Shropshire M-way learners make motoring history
Two Shropshire teenagers were among the first learner drivers in the country to take a lesson on a motorway following changes to the law.
Molly Chapman and Will Morgan, both 17, both took to the M54 as part of their driving lessons yesterday, within hours of the new laws coming into force.
Until yesterday drivers were not allowed on the motorway until they had passed their test.
Molly, who lives in Kemberton, and Will, from Norton, near Shifnal, are both pupils of Telford-based instructor Chris Blake.
Molly, a pupil at Adams Grammar School in Newport, said she was a little nervous beforehand, but thought it was definitely a beneficial experience.
She said: "I found it quite exciting, I really enjoyed it.
"I was quite familiar with the dual carriageways, and it wasn't that different. I have done 60mph on a dual carriageway, so it was just a little bit quicker.
"I was a little bit nervous, but I was confident in my own driving, in my ability, and having Chris with me helped a lot.
"I do think it's a good idea, because when you have passed your test you can just go on the motorway, and it is more easy to do this for the first time if you have got your instructor there."
Molly, who is due to sit her test at the end of July, said the main difference was that everything happened a little bit faster on the motorway, requiring a slightly higher level of concentration.
The new regulations mean that learner drivers can get experience on the motorway before they sit their test providing they are accompanied by a registered driving instructor and in a dual control car.
Mr Blake said both pupils coped well on the motorway, despite doing so in heavy early morning traffic.
He said learners in the Telford area were at an advantage due to the large number of dual carriageways in the area.
"If it was in Wolverhampton it would be very different as there are no dual carriageways with slip roads," said Mr Blake.
"With Molly, we were able to go up to Junction 7 and turn back, both Molly and Will coped with it well."
Mr Blake said the motorway sessions were strictly optional, and pupils were not required to drive on motorways if they did not wish to.
But he said he thought it was highly beneficial to his pupils, and thought most of them should take advantage of the opportunity.
"I think anyone would be a fool if they didn't take advantage of it," he said.
"Anyone can go straight onto the motorway once they have passed their test, but if they have not driven on the motorway before there is always the risk that they might stop and panic and cause a pile-up."
