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)
The green light has been given for a brand-new pavilion to be built outside the Corn Exchange in Leeds city centre.
Yesterday, Tuesday 31 March, the planning committee of Leeds City Council officially gave the green light to plans submitted by CX Leeds Ltd.
These include plans to build a pavilion outside the Corn Exchange, one of Leeds' most iconic city centre landmarks.
The new building will go where that rather underwhelming patch of astroturf currently lays, in front of the Cornucopia mural and next to the bus shelter.
It lies between New Market Street and Crown Street.
DEN Architecture state that the materials selected will create an intriguing single-storey structure that compliments the surrounding area.
They stated: “The scale of the building and roof form of the proposal pays tribute to the previous tram and bus shelters that once occupied the site.
"While retaining the appropriately subservient nature of any new building in close proximity to the Corn Exchange. This will also provide greater visibility of the Cornucopia Mural.
“The building has been designed following extensive and thorough analysis, with a clear understanding of the built environment and the area’s historic significance.”
It's not yet been decided upon what the building's use will be, although Leeds city council suggests it could be used for "outdoor functions, shops and cafes".
When first put forward to the council back in December 2024, the plans were met with three objections from the public.
So, what would you like to see go into this new space?
A boutique house and disco music festival is coming to the grounds of Harewood House this summer
Clementine Hall
After welcoming around 4,500 attendees in its first year, the intimate house and disco festival is coming back.
Goodlife, held in the beautiful grounds of Harewood House, has fast established itself as one of the region’s most exciting new music events.
After its huge success last year, Goodlife will be back this year even bigger and better than before with a capacity ready to welcome 12,000 festival-goers.
The festival will take place on Saturday 6 June, and the lineup is already stacked.
The Main Stage will host an incredible line up of house music heavyweights including Armand Van Helden, Groove Armada, Alison Limerick, Roger Sanchez and Inner City (Live).
The Downtown Disco Stage will once again bring its signature blend of soulful house to the fields of Harewood House with artists announced including The Shapeshifters, Craig Charles, Michael Gray and Ian Ossia.
This year sees a brand-new stage being thrown into the mix called The Goodlife Tavern that will celebrate Yorkshire’s thriving DJ scene, showcasing local artists and shining a spotlight on regional talent.
Artists performing at The Goodlife Tavern will include Darren Cross, Smudged Soul, Alex Malam, Emiiyuu, Kavita, PJ Gardner and Lee Wright.
Liam Hardy, co-founder of New Vision Events, said: "The response to Goodlife’s first year was incredible and we’ve been stunned by the extremely high demand for tickets for this years’ event so far. We always believed there was room for a dedicated house and disco festival in the region, but the atmosphere and support from the crowd last year completely exceeded our expectations.
“For 2026 we wanted to take things up a notch and create something even better. Introducing a third stage allows us to bring more artists to the festival and showcase some amazing local talent, while the increased capacity means even more people can enjoy the Goodlife experience."
Goodlife Festival takes place on Saturday 6 June and you can buy your tickets here.
The Hoot -
16th February 2023 
