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LATEST NEWS & ADVICE FROM BELT UP

Driving test passed Bristol Brislington 22nd February 2012

Tammy, our lady driving instructor based in Radstock had a driving test pass today. Her pupil, Emma Barnett, took her driving test for the first time in the Bristol Brislington driving test centre.
Needless to say, Emma passed her driving test with just 3 minor faults. Emma’s driving examiner, Geoff, was really complimentary about the standard of driving.
This low level of minor faults is credit to the high level of teaching by Tammy, and again, consistent to that of any of our highly qualified driving instructors.
Congratulations to both Emma and Tammy.
For more information on learning to drive with us and taking your driving lessons in either manual or automatic transmission cars, navigate our website and contact us. We cover driving lessons in Bristol, Bath, midsomer Norton Radstock, Frome, Shepton Mallet and Wells Somerset.

New off road training site available

We have the lovely opportunity of using a fantastic training site for our driver tuition. Today, Kate Shakespeare, Centre manager of the Somer Valley Enterprise Park in Paulton, offered her car parking space for us to use. This is fantastic news, as our learner drivers will be able to practice their car parking skills without any pressure from on lookers, and we can train for the B+E car and trailer test on proper tar mac!

Recently, we have been using the open yard at the Bookbarn in Hallatrow for our trailer towing tuition, but they have started some building work, meaning we had to quickly source another yard. I approached Kate Shakespeare, who was really approachable, and helpful. She kindly offered us the useage of the site, and we hope this is the start of a building business relationship as we get more involved with the young drivers training which could be held at the same site. As a driving school with professional driving instructors, we are also involved with TTC2000, a company who have the contract to deliver speed awareness and National driver alertness courses for Avon and Somerset constabulary. We hope that the new contact we have with Somer Valley enterprise park, may mean these courses can be held here rather than clients having to travel to the further away sites in Bristol, Weston Super Mare and Taunton.

For more information on what Somer Valley Enterprise Park offer in terms of easily rented office space and their commitment to the local area, click here. For more information on learning to drive with Belt Up School of Motoring in a friendly professional environment with fully qualified male and female driving instructors in Bath, Bristol, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Wells Somerset and Midsomer Norton Radstock, navigate our site and contact us.

Driver assessment contract won!

Today we can boast that we have won the contract to assist E-Zec Medical in their annual health and safety driver risk assessments.

E-zec medical operate a patient transfer service based out of the RUH in Bath, but their services also expand nationwide.

We have been asked to complete driver assessments for the BAth office, and we are in talks to roll out the contract to their other offices.

This is great news for Belt Up School of Motoring as we increase our Fleet contract portfolio.

Driver risk assessments are a legal obligation for any employer who has driving as any aspect of their employees work. This forms part of their health and safety at work commitments. Any company not complying with the H&S laws can find themselves in serious troubles with the courts.

For more information on how Belt Up School of Motoring can help your company comply with H&S regulations with regards to driver risk assessments, small or large sized companies, contact us. Although based in Midsomer Norton near Bath, we can roll out our company risk assessment program further a field. We are both competitive in price, and professional in our service delivery.

Young drivers at Castle Combe 13th February 2012

Today was another young drivers event at the Castle Combe race circuit near Chippenham. The course aimed at 14-16 year olds had the priority of teaching the basics of safe car control within the safety net of being off road and under professional tuition.

Last time, a few of our instructors were involved with the course, along with other driving instructors from around the local areas. This time, Belt Up School of Motoring was the sole training school involved, with Driving Force, the organisers, overseeing the operation.

There were, today, around 18 young drivers, of which the vast majority had never driven before. All drivers left competent on moving away and stopping, gear changing up and down. Approaching left and right junctions and most, if not all, of the young drivers moved onto the race circuit for some higher speed training. With a speed limit enforced on the track of 50mph, all training was undertaken in complete safety.

The trainers taught with complete professionalism, and we had huge smiles and fantastic feedback from the young drivers and their parents. The course is a credit to the organisers at Castle Combe circuit and Driving Force, and the Belt Up instructors were as always a credit to us.

Belt Up School of Motoring are also looking to get involved with Driving Force to offer the school program to schools in the Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Frome areas. Discussions are hopefuly going to go ahead with the main schools in the area, and we are looking to be at the forefront of delivering the fantastic course as set out by Driving Force. Driving force are passionate about their courses, and I am starting to understand why.. They have also written a Btec course which has been recently accredited by Edexcel, so the possibilities of young driver training are endless. We have Male and Female driving instructors with Belt Up who share this passion for road safety, and we all believe that getting the message out to the young adults at this stage will set them up for their further driving careers, hopefully at the same time, helping to reduce the horribly high number of road incidents in our area which involve the younger age groups.

 

 

More driving instructor exams passed 11th February 2012

Today Tammy, our lady driving instructor, informed us that she, too had passed her qualifying exams to be a fleet registered instructor.

Tammy took her exam yesterday, and passed with flying colours.

This brings our school to having 4 Registered fleet instructors and 2 qualified, but not yet registered fleet instructors. All they have to do now, is send off the paperwork to get the qualifying certification and be included on the driving standards agency register for fleet instructors.

Well done to Tammy for gaining this new qualification.

Driving instructor exams passed 10th February 2012

Our driving school prides itself on having some of the highest qualified instructors in the area. We continually train to ensure our clients get the highest levels of tuition.
Today, Andrew, our driving instructor based in Frome Somerset, passed his exams and has qualified to be included in the driving standards agency register for fleet qualified instructors.
He is now able, along with other belt up fleet qualified driving instructors to go to companies an complete health and safety driver risk assessments in line with the health and safety at work act of 1974.
Congratulations to Andrew.
For information on company driver risk assessments navigate our site to contact us and we will be happy to discuss the legal responsibilities employers have to train their drivers and help in putting together a driving for work policy specially designed for the individual company.

Driving test pass in Bristol 10th February 2012

Today, Lydia Wilton passed her driving test in Bristol Brislington driving test centre. Paul, her Bristol driving instructor, was especially pleased with the result as it was Lydias first time attempt and she had taken just 25 hours of tuition.

Normally, pupils take around 45 hours of professional tuition plus plenty of home practice to reach the driving test standard (figures from Driving Standards Agency), so to reach this in pretty much half the time is wonderful news for Lydia.

We strive for the best tuition available, and Paul obviously gave this to get Lydia so advanced so quickly.

For more information on taking your driving lessons with us in Bristol, Bath, Frome, Midsomer Norton Radstock, Wells and Shepton Mallet Somerset, contact us.

Check test passed 9th February 2012

Today, our lead instructor, Jo, took and passed his continued test of ability (check test) at the Bristol Brislington Driving test centre.

Jo had to complete his check test as a Fleet registered instructor, and so gave a demonstration of his ability to teach at the higher level.

Jo passed his check test, and Alan, his examiner gave some very positive feedback.

Looking forward to many more years of teaching!

Driving Test Passed 7th February 2012

Simon Desmond took his driving test today in the Bristol Brislington driving test centre. It was Simons first attempt at the driving test.

To pass the UK driving test, a candidate must gain no more than 15 minor faults whilst also not getting any serious or dangerous faults during the 35-40 minute test.

My normal way of thinking is that a test pass with 0-8 minor faults is a really good drive, and a credit to the driver and instructor. 8-12 faults would pass a driver, with a comfortable margin and in my opinion, a pass with 12-15 minor faults is a close call!

A pass with zero minor faults is uncommon as normally the driver has nerves and commits at least one fault whilst dealing with the pressure of the driving test. A clean sheet on test is the holy grail for driving instructors. At Belt Up, we aim for the highest of standards, and as mentioned on previous blogs here at the Belt Up hall of fame, we have had a fair few of clean sheet test passes.

Today was another of these holy grail moments, as Simon managed to pass his driving test with zero faults. This is a credit to his driving instructor, Paul, who has been teaching Simon to drive in Bristol. Paul is one of our higher qualified driving instructors with extra accreditations to his name. But even with the experience Paul has, he has never seen a driving test purposely turn into a retail park car park. On returning to the driving test centre, Simon was asked to turn into the retail park right by the driving test centre. No manoeuvre was carried out in this area, and he was asked to simply turn around and make his way back to the test centre. Even with this extra bit of confusion, and additional traffic, Simon kept his cool, and still maintained the high level of driving he had been taught.

Well done to Simon, and congratulations to Paul too!

For more information on taking your driving lessons with Belt Up School of Motoring, and being part of the Belt Up success rate contact us. We deliver driving tuition on manual and automatic cars with male and female driving instructors in Bristol, Bath, Frome, Midsomer Norton Radstock, Shepton Mallet and Wells Somerset.

Automatic driving test passed in Bristol 31st January 2012

Ben Pearson took and passed his automatic driving test this afternoon in Bristol Brislington driving test centre.

This wasn’t Bens first attempt as he unfortunately got a little confused with directions during his first test and, although he only got 5 minor faults, failed due to the nature of his late lane change. However, this time he kept it together and Joanne, Bens examiner, could only find a small number of driving faults within his driving.

Ben started his driving lessons with our female instructor, Teresa, but decided to swap from manual lessons to an automatic car. His current female driving instructor, Lesley is really pleased with the result, and this boosts our pass rate which continues at 100% in 2012.

This is a really good end to January, and we wish Ben all the best and safe driving in the future.

For more information on taking driving lessons in a manual or automatic car with highly qualified male and female driving instructors in Bristol, Bath, Frome, Midsomer Norton Radstock, Shepton Mallet and Wells Somerset, navigate through our site and contact us.