Anglia School of Motoring provides driving lessons in Smethwick and surrounding areas within Sandwell including Rood End, Londonderry and French Walls. Smethwick is primarily a residential area with an industrial estate in neighbouring Winson Green.
Learning to drive in Smethwick FAQs
How much are your driving lessons?
Please visit our price page.
What cars do you provide?
We offer:
- Female driving instructor with 34 years experience in a Toyota Yaris petrol car with manual transmission.
- Male driving instructor with 36 years experience in a VW Up petrol car with manual transmission.
Do you offer automatic tuition?
We only offer automatic driving lessons in your own car. We are also legally required to check you have fully comprehensive motor insurance.
What can beginners expect?
There is a housing estate on Hugh Road, which is accessed from Holly Lane by West Smethwick Park. This is an ideal location for beginner drivers to start learning. Here you will practice moving off and stopping, angle starts, hill starts, steering control around bends, left and right turns and emergency stops.
Another suitable area is the housing estate close to Harry Mitchell Leisure Centre along Vicarage Road close to Smethwick fire station. There are plenty of suitable roads for turning left and right and everything else as detailed above.
Smethwick has many residential areas, steep uphill and downhill roads, one-way streets, mini roundabouts, pedestrian crossings and crossroads. You will tackle all this once you are confident with the controls of the car.
What can advanced learners expect?
Smethwick High Street was recently converted into a one-way street. We have witnessed many experienced drivers trying to turn the wrong way from the junction with Stony Lane. This highlights why it’s important to read the road signs well in advance and give the correct signal. Road signs and road markings can change overnight due to many reasons and it’s important you do not become complacent.
Cheshire Road is particularly challenging because it is an extremely tight road with parked cars on both sides where you will learn how to meet opposing traffic safely whilst constantly applying the MSM PSL routine. Having said that, we will find many other roads in Smethwick with parked cars everywhere.
Many drivers get caught out moving towards and across the traffic lights into Crocketts Lane There is a no entry sign straight ahead so you have to follow the road to the left whereas we have seen people continue into a no entry road.
The dual carriageway network which carries a lot of traffic out of Birmingham to the Black Country runs through Smethwick enabling you to practice variable speed limits and large busy roundabouts.
An added advantage for learner drivers living in Smethwick is that Birmingham city centre is close by, which means you can drive there and back during a lesson either reading the signs or following a sat nav.
Do you offer motorway lessons?
Yes, we offer motorway driving lessons. The closest motorway for learners living in Smethwick is the M5. You will access this motorway via the Junction 1 roundabout, which is reached using the A4182 dual carriageway called Kenrick Way.
On approach, we will stay in the left lane and take the first exit heading south along the M5. This is a very busy roundabout throughout the day and evening.
To complete a two-hour motorway lesson, we can head to Junction 9 before turning back.
As we head northbound back to Smethwick, we have to ensure the car is in the right lane at Junction 4A because the motorway divides. The M5 continues onwards to the right and the M42 slip road starts from the left.
After this junction, traffic leaving the M42 joins the M5 from the slip road on your left. If you plan well ahead and see a vehicle joining the motorway, it is good practice to check your mirrors, signal right and move when it is safe to the middle lane leaving the left lane free for joining traffic. It is important to read the road markings signs and plan well ahead.
Where can I take my practical driving test?
Kingstanding driving test centre is the nearest to Smethwick located nearly 6.5 miles away or you can use the Wednesbury test centre, which is 7.5 miles away.
Where can I take my theory test?
Birmingham theory test centre is the nearest to Smethwick located nearly 4 miles away or you can use the Dudley theory test centre, which is 6.5 miles away.
How do I apply for my provisional licence?
Check out our guide about how to apply for your provisional driving licence.
Book your driving lesson
“I was very nervous when I first started my driving lessons but Rita soon made me feel very comfortable and assured me that I would be safe and not worry about a thing. She is such a lovely person and very professional with a lot of attention to detail, very patient and doesn’t give you anything she thinks you can’t handle. After my first lesson, I knew she would be the instructor I would be happy to continue with and now I enjoy regular lessons with her.”
Driving instructor in Smethwick
Our driving instructors are extremely familiar with the layout of Smethwick, its traffic hotspots and specific locations to practice different manoeuvres. We offer the following:
- DBS checked instructors who follow strict coronavirus guidelines.
- We’ll pick you up and drop you off at a location of your choice, many of our student learners ask to be picked up at Shireland Collegiate Academy.
- We turn up on time and give you the full time you’ve paid for.
- You’ll get professional and patient tuition designed to keep you safe on the roads long after you pass your test.