Location Overview – Dagenham is a town in East London, within the Borough of Barking and Dagenham and is situated 11.5 miles east of Charing Cross. Dagenham was chosen as an ideal location for industry and is very famous for the location of the Ford Motor plant, where the sewing machinists strike of 1968 took place. Dagenham includes the whole of the Becontree estate and includes a few sections in Barking and Ilford.

Parts of the former borough of Dagenham, parts of Chadwell Heath, Collier Row and Rush Green, are now in the Romford district, and it is adjacent to Barking to the west, Romford to the northeast and Hornchurch to the east.

Dagenham Dock on the River Thames is to the south. Nearby towns are Ilford, Upminster and Rainham. We have carried out many driving courses for personal and business clients in and around the Dagenham area since 2011.

During a driving session, we typically look at the following:

* Developing a more positive outlook towards safe driving
* Becoming a safer driver on all roads
* Forward planning and observation
* Rules of the road
* Car or van control (gears, steering, foot controls, signals)
* Town and urban defensive driving
* Reversing and manoeuvres
* Speed Awareness
* Dealing with adverse weather
* Driving in heavy traffic and allowing adequate space
* Dealing with road rage
* Skid control theory and learning what could cause a skid
* Understanding other road users and their intentions
* Eco-safe driving (effective use of speed, gears, and planning)

After the training, you will receive a post-course report. This will document the training date, the driver’s name, the tutor’s name and their DVSA registration number. We also add a unique verification number to each report, so should anyone wish to verify the report at any time, they will be able to do so. The report acts not only as a confirmation of the training but also gives valuable hints and tips to refer back to anytime.

The personal benefits of our advanced and defensive driver training:

* Increase your levels of skill and overall confidence
* Consider issues that may be specific to your driving
* Increase car control on all types of roads
* Reduce wear and tear on your car
* Improve your MPG – get more miles from your car
* Remove any risky driving characteristics

Looking for fleet driver training? Driver training for business clients offers a range of benefits that include:

* Demonstrate your Duty of Care
* Qualify for possibly reduced fleet insurance costs
* Show your drivers you care
* Help drivers who may be having specific issues with their driving
* Taking control of your occupational road risk
* Save on fleet fuel costs – advanced trained drivers can reduce their fuel costs by 20% or more

To the south of Dagenham lies the A13, and to the north, the A12, connected with the A406. The A412 runs through the town, and the A420, north to south, links to the A1306. The town of Dagenham is a popular place to take Advanced Driver training as the network of more minor B roads and the larger A roads are ideal for practising Advanced Driver skills with the nearest motorway at the M25 at the junctions of the A12 or the A127. Our courses are run differently from other providers as we will come to your home or site address for corporate clients. You are able to use your own cars, vans, campervans, or motorhomes during the course. Our highly skilled Advanced Driver tutors will have excellent local knowledge, and you will receive a fully documented and unique driver report within a day or two of course completion.

Whether you are a corporate client training many drivers or a private individual, we have several bespoke courses to increase the skill and safety of a driver. Our courses are available for both van and car drivers.

* 3.5hr –Benefits of this course: shortest in the range, the lowest-priced option. The disadvantage is that for some drivers, it’s too short. Ideal mainly for companies training two or more drivers.

* 2 x 3.5hr – This is beneficial for customers who cannot drive for a full day and would need to split the sessions to help them absorb more over an extended period. Often, a driver gets homework in this session so they can practice what has been covered in the first session to help them with the next. Older drivers often opt for this course.

* 7-hour full day – Hard work for some, but cheaper than 2 x 3.5 hours. It’s suitable for those who are time-poor.  Talk with us if you are unsure. With business clients, we can split a full day so one driver is trained AM and then one is trained PM.

* We offer longer courses for those with specific issues and offer 3, 4, and 5 options x 3.5 hours. These are often taken over several weeks and are great if you have more deep-rooted issues or have not driven for a long while.

Contact us for further information:

We are a very helpful bunch and would be delighted to hear from you about your exact requirements and advice on course information and how they run, but we also offer a non-judgemental approach for those who wish to open up and discuss their specific driving issues. For many drivers, this is the first step in reaching out on their journey to driving confidence. Please do call or email for more information and advice.

Road Safety Risks and Information – Dagenham

Dagenham is situated in East London and is served by the A13 to the South of the town and the A12 to the North, both linking to the M25. These routes are strewn with accident sites, and care should always be taken when driving along these busy roads.

The stretch of dual carriageway on the A13 from the Beckton Roundabout and along Alfreds Way is particularly hazardous, with numerous accidents occurring near the side roads from the commercial and retail parks. As the road merges into Ripple Road, the crash statistics are very similar and occur near side roads such as Renwick Road, where there have been numerous severe and life-changing accidents. When using dual carriageways like these, it is easy to get caught up in issues that happen from drivers entering the road from the side, so extra caution should be taken. As Ripple Road meets the Thames Gateway, the twin roundabouts are very challenging, linking the A1306, Morrison Road and Choats Manor Way. There have been many accidents seen here, and some have been fatal. This roundabout stem does have traffic lights, but still, the crash rate is very high.

The A1306 leads to Heathway, the A1240 and Dagenham Centre. This route is also shared with public transport routes, so it is jam-packed and can be congested, especially during rush hours. Most of these accidents occur near junctions where roads cross, such as Downing Road and Lower Broad Street. Arnold Street junction is very similar, with high crash rates recorded. Continuing along Heathway, the intersection of Hedgemans Road, Church Elm Way and Dagenham Avenue, there is a traffic light system, but the collision rates are still very high; this can be due to a lack of observations and indications, as well as impatience, especially during rush hour traffic. The A124, Wood Lane, is another area of concern with numerous accidents near most of the functions, especially between Porters Avenue and Valance Avenue. Bennetts Castle Lane and Keppel Road meetings are very similar, with high crash statistics.

This is only a very short outline of collision sites in Dagenham. Please contact us if you have any specific roads you travel on in the area and are keen to discover what parts are at higher risk of collisions. We offer a free-of-charge service to anyone interested.