New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
L-Plate drivers heading for the motorway
Road safety minister Mike Penning has announced that from 2012 learner drivers will be allowed on motorways with the provision that it’s as part of a driving lesson with a qualified instructor. The aim is to cut the number of deaths on the nation's major roads involving young motorists. During a speech to the Institute of Advanced Motorists he questioned whether the current test prepared drivers for motorway driving. “Are we teaching young drivers to pass a test or are we giving them the skills to enjoy life on the road?” Penning asked. Motorway driving, however, will not become a compulsory requirement to acquiring a full Driving Licence; some people simply live too far from a motorway to make it practical during a lesson.
Penning also said the current loophole that allows trainee instructors to give lessons is set to change. “It is a legal requirement for trainee driving instructors to display a pink licence disc to show learner drivers that they are not fully qualified,” he said. “However, we are aware that there are concerns about the use of trainee licences and I share those concerns. We are reviewing the training process for instructors as part of our work to modernise the driver-training industry.”
At the same time the Driving Standards Agency has announced that as of 23 January 2012 the theory test will be made up of multiple-choice questions which are no longer published in learning materials. The reason behind the move is to stop candidates from simply memorising theory test questions and answers and learning by rote. Not before time and VansA2Z thinks that learner drivers should not be allowed behind the wheel before passing the theory test. Currently it can be taken at any time, including after passing the driving section of the test.