Welcome to Mark Carroll Driving School

Serving Lougborough, West Bridgford and the surrounding area with a professional and reliable service offering full support to our students to allow them not only to pass both their theory and practical tests but to drive with confidence beyond. Our aim is to promote road safety and defensive driving techniques to protect our students and all other road users throughout their driving lifetime.

Driving Lessons Update - June 2022

The price of driving lessons will have to increase from 1st July 2022. Unfortunately the increase in fuel costs has become too great to continue to absorb with passing some of that increase on. The standard hourly charge will be £38/hour from July the first. Full pricing information is available here.

Driving test wait times are still excessively long, approximately 6 months in most test centres. We are still not seeing any real increase in examiner numbers at local test centres, and have seen a reduction in Loughborough.

Finding cancellations for practical tests may prove harder as the DVSA has started to clamp down on Test Cancellation Apps using 'Botts' and unscrupulous websites offering tests at inflated prices using fake ADI accounts.

Evening lessons are still busy and there will be a long wait for anyone wanting lessons after school or work.

In preparation for driving lessons it would be advantageous to start studying for your theory test as early as possible. Even if whilst waiting to start you could pass your theory test it will make getting a practical test slot at the right time evebn easier. There is alink to Theory Test Pro in the side bar and is free to use through a browser for all our pupils.

Why choose Mark Carroll Driving School?

Choosing the right driving instructor for you is a big decision. Obviously price is a big factor, however so is what the instructor has to offer in the way of support and flexibility, please take the time to read the reviews written by our former pupils. We offer friendly and relaxed lessons adapting our coaching to suit your own individual learning style and pace of learning. Our lessons are designed to prepare you for driving for the rest of your life, not just for passing your driving test. During lessons we will look to make sure that you put fuel in the car, visit a drive through restaurant, multi-storey car park and have a significant dual carriageway driving lesson. Additionally you will have the opportunity to plan a route to places that you may need to travel to, use a satellite navigation system, and have your parents join us in the car to aid your driving practice with them. With prior arrangement we can start and end your lessons in different places to suit your day's plans. We provide free on line theory training, and full support to ensure that you can pass the theory test as well as the practical test. If you want to find out more read the reviews posted by our former pupils and call us today, it could be the best call you make.

Downloads

Learner Drivers on Motorways

We are continuing to incorporate motorway driving as part of our normal driving lesson plans. All learner drivers are able to drive on a motorway under the following conditions:

Learner drivers will need to be:

accompanied by an approved driving instructor
driving a car fitted with dual controls

Motorway lessons will remain voluntary with the driving instructor deciding when the learner driver is competent enough to have motorway lessons.

Full details can be found HERE.

The Driving Test has Changed

The Driving Test changed from Monday 4th December.

Whats changed?

Independent Driving: The independent driving section of the test is increasing from 10 minutes to 20 minutes and during most tests will involve using a satnav.This should include more higher speed roads and fewer housing estates.

Manoeuvres: Out go the turn in the road and reverse around corner to be replaced by forwards bay parking and reversing out and pull;ing up on the right side of the road and reversing before pulling off.

Show Me, Tell Me Questions: Rather than both questions being asked at the start of the test, one tell me question will be asked before the test commences and the show me question will be asked during the driving section of the test. The Q&A's can be found on the Downloads page of this website.

You can view videos explaining the changes on the Vehicle and Driver Standards Agency YouTube channel here.

Proud to Sponsor West Bridgford Hockey Club Mens 2nd Xl

Our Latest Successes:

Anna Goodenough passed her test 15th June 2022

Hannah Round passed her test 8th June 2022

Aimee Lloyd passed her test 6th June 2022

See more successes

Featured Reviews:

Hasnain Kapasi - East Leake

Hasnain Kapasi recommends Mark Carroll Driving School.

12 November at 15:07

Fantastic instructor, taught me everything I needed to know and tons more. He's a friendly guy whose really helpful. Would definitely recommend ?

Poppy Priestley - Thrumpton

Poppy Priestley recommends Mark Carroll Driving School.

29 April

Mark is an amazing instructor! If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have had the confidence to pass! His funny sense of humour put me at ease the second I met him on my first lesson. I can’t recommend him enough! Thank you so much for your help Mark!

Xander Purcell - Radcliffe on Trent

Xander Purcell recommends Mark Carroll Driving School.

6th March 2018

Mark was very good with helping me get ready for my test. Made me feel confident to drive and now feel that I can drive by myself confidently. He is very good with confident and non-confident drivers and will be patient to help you pass. Cheers Mark

Leah Peters - East Leake

Leah Peters recommends Mark Carroll Driving School.

1st March 2019

I’ve always struggled with my confidence and my nerves but mark really helped me and made me feel so comfortable, he was patient and taught me really well, I only had around 20 lessons with him and in that time he managed to help me pass my test and now I feel so comfortable to go out and drive anywhere. I would recommend him to anyone I know?

Katie Davidson - East Leake

Katie Dee recommends Mark Carroll Driving School.

I had previous experience in driving lessons (not very confident at all) and then had a long gap. From the start I was very anxious and Mark was incredibly understanding and knew how to push me to get my driving up to scratch! He’s very experienced, honest and friendly which has played a big part in how I have progressed. He worked around my shift work very well and was very flexible. He provided all of the resources needed to pass both my theory and today my practical test both first time! Very happy to say that I passed with only 4 minors today and it is because of Mark who has always encouraged me to be confident. Thank you so much! Would highly highly recommend!

Kirsty Ranson - Woollaton

Kirsty Ranson recommends

Mark Carroll Driving School.

23rd August 2018

Cannot recommend Mark enough! I started lessons with Mark as a nervous/unconfident driver, partially due to my previous instructor failing to teach me how to use a brake in 10 hours of lessons(!!). Despite me being out of my comfort zone, Mark made me feel at ease with lots of reassurance and a brilliant sense of humour from the very first lesson. I enjoyed how Mark allowed me to choose the lesson content, as it meant he could help me more with the areas I found most difficult. I greatly appreciate how Mark put up with my perfectionism, which ended up being my main problem with learning to drive! Once this was overcome, I became a much more confident driver, and passed my test all thanks to Mark!
I highly recommend him to anyone looking to have driving lessons, no matter what experience or ability?

Sophie Robinson - Costock

Sophie Robinson reviewed

Mark Carroll Driving School – 5*

- 21st May 2018 -5 star

-·

Highly recommend Mark if you’re looking for a driving instructor. After my old one not teaching me anything, Mark was happy to help and I learnt something new each lesson and eventually passed my test first time! Thankyou for all your help Mark

Megan Cox - Castle Donington

Megan Cox reviewed

Mark Carroll Driving School – 5*

- 2nd May 2018

5 star

After failing a test and having a bad experience with a driving instructor, I completely - pardon the pun - wrote-off driving three years ago. I was a nervous wreck and the thought of getting behind the wheel made me want to have a panic attack. For some reason, I decided to give this driving lark another go last year and heard from a family friend that Mark was pretty good. I clicked with Mark from the very first lesson and soon found out he's definitely more than 'pretty good'. Mark understood my anxieties, he put me at ease and he made me laugh - a lot! Three years ago I would have told you I'm never going to drive. Last Friday I passed my test and now I can not only drive, but I can drive confidently. I can't thank you enough Mark and I definitely recommend him to anyone thinking about driving or getting back into driving.