Location Overview – Chichester is a beautiful and interesting cathedral city in West Sussex, England, and is the county town. Chichester was a Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement and a major market town throughout the Norman and medieval times, and it still has markets today. The remarkable 12th-century cathedral is the seat of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester. The original Roman city wall was over 2 metres thick, with a steep ditch used to divert the river Lavant. It survived for over a thousand years and was then replaced by a thinner wall built in Georgian times. The city was also home to the Roman baths, found in Tower Street, while investigations were being made to build a car park. Chichester has a vibrant tourist industry and is an ideal spot to take advanced driver training due to its superb network of roads, especially the A27 and the B286 circling the city centre.

We provide bespoke driver training for both business and private clients.

Our advanced courses cover a range of elements bespoke to the driver’s needs. Below are the common things we look at:

* Looking at a driver’s specific day-to-day driving and driving history to make a bespoke training plan
* Looking ahead and developing powers of observation
* Increasing focus on speed and excessive speed
* Modifying attitude towards a safer, more proactive way to drive
* Learning the System of Car Control
* How to avoid road rage situations
* Manoeuvres, reversing, and driving in confined spaces
* Driving safety on the motorway and dual carriageways
* Becoming a safer urban driver – identifying and dealing with pedestrians and cyclists
* Learn how to drive in a more environmentally friendly way
* How to boost driving confidence
* Identifying high-risk driving – such as at night, driving tired or when stressed

You will be issued a driving report after each session – sent by email. This report is fully documented with us and has a unique verification number attached – proof you’ve had training with a qualified professional. In your report, you will see how you improved and in what areas, along with some valuable tips to ensure you keep up your improved standard of driving.

Key learning points of our driver training courses:

* Becoming a much safer and skilful driver
* Addressing any issues which could be impacting your driving
* Demonstrating the intention to become a safer, more improved driver
* Finally, dealing with and addressing issues which could have been holding you back for too long

Advanced Driver training is a little different for our commercial clients – the end client and the person who receives the training and has been asked by their employer to take a course.

While we will always help the driver to improve, from a business perspective, you will definitely benefit from the following:

* Demonstrating your Duty of Care
* Potentially lowering your fleet insurance premiums
* Providing the opportunity to develop the driver in their position
* Showing you care
* Lowering fuel costs

Chichester is a hub of several main roads, the most important of these is the A27 coastal trunk road, connecting Eastbourne with Southampton, which passes south of the city; the A27 connects Chichester to the M3, M27 and M275 routes. The secondary coastal road, the A259, which begins its journey at Folkestone in Kent, joins the A27 here and finishes in Havant to the west. Three routes give Chichester access to the north, the A29 to London joins the A27 east of the city, the A285 runs northeast to Petworth, and the A286 runs northwards towards Haslemere, in Surrey. Advanced driver training in Chichester has become very popular for both corporate and private drivers, and we have tutors with excellent local knowledge. They will come to you, be that your home or office address. During the course, you can use your own vehicle.

Our courses do vary in structure, although our courses are based and costed by duration:

3.5 hour (half day)

7-hour session (Full day), which can be split between two drivers

2 x 3.5 hour (2 half days)

Courses for longer durations:

Our tailored 3, 4 and 5 x half-day sessions are more suited for those who identify as having personal issues with their driving; we cover driving anxiety, significant driving issues on particular roads, or for those who have not driven in a long time, often many years. The longer duration courses are taken mostly by our private individuals; they are also an option for our business clients with drivers facing confidence problems.

The time between each half day will be very valuable as it allows you to absorb and practise what has been covered in the first session.

Contact us for advice:

Our friendly team would be delighted to hear from you about your exact requirements. Our team are trained to advise on the course information and how they run and offer a non-judgemental approach for those who wish to open up and discuss specific issues. For some folk, this is the very first step in reaching out on their journey to confident driving. Please call or email for more information and advice.

Road Safety Risks and Information – Chichester

Chichester is a popular and bustling city between Bognor Regis and Portsmouth and is served primarily by the A27 from Havant to Hastings.

The A27 Chichester Bypass encircles the City to the south, and the accident rates are pretty high, especially at the Fishbourne roundabout, where the A259 Cathedral Way links to Westgate and the City’s centre. The collision rates on this roundabout are incredibly high. This could be for many reasons, but due to the area being high in tourism, drivers may be unfamiliar with their directions and make poor decisions regarding lane exiting. It is essential to be aware of other drivers’ intentions when driving in areas such as these and to hold back when you see drives who are hesitant or are struggling, so you can avoid getting caught up in a collision that may not be of your making. The Stockbridge and Whyke Roundabouts along the A27 along the Chichester Bypass also have similar stories to tell. When the A27 meets the A259 Bognor Road at the Bognor Road roundabout, this is another area of concern, with numerous crash sites strewn across this roundabout and the slip roads leading to and from it. Portfield Roundabout, linking the A27 to the A285 at the eastern side of Chichester, has many collision sites again, these can be attributed to poor lane exiting and drivers being unfamiliar with their directions.

The A286 creates a ring road surrounding the centre of Chichester, and the traffic light junction at the Ave De Chartres and Southgate is a particularly hazardous area with numerous collision sites noted. As the ring road continues to Orchard Street, the collision rates are still pretty high, especially near road crossings and roundabouts, especially the meeting of Oaklands Way, where there is a one-way system and traffic lights. Good observations and indications must be used when driving in inner city areas, especially during rush hour traffic, when everyone is trying to reach their destination in a hurry.

Much of Chichester City centre is pedestrianised, but the narrow streets leading into the centre are littered with crash sites. Although the accidents may not be severe due to lower speeds, they can be very upsetting and can lead to congestion with road closures. The junction of St Pancreas and East Street is a prime example.

If you have any specific roads you travel on in Chichester and you’re keen to discover what parts are at higher risk in terms of collisions, please contact us. We offer a free-of-charge service to anyone who is interested.