Hgv tests tougher in the North
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• Following last week's revelation by the Ministry of Transport that about one-third of applicants have been failing the heavy goods vehicle driving test (CM June 26), figures have become available which suggest that it may be more difficult to pass the test at some northern test centres than in the South and Midlands.
To enable its dealers' staffs to obtain the licence which they may require for their jobs, Ford has arranged to lend D300s and D800 tractive units with hired trailers to the British School of Motoring for short courses. The results of these men being submitted for hgv test are as follows: London and the South East, eight tested, seven passed; Ipswich, four tested, three passed; Bristol, one tested, one passed; Birmingham, nine tested, eight passed: Leeds /Manchester, 32 tested, 22 passed; Newcastle, three tested, two passed; Glasgow, six tested, four passed. It is understood that, to check that differences in training standards were not responsible for the striking disparity in pass proportions, some BSM staff were exchanged between North and South.
Consistency of testing has been a point at issue in respect of the hgv scheme; many aspects of the scheme are examined in CM this week, in a special discussion recorded on page 54.