Changes to The Reversing Area in 2012

The Reversing Area will be Reduced in Size From February 2012 it will Now be a Maximum of 66 metres in Length and 11 Metres Wide.. We are noticing an increase in Booking Prior to these changes and are Now Taking Bookings for January but Please Hurry availability is running out.

HGV Training Brake Test Set To Change

The Driving Standards Agency DSA has announced that as from January 1st 2011 the controlled stop section of the HGV Driving test will be carried out on the public highway. To date the HGV brake test has been undertaken on private land (DSA practical test centre) and carried immediately after the reversing exercise. Students have been required to make an appropriate speed (typically 20 miles per hour) then stop the vehicle under control.

The stopping point has normally been between two designated cones. From January 2011 this will change. From this date HGV Examiners will ask candidates to stop the vehicle where safe to do so or by indicating a location where they would like the candidate to stop the vehicle, i.e. in front or behind a parked car. For all intense and purposes the "new" controlled stop will mean checking mirrors, signalling and stopping (on the left) at an appropriate point.

Mike Penning, who is the Road Safety Minister said:
"This update to the testing process reflects advances in modern braking technology and allows us to strengthen our assessment of the candidate's ability to brake safely in real traffic conditions."I have asked the Driving Standards Agency to keep the test under review to see if it is possible to identify any other improvements."

Simon Watton owner of www.waysidetransport.co.uk argues that the new "controlled stop" does not test the candidate sufficiently in stopping the vehicle "in an emergency situation".
"How can getting the student to check his/her mirrors, indicate and pull over to the left replicate an emergency situation?" says Watton. "Perhaps industry could have been consulted on this new change?"