i find this incredibly strange that an instructor would suggest which test centre you should go to,even if thats miles away from where you ve done you re lessons.im not having a dig at any newbies here,is it more a case of the instructor not being confident in his/her teaching methods to train a candidate to pass at any test centre?i am a newbie but it was never once mentioned to me that i should consider going to ? or ? for my tests as its easier.is this a regular thing?i picked up on this from one of the other threads on here.
hi i asked for chelmsford where i live and where i passed class 2 1st time but was advised too go ipswich for classs1 12 hours training later i passed 1st time at ipswich 6 minors hmmm well im happy only thing was it was wag and tail !!! still 10 ft longer than those artic ■■■■■■■ lol 
, but ive booke too do a day in artic just for the hell of it
some training provider have a test centre there like cos in some cases mite be fairer
delboytwo:
some training provider have a test centre there like cos in some cases mite be fairer
This happened to me when I did my car lessons, my instructor rated the examiners fairer at one test centre than another. Obviously car test centres are more common so they were both local but the principle’s the same.
seems to be common then,i thought it was a numbers thing when i was on my tests,time of day no passes etc,i passed both of mine 1st time in wrexham so you would have thought my instructors would have been keen for anywhere else but they didnt mention it.
I would say that a preferred test centre by LGV training schools (if they have a choice) is more likely to do with the way the examiners conduct the tests than the test routes.
Some examiners look at the ‘whole drive’ and judge it on that whereas other examiners judge it on ‘bits of the drive’ - the first might give a minor for ‘minor serious’ that occured if the rest of the drive was great but the second would immediately give a fail for the same thing.
Sometimes it is simply a case of ‘available test slots’
Loads of factors will influence the trainer’s attitude to various centres. I have been known to travel over 60 miles regularly for tests. I am now in the happy position of owning our own test centre - thus zero travelling. I believe we will see more and more trainers go for this option in time - expecially as VOSA have a well documented closure programme for MOT centres who, generally, play host to driving test centres for DSA.
As with all newbie questions, they should be able to rely on a proper answer from their professional trainer. It’s up to the candidate to select a good trainer - probably from recommendation - and then trust the trainer’s judgement.
I did class 2 in Chelmsford where I live and class 1 in Ipswich, that’s where the school sent me.
There’s less traffic to contend with, arguably better roads on the test routes.
They have a pass rate approx 20% higher than Chelmsford, OK so it shouldn’t make any difference but retests are (apparently - never had one ) expensive so are well avoided.
Another good reason is when you do your first HGV test you are doing it as a car driver, if you are familiar with the roads and junctions in your local area you are less likely to be observant of road signs etc, things you see everyday you tend to take for granted only some of those things may need to be treated differently in a bigger vehicle.
100% yes… I had both my tests at Walton, passed both first time, i think the pass rate is 51% there, but my training provider’s pass rate is 70-odd%, so just shows to have a good trainer AND a good test centre!
The only other choice for me would of been Patrick Green, Leeds… So i took the leisurly strole around the country roads rather than city centre! 
Please be cautious when stating test pass rates.
Are these first time pass rates or total pass rates 
I think you can never look at pass rates cos not be funny but its not the instructor doing the test is you,your ability is been tested, your nerves being tested to the extreme, your trainer provides you with the knowledge to pass the test on the day, and it then you put what your trainer as trained you to practice.
a trainer could be the best in the business, and have a bad pass rate, but your the one that give him/her the pass rate
and personally i don’t think any good instructor really bothers with pass rates there would be more happy having the big smile on your face than any pass rates
ROG:
Please be cautious when stating test pass rates.
Are these first time pass rates or total pass rates
I think the test centre is 51% as in like a 51% chance of passing whichever test it is you do, whereas my training school had a 70% first time pass! Which is REALLY good. apparently.