After reading the posts most agree it’s not worth the bother with the adr. Any advice anyone on what would be worthwhile concerning any extra licenses attached to hgv. I’ve had my class 1 for some time over 25years of age by some mile, and just fancy a change from night trunking and tramping. I’ve thought about adr, hiab. Any help most appreciated.
The danger with all this is that in 5 years time, all ADR drivers will be foreigners who are quite likely to be more qualified in another language than they are in English. i.e. they’ll already have ADR on their licences, and have not passed any kind of tests in English to get it in this country. This would be a mistake - to use such drivers - as part of the course as I understand it is EXCELLENT communication skills - to use when things go wrong, and you have to make the right calls to the right people - and fast.
Imagine someone crashing a truck full of 1790, giving the local bobby that turns up the “no speke Enlighs well enuff” answer, whilst plod dissolves into a puddle, and the other emergency service workers turning up later - follow suit. 
If I were a customer ordering dangerous chemicals - I would go out of my way not to use a haulier like NB who run a lot of hazchem, and have not given ALL their adr drivers English Language qualifications at very least. 
Even some of the actual English drivers are not going to have at least an O level in English Language I reckons! 
Been researching this myself recently. Weighing up the pro’s n con’s…looked only at Class 2, days, to try and keep it balanced.
Best hourly rate I found was in the W’mids - £13.00 p/h.
Worst, Slough - £9 p/h.
Out of 7 ads I looked at, the average hourly salary worked out to be £11 p/h.
Interestingly, the best paying regions were (in descending order):
W’mids (£13)
Oxfordshire (£12.50)
London (£12)
S’hampton, Lincoln, Merseyside (£10)
Slough (£9)
Holy Thread Resurrection!
Just remember if you do the ADR, take in everything rather than the points that “MAY… but certainly will be on the exams” 
SEDriver:
Holy Thread Resurrection!
el_presidente:
Been researching this myself recently. Weighing up the pro’s n con’s…looked only at Class 2, days, to try and keep it balanced.Best hourly rate I found was in the W’mids - £13.00 p/h.
Worst, Slough - £9 p/h.Out of 7 ads I looked at, the average hourly salary worked out to be £11 p/h.
Interestingly, the best paying regions were (in descending order):
W’mids (£13)
Oxfordshire (£12.50)
London (£12)
S’hampton, Lincoln, Merseyside (£10)
Slough (£9)
I thought the Paper Boys in Slough area were getting more than that! 
Winseer:
el_presidente:
Been researching this myself recently. Weighing up the pro’s n con’s…looked only at Class 2, days, to try and keep it balanced.Best hourly rate I found was in the W’mids - £13.00 p/h.
Worst, Slough - £9 p/h.Out of 7 ads I looked at, the average hourly salary worked out to be £11 p/h.
Interestingly, the best paying regions were (in descending order):
W’mids (£13)
Oxfordshire (£12.50)
London (£12)
S’hampton, Lincoln, Merseyside (£10)
Slough (£9)
Surprised me to be fair - Europe’s largest industrial estate, on the doorstep of the big smoke…Maybe there are too many qualified drivers there…
Hi Lads, In over 40 yrs of holding an ADR certificate I have never had need to use it, either on uk or european runs, so I have now let it lapse
Therefore my answer is NO not worth the outlay of the hard earned.regards. Tony
Is it worth spending the £400-£500 for my ADR as a new Class 1 driver or would I be better to get a couple of years under my belt before going for it?
It looks like its gonna be early Sept before I get to do my class 1 as thats the earliest I can get any time off.
This is something i’ve been wondering too.
Is it worth it with virtually no experience? Also, is it worth it if you don’t live anywhere near things like refineries?
Depends what is near you. How much ADR drivers get paid.
For me financially its not worth it. ADR drvers are not getting that much more than a standard driver.
Personally as I do a lot of consulting work its nice to have (going to try and get it in the next month) as its another feather in cap etc.
Sockpuppet:
Depends what is near you. How much ADR drivers get paid.
I live North Manchester, havnt got a clue who or whats round here ADR wise, I presume Trafford Park is the closest that may be of any use, but never hear any rumour mill stories about ADR work or wages.
I’d had my ADR since they were first introduced until the last licence ran out 2 or 3 years back. I used to use it regularly, but the firm paid for it even though I only worked casual for them. The only time I got paid extra was when running radioactives. Now the agencies all pester you to get it, but rarely offer any more for running hazardous, so I see it that I’m subsidising firms running hazardous and refuse to do that. Even when offered more, it is usually only 50p or £1.00 an hour more. By the time 3 days loss of income is added to the cost of the course, that makes an awful lot of hours with hazardous to get your money back.
There’s plenty of non-hazardous work about so I’d say it most certainly is not worth spending your own cash on an ADR licence. If you get offered a job carrying hazardous, let that company pay for your licence.
No I had one for 10 years did petrol and bulk chemicals no real financial advantage, bear in mind there is some foul concoctions out there and if anything does go wrong it could be your health at best your life at worst for 50p/£1 per hour more, dont bother.
B1 GGK:
Is it worth spending the £400-£500 for my ADR as a new Class 1 driver or would I be better to get a couple of years under my belt before going for it?It looks like its gonna be early Sept before I get to do my class 1 as thats the earliest I can get any time off.
You don’t need to wait, if you don’t want to. An ADR licence attaches to WHATEVER driving licence you hold. If you do ADR whilst you have Cat “C,” that’s fine. You then pass C+E anytime later, then there’s nothing more for you to do. The ADR licence just follows you anyway. Some providers run courses split over 2 or 3 weekends, depending on which modules you choose. The straight answer to your question is that you can do an ADR course anytime you like.
As for waiting, it could be an advantage doing ADR now, because you/the employer have more choice. It goes both ways. As rightly noted by others, there is also the question of “demand” in your locality, and whether it’s worthwhile at all. The guys are spot-on about that. So, I’d say that geography and wage levels might play some part in your final decision. You could try asking agencies/employers to see what difference ADR might make in your particular circumstances. I wouldn’t advise spending your own cash, unless you can see that there’s something in it for you.
You have a PM 
Cheers Dave,
As I said before I think the only place near me would probably be Trafford park, but not seen or heard out on the rumour mill work or wage wise,
And as said before is it worth it for an extra 50p ?
If the demand is there and i need to pay for it then so be it, but I would rather keep my cash for dirty beer and dirtier women 
Edward Teller:
No I had one for 10 years did petrol and bulk chemicals no real financial advantage, bear in mind there is some foul concoctions out there and if anything does go wrong it could be your health at best your life at worst for 50p/£1 per hour more, dont bother.
Hear, Hear. I let mine go too, for the same reason.
They want you to put your neck on the line AND study for the course for the princely sum of about £20 quid extra per week. Let them stuff it.
HGV Drivers are undervalued and HGV/ADR drivers are even worse off.
The system stinks. Your loads might stink, or remove your skin, possibly ignite for no particular reason and wipe out a small village. Why bother?
it’s handy to have but wait and see i dnt have it yet but they are gonna put me through it eventually we get a fiver per load not much i know but if you get a few in per week then job’s a good un
B1 GGK:
Sockpuppet:
Depends what is near you. How much ADR drivers get paid.I live North Manchester, havnt got a clue who or whats round here ADR wise, I presume Trafford Park is the closest that may be of any use, but never hear any rumour mill stories about ADR work or wages.
I’m also north Manchester area, the agencies I am with have never asked about me getting ADR, dont think there is much demand for it, especially at weekends. Keep your money in pocket till someone pays for it for you.
Not having one has never stopped me getting any work. There’s to much emphasis by new guys (understandably) to get all the certificates they can get fork truck/adr/hiab etc. Its not worth laying out for it all unless you know specifically what you are going to be doing. Its a waste of money. If i ever go for an ADR course them i gonna wear long flowing robes, grow a beard and wear a fez !!!