I had a look at the stats for various test centres. I took my test in Wrexham and their pass rate stands at 37. something % which is low compared with other test centres which average roughly 50%. Does that mean that the examiners at this centre are more difficult to please, the test routes are harder or the driver candidates are’nt upto it. Surely all centres across the land should be failing/passing at a similar rate. Anyone got any ideas■■?
Tigger 1
I can honestly say mate that when i took my trailer licence for cars (B+E) it was a lot more stressful simply because of the examiner that i had at Watnall Test Centre. He wouldnt talk, moaned that i hadnt had enough training on return but still passed me… 
I took my Class C at Swynnerton Test Centre and the bloke was ace, no pressure, was quite happy to chat to you and yes i made a few minor mistakes and i was trying to add them up as i went along but ■■■■ sure i made more than the 5 minors i actually got in the end! I think a lot of it is, if your confident in what you do, dont look panicked and you are able to hold a small conversation im sure it all helps the examiner to see your in control and feel comfortable.
Just my experience though 
Here is a link to the DSA website. You can download a list of all test centre pass rates from 01/04/2009 to 31/03/2010
look at ps mansfield on list,is this peter smythe? certainly tallies with his pass rate and he is not closed if i read it right!!!
carlclay:
look at ps mansfield on list,is this peter smythe? certainly tallies with his pass rate and he is not closed if i read it right!!!
i called him(peter smythe) a couple of days ago so he definitely isn’t closed and the link doesn’t tally with dsa’s own figures. see enfield, purfleet, colchester
and yeading in particular.
dft.gov.uk/dsa/AtoZservices_ … &TypeID=17
p.s. i read somewhere (possibly peter smythe’s website) his pass rate was 63%
I would say that the local trainers would have the biggest say in the pass rate for a test centre. If the local trainers are no good then they will bring the pass rates down
burnie1:
I would say that the local trainers would have the biggest say in the pass rate for a test centre. If the local trainers are no good then they will bring the pass rates down
this obviously isn’t true.
all one, has to do is see how the test gets more expensive with each passing year. theory test, hazard perception test (no difference in the pcv, lgv or car HZ test!) with seperate categories for each and of course retest fees.
failing people is more profitable than passing them
I have to say that I deserved to fail on my first test having found a kerb that was significantly higher than the road. As I have said I have now passed so I can put my first test to bed and look forward. However, I can’t blame my instructor for my lapse, it was me who c_cked it up and I deserved what I got. But given that I went on a different route on my second test which I would say had less driving in a built up area than the first test, was this route easier than the first route■■? As I have stated there shouldn’t be a huge discrepancy in % terms for pass/fail rates from one test centre to the next. Both my tests were booked for 08.45 am and throughout the tests the vehicle was being driven for approximately 85% of the time the remaining 15% was for stops requested by the examiner and whilst I was waiting at junctions/traffic lights. Could it be then that tests carried out in busier traffic areas mean that the truck is only being driven for say 65% of the time and therefore less driving means less time to make mistakes. Alternatively, the examiners are more stringent in their approach at Wrexham, or the routes are more difficult. Does the DSA look a the stats cause in my view there is something a miss.
Tigger 1
I did say Wrexham was 37%. My mistake its 39.7% pass rate. It looks like Chelmsford is another Test Centre where its difficult to pass. But best of all and it seems to me that I’m going to book my C+E test in Lerwick with a pass rate of 91%.
Tigger 1