HGV Training in Guildford

Excluding "approved customer sites" If you reside in Surrey and you’re planning to get your lorry licence then you will no doubt take your driving test in Guildford. Excluding “approved customer sites” there are no other driving test centres in Surrey that will provide HGV driving examinations.

Driving Test Centre in Guildford, Surrey

The driving test centre in Guildford, Surrey undertakes in excess of 1,500 HGV driving test every year and is regarded as one of the largest centres in the UK. It also provides its own in house training for those gaining the qualification to become HGV driving examiners.

The Guildford driving test centre is situated on the Slyfield Industrial Estate, GU1 1SA. It’s a busy driving test centre as it also conducts Initial Driver CPC Module 4 car, motorbike and bus driving assessments.

Since the removal of the need to pass a driving test to tow a trailer over 750 KGS even more vocational driving tests are now available in Guildford.  Which is great news as the county is current in very short supply of lorry drivers including the Surrey area.

Overview of Guildford Test Centre

Guildford is a very large town with a great number of roads that cover a wide variety of traffic conditions. There are also, for example many small villages like Chilworth and Albury and adjoining towns like Woking and Aldershot that are covered as part of the Guildford HGV test route area.

For Lorries there are up to 15 different driving test routes running from the Slyfield location each with their own trials and tribulations. So if you are going to take your HGV driving test in Guilford, Surrey you must be suitably prepared to pass in that area otherwise you may find it more a struggle.

Local knowledge is essential therefore signing up with a great regional HGV training company will pay dividends.

EP Training: A Local Option

EP Training has been providing expert HGV driver tuition in Surrey for over 40 years. They only use the Guildford driving test centre so all your driver tuition will be conducted in and around the Guildford and Woking area. If you live or work in either towns then chances are you have seen one or two of EP’s training vehicles around.  

Local Observations on Guildford Test Routes

Below are some local observations on some of the Guildford test routes and areas you may experience.

As you will commence your driving evaluation from Slyfield Industrial estate, Guildford, when you leave the test centre and drive to the end of Moorefield Road you will either turn right or left at the lights. Turning right will take you towards Woking and it’s a 40 mph limit, whereas turning left will take you towards Woking and that’s a 30.

Heading towards Guildford Town centre and then the Stoke crossroads may mean having to deal with a timed bus lane. After 10 am and before 4 pm that dedicated passenger carrying vehicle lane can be used by all types of vehicles, including your truck. So be prepared to use it! Not using a bus lane when you should maybe regarded as a serious and could result in a failure.

Heading towards Woking and you may drive your lorry through Old Woking, St Johns, Maybury, Chobham and even Pirbright. Woking town centre has undergone quite a transformation and that includes the roads so be aware of road layout changes, especially near the Peacocks Shopping centre.

The independent drive is where the examiner asks you to follow a route rather than give you constant instruction. This part lasts about 10 minutes and could well cover following routes / signs to Horsham using the A281 or another popular choice is Bagshot A322. Both options require good lane discipline and reading the signs ahead. Your instructor will show you how to master these local routes.

No motorways form any part of the Guildford test area however you may be required to drive on the A3, either North or Southbound of Guildford. This dual carriageway takes up 3 lanes and feel likes driving on the motorway. Nothing too much to worry about other than staying in the left hand lane and making good progress.

West Clandon does have some tricky pinch points so you may have to stop the vehicle if other large vehicles are coming your way. In two places along this road it’s just not big or safe enough for two large vehicles to pass each other at the same time.

Old Woking has a Stop sign and this has caught many out over the years as they have failed to actually bring the truck to a complete halt. It’s recommend here that you stop and apply the handbrake therefore confirming the truck is stationary.

Fox Corner, near Pirbright will only be covered if you are testing in a C1, rigid cat C vehicle and not an artic CE vehicle as its too tight for the big trucks! It’s a 90 degree turn to the left on a road that is narrow with oncoming traffic.

You’ve got to take this slow, be prepared to stop and use excellent observation and planning skills.

As you leave or return to Guildford you may be lucky enough to cover Newlands Corner which is a location of outstanding beauty and the view is amazing. However you will be too busy reading the road ahead as it’s a steep incline and decline either way with some tight bends to navigate your way through. They do have a very nice café where you’re driving instructor could take you for a cuppa. But not in the artics!

Sutton Green is very rural so most of the traffic is permitted to travel at 40 miles per hour but beware there are a few bends where the advisory speed should be no more than 20 mph.

Interesting Facts About Guildford DVSA Test Centre

An interesting fact about Guildford DVSA test centre is it has more roundabouts than any other driving test centre in the UK so be prepare to get in the correct lane!.

The above are just some of the examples of the possible areas and routes you may be required to drive through as part of your assessment, driving test when departing from Guildford. Your driving test (3b) from The DVSA centre in Guildford, will last 60 minutes. That’s the driving forward part and does not include the reversing maneuvers (module 3a) which will conducted before the driving forward part (module 3b) by your training company.

With the new government changes allowing candidates to go straight to artic without the need to get HGV cat C first, students will need to be even more on their game when it comes to achieving that result. Especially when mastering the roads in Guildford and the surrounding areas. For more advice on getting qualified as an HGV driver visit EP Training website or call 01372 450 800.

Share this