Driving Lessons in Hampstead

How to choose a driving school in Hampstead

You deserve to learn with a driving instructor in Hampstead who:

• Boosts your confidence
• Makes learning enjoyable
• Won’t cost an arm and a leg!

That’s why it’s important to do these 4 things when you come to choose a driving school in Hampstead:

1. Compare reviews

You want a driving school that other learners would recommend. So, reading reviews is an important step.

2. Beware of terms and conditions

You need to know exactly what you’re signing up for when you book your driving lessons, so read through the terms and conditions carefully. You don’t want to book lessons only to later find that you have to use all your lessons up within a short space of time, as is the case with some driving schools in Hampstead.

3. Check that you can switch instructors

In an ideal world, you’d learn with just one driving instructor from start to finish. But if you don’t get on with your instructor, your best option will be to move onto another one. Some driving schools in Hampstead don’t have enough driving instructors in the area to be able to support a request to switch instructors, so make sure you find out whether switching is a possibility before you book.

4. Avoid long waiting times

If you’re keen to start learning quickly, you’ll want to avoid weeks of waiting for your first driving lesson. Many driving schools in Hampstead don’t display their waiting times on their websites, so it’s worth giving them a call to check what the waiting times are before you book.

Tips for learning to drive in Hampstead

In order to progress quickly through your driving lessons in Hampstead, you’ll want to put in some private practice between lessons. In fact, the DVSA advises that you do 22 hours of private practice before you take your practical driving test.

Our driving instructors in Hampstead have given us their pick of the best practice spots in the area.

• A502: Try out the mini roundabout connecting the A502 with Spaniards Road. It’s a great spot to get your head around how roundabouts work, but it’s best to avoid this area at the weekends if you’re looking to practise somewhere quiet - it’s right near the busy Heath Brow Car Park!

• South Hill Park: South Hill Park and South Hill Park Gardens form a loop in a residential area near Hampstead Heath Rail station. With cars parked on both sides, these streets are ideal for perfecting your passing distances and parallel parking. Especially because you won’t find much through-traffic!

• East Heath Road: East Heath Road, running through Hampstead Heath, is wide, straight and fairly quiet, with a 20 mph speed limit. Our driving instructors in Hampstead recommend driving northwest along here to practise your hill starts.

• Heath Street: Heath Street is a bustling road lined with shops, cafes and pedestrians. Our driving instructors in Hampstead recommend practising here to get used to urban driving. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for hazards!

• One-way system: Near Burgh House and Hampstead Museum, you’ll find many one-way streets. This area is ideal if you want to rehearse spotting and responding to road signs.

Choosing your test centre

When the time is right, your driving instructor in Hampstead will help you to pick a test centre. Then, you can start getting used to the routes and areas that could crop up in your driving test!

DVSA practical car test pass rates, 2018-2019.

Hendon Test Centre | Pass rate: 41%

Hendon Test Centre has a high pass rate for a London test centre, although it’s still below the national average of 45.7%. Although the test centre is located on a quiet drive, you can expect some bustling urban roads on a test here.

Address: 3 Aviation Drive, Beaufort Park, Hendon, Greater London, NW9 5TZ

Mill Hill Test Centre | Pass rate: 42%

You’ll find Mill Hill Test Centre just a stone’s throw from the M1. Although you won’t get examined on the motorway, you’re likely to be tested on your dual carriageway driving on the A1.

Address: Unit 9, Grannard Business Centre, Bunns Lane, Mill Hill, Greater London, NW7 2DQ

Tottenham Test Centre | Pass rate: 37.1%

Tottenham Test Centre has the lowest pass rate in the area. Learners are requested to park in the allocated parking bays close to the Annex buildings no more than 10 minutes before their test slot. You should also bear in mind that practising here is forbidden.

Address: Driving Test Centre Tottenham Annex Building, Selby Centre, Selby Road, Tottenham, Greater London, N17 8JL

Wood Green Test Centre | Pass rate: 39.7%

Wood Green Test Centre is located in a busy urban area. Test routes are likely to incorporate a variety of road systems, such as box junctions and roundabouts, as well as major bus routes.

Address: Wood Green Crown Court, Woodhall House, Lordship Lane, Wood Green, Greater London, N22 5LF

To see a full list of test centres near you, go to the DVSA website.

Test tips from driving instructors in Hampstead

When it comes to taking your driving test, local driving instructors in Hampstead are full of tips for the big day.

1. Research the parking

Local driving instructors in Hampstead advise that you research your test centre’s parking situation before test day. Both Wood Green and Mill Hill test centres have limited parking available, so you may want to arrive early to ensure you get a spot. On the other hand, the Tottenham test centre requests that you don’t park in the allocated parking bays until 10 minutes before your test.

2. Bring everything you need

Don’t forget to bring both your theory test pass certificate and your provisional driving licence to your test. Without them, local driving instructors in Hampstead have warned that your test could be cancelled.

3. Take a driving lesson beforehand

You may be nervous on your test day, driving instructors in Hampstead have recommended that you take a driving lesson straight before your test slot. It’s a great way to spend some time refocusing, building your confidence and going over any tricky areas before your test.

Choosing between manual and automatic

Deciding between manual and automatic driving lessons in Hampstead isn’t always easy.

On the one hand, automatic driving lessons tend to be easier, especially in urban areas like Hampstead. You don’t have to get your head around clutch control, or worry about changing gears each time you come to a stop in standstill traffic. So, you could find you pass your driving test quicker in an automatic.

On the other hand, some people prefer the added sense of control that manually changing gears gives them, as well as the flexibility that a manual licence offers. While an automatic driving licence only qualifies you to drive automatic cars, a manual licence qualifies you to drive both transmissions. Plus, manual driving lessons and manual cars tend to be cheaper than their automatic counterparts.

There’s no one right choice, so think carefully about which transmission would suit you best before choosing between the two.

Driving lessons in Hampstead

Driving lessons are popular from Hampstead village to Hampstead Heath. Other popular areas include:

Acton, Barking, Brixton, Bromley, Canary Wharf, Clapham, Croydon, Dagenham, Ealing, Enfield, Finsbury Park, Greenwich, Hackney, Harrow, Hayes, Hounslow, Islington, Kingston upon Thames, Lewisham, Putney, Romford, Southall, Stratford, Streatham, Sutton, Tottenham, Twickenham, Uxbridge, Walthamstow, Wandsworth, Watford, Wembley and Wimbledon.