives for the lesson and the customer is either not present or wishes to cancel the lesson or is unfit to take it, the penalty fee will have to be paid. If it is refused we do pursue it through the Small Claims Court.

The policy is not designed to profiteer from cancellations but to ensure that priority is given to motivated and reliable customers.

Back to Top

Lesson cancelled by 1st Central

Occasionally it has been necessary to cancel lessons due to extremely adverse weather such as heavy snow, ice or flooding. Cars occasionally will need repairs if a defect develops or other damage. Hopefully, customers are very unlikely to be affected by this. If you are, we will seek to contact you as soon as possible to arrange an alternative booking and, unless its something totally beyond our control - such as extreme weather - offer some compensation for any inconvenience caused, usually in the form of some free extra time being added to an agreed future lesson.

Back to Top

Driving Test Routes

DSA Test Centre Directory will give information about all current test centres. This includes information about pass rates, waiting lists for tests and current test routes at each test centre. Please note these are subject to short-notice alteration and we can offer no guarantees on their accuracy. Learning to drive should be much more than learning and rehearsing test routes. Having said that, it is useful to know about local test conditions and unusual situations which can arise and it can help if you can get a good driver to drive you around some of the routes to understand them better.

Back to Top

Recommended Private Study

You should find the following helpful: