Best and worst place to take your driving test

Throw out the L plates! The best and worst places to take your driving test 

By ANNA EDWARDS
UPDATED: 16:26, 22 August 2011

 
 
 

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For many, taking a driving test is a wretched experience, fraught with nerves and hopes that the examiner is kind and overlooks tiny mistakes.

But those who take their driving test in Mallaig, in the Scottish Highlands, need not fret - as it's the best place in the UK to take your driving test, with nearly 80 per cent of drivers passing first time.

However, those who have to hit the road in Wanstead, east London, should brace themselves for disappointment, because 71.5 per cent of drivers fail their test on this route.

Busy Wanstead, left, and Bradford, right, both have a high failure rate

The Department of Transport says the national average for passing first time is 46 per cent.

Other areas with high failure rates include Bradford, in Thornbury, which has a 70.3 per cent fail rate, Leeds and Bradford have 67.3 per cent, while Barnet really tests its drivers, with 65.5 per cent failing.

 

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The busy test routes are filled with aggressive drivers and many different obstacles and signs, which is why many find it more challenging to pass and finally rip up their L-plates.

Allan Scammell, who runs Allan's Driving Tuition in East London, told the People why many found it so hard to pass their test.

He said: 'The road layout can be quite tricky. 

'Drivers can be aggressive, they go for gaps that aren't there, overtake and generally take no prisoners.'

Come to Mallaig: Drivers stand a better chance of passing if they take their test in this remote part of Scotland

Many of the centres that boast of a high pass rate for first timers are, unsurprisingly, in remote areas.

Scotland offers the best chances of passing your test first time, with the top ten places all being in that part of the UK.

Inveraray in Argyll and Islay Island in the Hebrides boast just 23.5 per cent and 25 per cent fail rate respectively.

The areas in England with the lowest failure rate was Malton, North Yorkshire with 35 per cent and Kendal, Cumbria, with 35.2 per cent.

BEST PLACES TO PASS

Centre               First                     % of
                           timers                 failures

Mallaig              14                        21.4 

Inveraray          34                        23.5
(Argyll)        

Islay Island      36                         25

Isle of Skye      32                        25     

Kingussie         48                        29.2

Lochgilphead  102                      29.4

Benbecula        44                        29.5
Island

Salen                 27                        29.6
(Island of Mull)          

Campbeltown  68                        33.8

Duns                  97                         34 

 WORST PLACES TO PASS

  Centre               First                     % of
                            timers                 failures

Wanstead          4,826                   71.5

Bradford             753                      70.3 
(Thornbury)

Bradford             2,486                   70.2
(Heaton)

Heckmondwike 2,557                  69.1

Bradford             2,104                   68.6   
(Eccleshill - closed)

Leeds                  3,391                   67.3     
(Harehills)

Brentwood         1,950                   67.3

Goodmayes        6,086                  66.1 

Hamilton             2,505                   65.7

Barnet                 4,315                   65.5      

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2028462/Best-worst-driving-test-places-In-Mallaig-80-drivers-pass-1st-time.html#ixzz2XAnvW9XS
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