Click this link to see a readable version of the article written by Essex Chronicle about the Sandon Young Driver Scheme. (n.b. The Sandon Young Driver Scheme has been renamed the Chelmsford Young Driver Scheme and the venue has moved from the Sandon Park and Ride site to the Chelmer Valley Park and Ride site).
The Chelmsford Young Driver Scheme has got off to a good start. It’s an ideal venue for under 17 year old students to begin to learn how to drive with professional training from instructors from the Driving Instructors Club Essex.
The emphasis is on road safety and we are being supported in this by Essex County Council who have undertaken to supply their road safety mobile classroom – each driving lesson is preceded with a 15 minute discussion about driving topics. After that pupils are taken by qualified driving instructors to drive cars around the huge Chelmer Valley Park & Ride car park which is closed to the public on Sundays. Because the environment is ‘off road’ there is no requirement for a provisional driving licence, making it a great opportunity for under 17 year olds to start learning how to drive.
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 Instructor cars at the ready! |
Q: As a parent, can I sit in on my son/daughter’s driving lesson?A: Driving instructors welcome parents presence on driving lessons but the pupil’s feelings must come first, so yes you can sit in on the lesson but only if your son/daughter is comfortable with the idea.
Q: Are there any refreshments available?A: Sorry we do not provide refreshments, you can of course bring your own.
Q: Are there any toilet facilities?A: Yes, access to toilets is inside the main Park & Ride building.
Q: Where do I park when I arrive?A: Follow the signs that say ‘Buses Only’, park neatly in the oval where the buses turn around. DO NOT TRY AND ENTER THE CAR PARK.
Essex County Council and Driving Instructors Club Essex (DICE) are proud to announce a joint venture whereby teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 can learn to drive a car (without the need of a driving licence) in a safe, off-road environment. The instructors are all qualified driving instructors licensed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) using dual controlled cars.
Tuition takes place on the 2nd Sunday of each month at the Chelmer Village and Ride car park, the first was over a year ago.
Time of Lessons:
09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30
Only registered and pre-paid pupils will be allowed to participate. Registration MUST be done in advance on the Registration Form (pdf file) which can be downloaded from here. This *form and a fee** of £28 to cover the first lesson must be returned to the organiser before the pupil can take part. Full instructions are on the form.
Demand is expected to be high, so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.
*To read the downloaded Registration Form you may need the Adobe pdf Reader, if so you can get it FREE from here.
**The fee can be paid by cheque or electronically. For electronic payments please contact the organiser for account details:
Chelmer Village & Ride Location Map: