Leeds was found to be the city with the joint lowest pass rate for driving tests.
There's nothing quite like sitting your driving test. The shaky hands clutching on to 10 and 2 for dear life as you attempt three point turns whilst an instructor looks out for every mistake you could possibly make.
And whilst there's nothing like that euphoric feeling when you reach the end with a certificate in hand, it's certainly not an easy process.
For those sitting their test this month, car insurance searcher Compare The Market has revealed that this is actually the most promising month for hopeful future drivers, as it has the highest pass rate month of the year.
February has the highest pass rate of the year. / Image: Unsplash
Coming in with a 51.4% pass rate, February is officially the month learners are most likely to pass their test, followed by the spring months of April, March and May, which come with a pass rate between 49.3% and 50.9%.
Rank
Month
Pass rate (%)
1
February
51.4%
2
April
50.9%
3
March
50.4%
4
May
49.3%
5
July
49.1%
6
June
48.3%
7
August
48.1%
8
January
47.9%
9
September
47.1%
10
October
47%
11
November
46.8%
11
December
46.8%
Table: Comparethemarket
When considering the road conditions in the winter months, the study seems to make sense.
To come up with this list, the study used government driving test statistics from January 2017 - April 2022, before analysing the most popular cities for high pass rates.
However, the overall pass rate did vary between cities.
Leeds pass rate sits at 39%, according to the study. / Image: Unsplash
The city most likely to find a pass at the end of their driving test was found to be Cardiff with a 55% pass rate, closely followed by Bristol, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Manchester.
Leeds sits in joint last place of the studied cities, with a pass rate of 39%.
Rank
City
Pass rate
1
Cardiff
57%
2
Bristol
55%
3
Edinburgh
51%
4
Nottingham
49%
5
Manchester
46%
6
Sunderland
45%
6
London
45%
7
Sheffield
44%
8
Glasgow
43%
9
Coventry
42%
9
Liverpool
42%
9
Stoke-on-Trent
42%
10
Leicester
41%
11
Birmingham
39%
11
Leeds
39%
Table: Compare The Market
In some parts of the country, driving test wait times are as long as six months (still), and so the study notes there's more pressure for learner drivers to pass first time.
So what can be done to ensure that you can swap that red learner plate for a green one?
Gary Warrington, a Grade A driving instructor, revealed his expert tips on passing in winter:
Practice when the weather conditions aren’t perfect
Always allow plenty of space from the vehicles ahead of you
Make sure you know how to switch on the headlights and wipers of the vehicle you’re driving while remaining in full control
Never start driving with a misted-up front or rear windscreen – learn how to operate the controls to clear them and wait until you have full visibility before setting off (this is also important when sitting your test)
A £1.6m grant has been given by the government to Leeds City Council to help tackle rough sleeping.
The funding has been allocated to Leeds City Council as part of the Government’s national Rough Sleeping Programme.
The overall target is to help rough sleepovers off the streets by Christmas through providing safe accommodation.
The council have said that voluntary organisations and charities will be able to help them reach this target.
The council report said: "This funding will be used for immediate interventions to ensure all those rough sleeping have an offer of accommodation by Christmas and support longer term sustainment of accommodation.
“The initial target is to provide a suitable offer of accommodation for everyone who is rough sleeping by Christmas 2026.
“Providing a path into supported accommodation and independent living is the key objective and sustaining this independent living with, where necessary, ongoing support to prevent any return to rough sleeping and homelessness.”
The government announcement spoke of the scheme: "The programme is intended to support people experiencing rough sleeping.
"People experiencing rough sleeping may have differing entitlements to housing and support depending on their individual circumstances, including their immigration status and eligibility for public funds."
The funding is intended to help provide immediate support for people currently sleeping on the streets, while also helping them access longer-term accommodation and the support needed to maintain independent living.
By working with local charities and voluntary organisations, the council hopes to ensure people are not only offered a place to stay but are also given the help they need to avoid returning to the streets.
M&S launches massive recruitment drive in Leeds with hundreds of jobs available
Emily Sergeant
M&S has launched a massive recruitment drive across Yorkshire.
With the festive season fast approaching, and most British stores having already unveiled their Christmas ranges for 2026, one of the country’s largest brands has launched a massive UK-wide seasonal recruitment drives to gear up for what is always one of the busiest times of the year for the retail industry.
M&S has announced it will recruit for plenty of new colleagues across the UK.
As mentioned Christmas is one of the busiest moments of the year for M&S, and seasonal colleagues play a ‘vital’ part in delivering that.
Image: Supplied
New recruits will be tasked with helping M&S deliver a ‘brilliant’ service for customers.
Stores with vacancies span the whole of Leeds - including city centre, Moortown, Crown Point, White Rose Shopping Centre and Pudsey.
M&S says the roles are ‘fast-moving and hands-on’, with colleagues required to work together to make sure customers still get the very best of M&S, even at its busiest.
The roles will pay £13.41 per hour, with successful applicants receiving the training, tools and support needed to get up to speed quickly.
“We can’t wait to welcome over 300 new colleagues to our store teams here in Greater Manchester,” commented Zeba Khan, who is the Regional Manager at M&S.
“As we get ready for our busiest time of year, it’s a great opportunity to join us and help bring a magical M&S Christmas to our customers.
“We have a range of opportunities available, whether joining our city centre flagship or our fresh market-style foodhalls. We’re looking for colleagues who are passionate about delivering great customer service and being part of a team.”
Fancy it then? Applications are now open, and you can find out more and apply on the M&S Christmas careers page here.
The Hoot -
16th February 2023 
