Location Overview – Norwich is a cathedral city in the county of Norfolk. Norwich is by the river Wensum and approximately 100 miles northeast of London, 40 miles north of Ipswich, and 65 miles east of Peterborough. Norwich is one of the most complete medieval cities remaining in the United Kingdom. Norwich settled as a town in the 10th century and became an important centre of East Anglian trade and commerce. Norwich has a long tradition of brewing. Norwich is said to have a pub for each day of the year and a church for every Sunday. Norwich is a very popular destination for a city break. Attractions include Norwich Cathedral, the cobbled streets such as Elm Hill, Timber Hill and Tombland and many museums, including Norwich Castle, The Forum, Cow Tower, and Dragon Hall. Norwich is in the top 10 retail destinations in the UK, with a mix of chain stores and independent shops, and Norwich Market is the largest outdoor market in England.

During a bespoke driver training session in Norwich, we aim to look at the following:

* Forward planning and overall observations
* Speed Awareness and consequences of too much speed
* Helping to develop a positive attitude for safe driving
* Becoming a safer driver on all roads
* System of car or van control (gears, steering, foot controls, signals)
* Rules and regulations of the road
* Dealing with road rage, managing your and other drivers’ emotions
* Reversing and slow manoeuvres
* Dealing with adverse and wintery weather
* Town and urban defensive driving techniques
* Driving in heavy traffic and allowing adequate following space
* Skid control theory, learning what causes skids and how to avoid them
* Eco-safe driving (effective use of speed, gears, and forward planning)
* Better anticipation – Learning to see and not just look
* Understanding other road users and their intentions

We provide courses including:

* Motorway
* Pre-court
* Younger driver advanced training
* Confidence training
* Fleet van and company car training

After the training, you will receive a post-course report. This will document the date of training, the driver’s and tutor’s names and their DVSA registration number. We also add a unique verification code to each report, so anyone wishing to verify the report will be able to do so. Your report acts as a confirmation of the training but also shows valuable tips to refer back to at any time.

Key learning points of our driver training:

* Become a safer, more skilful driver
* Address any issues which could be impacting you as a driver
* Demonstrate your intention to become a safer, improved driver
* Finally, deal with and address issues which may have been holding you back

Training is a little different for commercial clients – the end client, the person receiving the training, is often not the person who decides to do the training.

While we help the driver to improve, from a commercial perspective, your business will benefit from the following:

* Demonstrating your Duty of Care
* Potentially lower your fleet insurance costs
* Providing the opportunity for an employee to develop
* Showing you care
* Lower fuel costs

Norwich stands north of the A47, which connects to Great Yarmouth at the east, with King’s Lynn and Peterborough to the west. Norwich is linked to Cambridge with the A11, leading to the M11 motorway for London and the M25. It is connected to Ipswich in the south by the A140 and Lowestoft to the southeast by the A146.

We have carried out driver training for both company and private drivers in and around Norwich, including Bowthorpe, Postwick, Cringleford and Drayton, to name just a few areas. Our courses do not have a centre to attend we will come to you using your own vehicle, be that car, van or campervan.

Our courses do vary in structure, although we have several courses based on duration:

3.5hr session

7hr session (which can be split for two drivers if needed)

2 x 3.5hr sessions

3 x 3.5hr sessions – We also have longer courses if needed.

Courses with longer duration:

Our tailored 3,4 and 5 x half day sessions are suited, for those that have specific issues with their driving, such as driving anxiety, significant driving issues on particular roads, or who have not driven for a very long time. These longer courses are booked mainly by private individuals, although they are also open to our business clients.

These longer-duration courses are great for those facing certain (often very specific) issues, as it can take time to build up your skill and confidence. The time between each session will also be valuable as it allows you to reflect, absorb and practise what has been covered.

Contact us for more information and advice.

We have several training options and packages. Please call us for more information. The team member you talk with will manage your enquiry right through to training if that’s what you decide on doing. This includes private individuals and also business customers.

If you’re looking at a quote for a large number of drivers, we will be happy to provide such, along with how we can best arrange the training based on your organisation’s specific requirements.

Road Safety Risks and Information – Norwich

Norwich is a large and busy city located in Norfolk. Although it is not served by any dedicated motorways, it has several fast A-road routes that carry a great deal of traffic from across East Anglia.

The A47 circles Norwich from Kings Lynne to Great Yarmouth, linking the A11, the A149, and the A146 to Norwich centre. These are extremely fast and, at points, very rural routes with numerous collision sites strewn across them. Much of the A47 is a dual carriageway, as is the A11, leading to the Thickthorn Interchange, where many accidents have been noted on the roundabout and the slip roads leading from it. This interchange also links the B1172 Norwich Road and the Thickthorn Park and Ride, so there are more buses on this roundabout daily, with commuters travelling into Norwich. The A11 Newmarket Road travels directly into the city centre, and for some part, it is a dual carriageway, but as it nears the centre, it travels through more residential areas, and the speeds are much lower. This route can be very congested at times, and there is a dedicated bus lane to help traffic flow, but still, there are many collisions near traffic lights and roundabouts, such as Mile End Road and Ipswich Road lights.

To the east of Norwich, the A47 links the A1042 at the double Postwick Interchange, and this is a challenging triangle junction with a traffic light system as it also links the A1270, Broadland Northway heading north to the A140 and Cromer on the coast. The A1042 runs through to the A1242 into Norwich centre along Yarmouth Road, another residential area with pedestrians and cyclists using the roads and vehicles. As the roads get closer to the city centre, they narrow much the same as many ancient towns across the UK, and they are often congested, with many areas struggling, especially during rush hours. The A147 Grapes Hill and Queens Road circle the west side of Norwich centre, and many streets link from this into the retail pedestrianised area, such as St Benedict’s Street leading to St Andrew Street and Pottergate. These are routes with many collisions noted, possibly involving pedestrians and cyclists especially at the traffic lights at Charing cross and Duke Street. When driving in busy urban settings, it is crucial to be extra aware of all road users, not just the drivers. Pedestrians can step out onto the road without looking, and cyclists can suddenly nip into a space unexpectedly, so it is vital that care is taken to be aware at all times of the kerbside as well as the road ahead.

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