Location Intro – Poole is a large and vibrant coastal town and seaport located in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is 21 miles east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east, and it is the second-largest town in the ceremonial county of Dorset. Settlements in the area date back as far as the Iron Age, and it was the 12th century was one of the earliest recorded use of the town’s name; this was because the town started to emerge as a very important port, with the introduction of the international woollen trade. Poole then had significant trade with North America and, and peaking during the 18th century, was one of the busiest ports in Britain at the time. Poole is now a busy and interesting tourist resort, attracting thousands of visitors each year with its large natural harbour and Blue Flag beaches. Advanced driver training has been carried out in Poole and the surrounding towns and villages, such as Lytchett Minster, Westbourne, Sandford, and bear Cross, for both business and private clients of all ages and experiences.

We offer a range of bespoke courses, which include:

* General advanced and defensive courses
* Motorway training
* Performance training
* UK Familiarisation
* Confidence training
* Younger drivers
* Pre-court assessments

All courses are built around the needs and requirements of the individual driver, but below are several things we look at:

* The system of car control – IPSGA
* Working towards an expert level of forward planning and observation
* Understanding observational elements of driving (seeing) and building these into your driving plan
* Manoeuvres and reversing (This is often requested in confidence training)
* How to become a safe driver on urban and rural roads and also motorways
* Understand your own limitations and at-risk factors – most of which you won’t be aware of
* Undoing years of ingrained bad habits
* Learning to manage speed and become more speed-aware
* How to deal with complex and busy traffic environments
* How to understand other drivers and what they may do next
* Learn how you and other drivers think when behind the wheel

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 be able to see how you improved and in what areas, along with some useful tips to ensure you keep up your improved standard of driving.

Key learning points of our driver training:

* Become a much improved, more skilful motorist
* Work on any issues which could be impacting your level of skill and safety
* Demonstrate your intention to become a safer, improved driver
* 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 who has the on-road 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 businesses Duty of Care
* Potentially lower your fleet insurance costs
* Providing the opportunity for an employee to develop
* Showing you care
* Lower fuel costs

The A350 is the main artery route in Poole town centre, running north along Holes Bay, and then onto the A35, and as a single carriageway to Bath and Bristol. We use these roads for a lot of our driver training as they are fast moving and great for introducing advanced driving techniques. At the east, the A337 leads to Lymington and the beautiful New Forest. The A35 runs from North Devon to Southampton and connects to the A31 on the outskirts of the town. The A31, the most significant trunk road in central southern England, links to the M27 motorway at Southampton – ideal for motorway confidence training. From here, the M3 motorway leads to London, and fast access may also be gained via the A34 to the M4 north of Newbury. Poole Bridge, a narrow bascule built in 1927, connects the town centre and Hamworthy. A road link to Studland and the Isle of Purbeck across the narrow entrance of Poole Harbour is served by the Sandbanks Ferry. Advanced driver training in Poole and the surrounding areas has been carried out with our highly qualified tutors, who will come to you, and you can use your vehicle for the training, car vans or campervans.

Half or Full Day?

Our half-day option works best if you want to train several drivers back-to-back. It’s cheaper per head, and your business has less downtime. As a private client, a half-day is ideal if you simply need a short refresher.

A full day is more suited if you or a driver has specific issues, such as limited confidence, complaints about their driving (company drivers) or if you’re a private client and want more than a half-day training session but want to get the training done and dusted in one day.

We find many clients opt for the full-day session – and book one driver in the morning and one in the afternoon – there is no additional charge for this, and it works really well for business clients.

Contact us for advice and information:

We are happy to chat to you about your exact requirements. Our team are trained to advise on course information and how they run and offer a non-judgemental approach for those who wish to open up and discuss specific issues. We know that for some, this is the 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 – Poole

Poole, located in Dorset to the west of Bournemouth, is primarily served by the A350. Its coastal location attracts a surge of traffic during the summer months, leading to an increase in accidents, particularly among drivers unfamiliar with the area. This is a common scenario in holiday destinations. Therefore, it’s crucial to emphasise the importance of understanding your directions when driving in a new area, as it can significantly reduce the risk of accidents.

Blandford Road North, B3068, travels into Poole from the A35 at Upton Roundabout through a residential area, with many collisions noted along the routes, especially at the meeting of Poole Road, B3067 traffic lights, through Hamworthy and along the Blandford Road as it joins the mainland across the bridges. Further along at Holes Bay Roundabout, the A350 links to Poole by a dual carriageway and travels into the retail centre; there is a challenging junction linking to West Quay Road and the B3068 running into Towngate Bridge. This is an especially busy route for shoppers and commuters, shared with bus routes. There are several carpark entrances on this route, such as Seldon Lane and the Lighthouse Carpark, as the retail centre of Poole is pedestrianised. Still, there are numerous accidents along this road, and drivers need to pay extra attention to pedestrians and cyclists in such areas.

From the Holes Bay Roundabout, the A3049 links to the A35 at the Fleetsbridge Roundabout, which travels south into Poole via Wimborne Road, a highly populated residential area. Several areas are hazardous, especially near road crossings and small retail parks such as Longfleet Road and Melstock Road. The A35 then continues to Parkstone Road to the west into Poole and Bournemouth Road to the east. Many of the accidents in these areas involve holidaymakers new to the area.

These are only a very brief outline of collision sites in Poole. 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; please get in touch with us. We offer a free-of-charge service to anyone who is interested.