New driving test centre to open - Halfords

Message

T.C. · #1 Post by **T.C.** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:10 pm

Plans to offer practical driving tests from branches of Halfords have been given the go ahead by Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond.

Driving tests will be available from the Halfords store in Wellingborough from Tuesday 5th February.

Other branches of Halfords across the country are expected to start offering tests in coming months. All tests will be conducted by Driving Standards Agency (DSA) examiners.

The move is part of an initiative to offer a more local service for driving test candidates. As well as using conventional test centres, DSA is working with public and private sector partners to provide driving tests in areas that don’t have a local test centre.

#2 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:49 pm

Is it April 1st yet?

Cathcart · #3 Post by **Cathcart** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:20 pm

I waiting for the punch line....?

snapdragon · #4 Post by **snapdragon** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:30 pm

will the car be fitted with halfords traditional loud music and bored teenagers?

T.C. · #5 Post by **T.C.** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:23 pm

Cathcart wrote:I waiting for the punch line....?

There is no punchline.

I t is happening and is intended mainly for those who do not live within easy or practical driving or travelling distance of a normal test centre.

D-Rider · #6 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:42 pm

T.C. wrote:
Cathcart wrote:I waiting for the punch line....?
There is no punchline.

I t is happening and is intended mainly for those who do not live within easy or practical driving or travelling distance of a normal test centre.

.... though the cynical would question whether it's a precursor to them selling off the existing driving test centres to raise cash (moving on from school playing fields etc) ...........

Of course, should this happen, all hell will break loose when Halfords centres have gained the majority of driving tests and then they join Comet, Woolies, Blockbuster, Jessops by going under and leaving the nation with nowhere to take their driving tests !

Falcopops · #7 Post by **Falcopops** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:21 pm

Although initially it does sound like the start of a bad joke I don't see why it's such a bad thing.

Just after I left the UK wasn't there a change in the regs to get a motorcycle test that meant that it was very difficult to get a slot?

The testers will be qualified and I don't imagine that they'll bend the rules just because of the start/stop point.

D-Rider · #8 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:11 am

The change for bikes was really down to the introduction of the silly part1 stunt riding test that had to be done on a purpose built facility. There aren't many of these in the country and people generally have to travel quite a long way to take their tests.
The difficulty in getting slots was particularly acute when the test was first introduced as they hadn't actually got round to building many of these facilities. That's less of a problem now although people still have to travel a long way to do their tests.

I doubt that Halfords will be putting in such facilities so I expect they are unlikely to be providing anything more than car tests.

Cathcart · #9 Post by **Cathcart** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:28 am

To be honest, it does sound like the start of a bad joke but then, does it matter where the examiners are stationed?

As far as the bike tests two modules are concerned, i think although a longer process is actually now easier as alot of variables have been removed, ie road surface, camber, preasure from traffic etc... Am i alone in thinking this?

D-Rider · #10 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:20 am

In the past week or two the bike test has been changed again ..... and a right load of hassle it is for those that start as teenagers and want to progress to bigger bikes.
What seems to be the most stupid thing of all is that to ride anything bigger than a 125 you will have to take your test on a fairly unfamiliar bike that you cannot get daily practice on as the test must be taken on a bigger bike ...... but until you have taken the test you can only ride a 125.
(And there are power to weight restrictions too - which will probably bring even more confusion as to what you can and can't ride)

Cathcart · #11 Post by **Cathcart** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:43 am

My mate runs a motorcycle training company here in Dunfermline, its actually how i got to know him. Anyway, he runs er6n's but i believe he now need to buy another bike tonfit in with the a2 or a1 part of the new rules. Seems a total pain in the arse as he has not long upgraded all his bikes. Also, when its near test time he has to take the trainee's for a few lessons in Kirkcaldy and book the test area.
Hes not went through a test yet with the again new rules. Although the age up to 24 for full on direct access i think is good. Personally i was on too powerful a bike at 21 for my maturity.

#12 Post by **mangocrazy** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:31 pm

Cathcart wrote:Personally i was on too powerful a bike at 21 for my maturity.

I think I've always been on too powerful a bike for my level of maturity...

D-Rider · #13 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:01 pm

mangocrazy wrote:
Cathcart wrote:Personally i was on too powerful a bike at 21 for my maturity.
I think I've always been on too powerful a bike for my level of maturity...

Haha - I had almost posted those very same words!

Cathcart · #14 Post by **Cathcart** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:08 am

Fair point! Although, we do realise that we don't bounce as well as previously thought.

randomsquid · #15 Post by **randomsquid** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:47 pm

mangocrazy wrote:
Cathcart wrote:Personally i was on too powerful a bike at 21 for my maturity.
I think I've always been on too powerful a bike for my level of maturity...

I bought an FJ1200 when I was 19. Didn't end well.