Call for driving school ban in name of safety

10:22am Tuesday 21st March 2006

A PETITION is to be handed to Parliament calling for a new bill to be introduced banning driving schools from operating within enclosed estates.

The petition has been drawn up by residents of the Firs Estate in South Woodford, which has seen over 30 accidents involving learner drivers in the past four-and-a-half years.

Representatives from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) visited the Firs Estate on Tuesday, March 7, to see for themselves evidence of the numerous schools which use the estate daily.

A survey carried out last year revealed that on one day a total of 351 learner drivers were spotted using the estate in just 12 hours.

Now members of the DSA have advised residents to submit a petition to Parliament.

Eddie Blackwell, of Broadwalk, is now compiling evidence against the driving schools, including notes of drivers' appearances on the estate, newspaper clippings and photographs of accidents.

He has also visited every home on the estate around 1000 and distributed forms on which people can write their own opinions of the driving schools and send them to parliament.

It is expected that the petition will be handed into parliament next week.

It will remain in the House of Commons library where MPs will be able to look at it and sign if they agree with the wishes of the Firs Estate residents.