October 13 2010 - The cost to learner drivers for an hour’s lesson varies across the UK by more than £26, with lessons in Scotland being the most expensive, according to an online survey by Yell.com and Ipsos MORI*.

The poll of driving school advertisers found that hourly lesson rates in either a manual or automatic car in the UK, start as low as £7.50 and go right up to £34, with the average in the UK being £22.30.

According to DirectGov statistics**, the average learner driver needs a whopping 45 hours of professional training to pass. This means that based on the Yell.com survey, the average cost of learning to drive in the UK is an incredible £1,004.

In Scotland, the average cost per lesson is £24.03, making the total cost of taking lessons an eye-watering £1,081.

 

 According to the poll, Welsh learner drivers get the best deal, with the average hourly rate of manual or automatic lessons in Wales being £19.99 and the overall cost of becoming road-ready therefore being £899.55.

 The costs don’t end once you have your full licence. If you purchase a car, expenditure continues to soar with vehicle running and maintenance costs. Yell.com also questioned its advertisers providing car servicing and repairs.

 The survey found that the UK average price for an interim service (6000 miles) for a Ford Focus or similar petrol car is £79, with the lowest price starting at £20 and the highest costing £200. For a full service, the UK average price is £141, with the lowest starting at £35, rising right up to £375.

 James Wallace, a resident expert on driving and cars for Yell.com’s motoring site, said: “I’m incredibly surprised that the cost of lessons can vary so greatly but as learning to drive with siblings, spouses or relatives can result in unintentional bad habits that can mean the difference between passing and failing, it’s best to shop around and go with the pros.”

 Nick Haworth, head of content for Yell.com, said: “It’s scary enough getting behind the wheel for the first time and can be terrifying when you add up the cost of driving lessons. It can really pay to shop around online - look for special offers, videos of teaching style or particular areas of expertise, for example for nervous drivers.”

 -Ends-

 

For further information please contact:

Yell

Demelza Fryer-Saxby

Tel: 0118 3582977

Mobile: 0783 4893174

demelza.fryer-saxby[at]yellgroup[dot]com

 

Notes to editors:

*The Yell.com Ipsos MORI data is based on online interviews conducted between 10th May and 7th June 2010. 604 interviews were conducted amongst the ‘Driving Schools’ sector and 239 interviews for ‘Car Servicing and Repair’.

 

** According to DirectGov’s learner drivers website, statistics show that the average number of professional lessons needed to pass a driving test is 45. Yell.com and Ipsos MORI poll data shows that:

National - Average cost of a driving lesson is £22.30, total cost of learning to drive is £1,004

Scotland - Average cost of a driving lesson is £24.03, total cost of learning to drive is £1,081 – highest in the UK

South East - Average cost of a driving lesson is £23.01, total cost of learning to drive is £1,035

East Anglia - Average cost of a driving lesson is £22.81, total cost of learning to drive is £1,026

South West - Average cost of a driving lesson is £22.74, total cost of learning to drive is £1,023

Northern Ireland - Average cost of a driving lesson is £22.16, total cost of learning to drive is £997

Greater London - Average cost of a driving lesson is £22.07, total cost of learning to drive is £993

North West - Average cost of a driving lesson is £21.98, total cost of learning to drive is £989

West Midlands - Average cost of a driving lesson is £21.58, total cost of learning to drive is £971

East Midlands - Average cost of a driving lesson is £21.48, total cost of learning to drive is £967

Yorkshire the Humberside - Average cost of a driving lesson is £21.04, total cost of learning to drive is £947

North East - Average cost of a driving lesson is £20.11, total cost of learning to drive is £905

Wales - Average cost of a driving lesson is £19.99, total cost of learning to drive is £900 – lowest in the UK

 

Yell.com

Launched in 1996, Yell.com is the UK’s local business search engine and a major online advertising medium for small and medium sized enterprises. Yell.com provides consumers with a direct and effective route to finding a business or service online using keyword, type of business, or company name and location as search criteria. Consumers can review relevant search results and quickly determine the right business for their needs based on detailed advertiser information and rich, vertical content to better help them make a decision. Yell.com’s up to date, comprehensive and trusted database of over two million UK business listings including 195,000 searchable advertisers (June 2010) can be accessed via the web site (www.yell.com), through web browsers on all mobile phones and a downloadable application available on a wide range of mobile devices. Yell.com also provides sophisticated, zoom-enabled maps to help consumers locate its SME advertisers, and provides other features such as walking and driving directions, closest car parks and street views.

Yell.com is part of Yell, a leading international directories business operating in classified advertising markets in the UK, US, Spain and Latin America through printed, online and telephone-based media. Yell’s principal brands include: in the UK, Yellow Pages, Yell.com and 118 24 7; in the US, Yellow Book and Yellowbook.com; and in Spain, Paginas Amarillas and PaginasAmarillas.es. All these brands are trademarks. www.yellgroup.com

 

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Distributed on behalf of Yell.com by NeonDrum news distribution service (http://www.neondrum.com)