Migrating Brits leave driver awareness at the ports

WITH over 200,000 Brits emigrating every year, swapping English tea for sangria and BBQs on the beach, it seems that while people are clued up on the language and healthcare system of their new homeland, they’re forgetting one vital thing – the safety of driving in a new country.

The webuyanycar.com survey tested drivers’ understanding of a selection of commonly used road signs from the most popular emigration destinations including France, Australia and Canada. More than four out of ten drivers were unable to correctly identify the meaning of all of the signs. They also admitted to having appalling (30%) or hazy (42%) knowledge of foreign motor rules.

The most misunderstood signs, with up to 91% of drivers getting their meanings wrong, were:-

	Do not stop in the area between the signs
	Parking starts and ends
	Bus Stop
	Give way to all traffic on the roundabout and only go in a clockwise direction

Roads signs above are from Australia

Drivers attempted to defend their lack of knowledge by saying they don’t think it’s important to know the driving law and believe that because they drive every day in the UK, there isn’t any need to. Nearly one in five (19%) assumed most laws and road signs are the same in each country.

Worryingly, almost half (47%) said they would drive abroad without swotting up on the driving laws and road signs. This is despite an overwhelming 97% believing drivers are a danger on the roads if they can’t understand the signs and a further 98% saying people who emigrate have a responsibility to learn the new road laws.

When it comes to packing up and moving aboard, 62% said they would prioritise learning the new language, more than half (59%) would focus on a new job, 52% would find out about visas and a further half (50%) would look at the health care system. In addition, de-cluttering the home, sorting out a bank account and selling the house all ranked way above learning the road laws of the new country and selling the family car.

Jeremy Herbert, head of operations at webuyanycar.com said:- “Moving to another country is a life changing decision, so it’s no surprise that learning the new rules of the road is low down on the list of priorities. In addition, selling the family motor appeared ninth on the list of priorities of things to do before leaving and is often one of the last considerations. To help make selling a car simple and hassle-free, we can safely transfer money into the customer’s bank account on the same day they take the car to a branch to confirm its valuation.”

Top marks for adult learning

EDUCATION watchdogs have rated adult learning in Liverpool as ‘good’ and they’ve praised the huge strides made in turning it around.

The city council’s service has received a grade 2 (good) from Ofsted. It comes just five years after inspectors heavily criticised it, and gave it the lowest possible score of grade 4 (inadequate).

The praise from Ofsted is a remarkable turnaround and means the city’s 14,000 adult learners are now receiving a high quality service.

Inspectors highlight the important role the service is playing in improving the employability of local people. The report says:- “The provision is highly responsive to local needs and national priorities. Learners’ economic and social well-being is enhanced and they quickly gain confidence and good vocational skills.”

The service is also praised for strong partnerships with employers, which is enabling a large number of learners to gain work.

Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for employment and skills, Councillor Nick Small, is delighted with the Ofsted report. He said:- “Just a few years ago, adult education in this city was seen as inadequate, so this is a fantastic achievement. It’s testament to the huge improvements we’ve made in the service. The city council is committed to improving job and training opportunities for local people and giving every single one of our residents the chance to succeed in life. High quality adult learning services are a vital part of that aim. All the work we do is about raising people’s aspirations and confidence, teaching them new skills and breaking down barriers to learning. By unlocking people’s full potential and improving their employability, we can build a brighter, more prosperous future for Liverpool, in tough economic times.  I’d like to congratulate the adult learning team and all our community learning partners for their hard work, and I’m delighted our efforts have been recognised by Ofsted. Although there’s still much to achieve, it shows we are heading in the right direction in our aims to provide outstanding adult learning services across the board.”

Major success stories highlighted by Ofsted include qualification rates for literacy, numeracy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), which improved from 68 per cent in 2007/8 to 86 per cent in 2008/9, much higher than the national average of 75 per cent

Also highlighted is ‘Train to Gain’. The service, which gives employees the chance to increase their skills through off-the-job training – is described as ‘very good’.

The report goes on to praise teaching and learning across the city, with tutors ‘using a wide range of activities to engage learners’ and ‘providing a relaxed, supportive atmosphere’ which ‘allows learners to flourish’.

The quality of courses leading to accredited qualifications is described as good, while the city is praised for good promotion of equality and diversity and recruiting under-represented groups. The report says:- "Learners from minority ethnic groups, those with disabilities and those achieving additional learning support achieve well."

Inspectors also praise the service for providing ‘good value for money’ and say it demonstrates a good capacity to improve, with ‘a clear focus on improving success rates.’

Liverpool has more than 14,000 adult learners, with one in five from an ethnic minority background and one in ten with a disability.

The city council’s Adult Learning Service has four main centres - two in the north of the city and two in the south – together with community venues across the city. They provide a wide range of adult education, including ICT, literacy, history, numeracy, creative arts and design, construction, film production, finance and British sign language.

Food For Thought - The B5195 40mph Puzzle

WE have not had any odd or funny news as of late, mainly as we have not had time... So with thought we would make up for this and as you all for some ideas... The Turnpike Road (B5195) known to most as the Formby to Ormskirk road has got some some of our many readers and our selves puzzled for some time now. The junction to a housing estate, built a few years, on a new road called Hill Rise View, joins the often very busy route. This route, the B5195 is a major road for the area and used by all sizes and shapes of vehicles from tractors to cars, from vans to lorries. Even if it is not reflected in the B road status, this road is a vital link for people in the area, especially as Ormskirk has the nearest Children's Hospital. So it comes as a surprise to many motorists that their is a 40mph speed limit on a section of road that has not one, but two speed calming measures on it! Yes the Ormskirk end of the B5195 is 40mph, yet it as a mini roundabout and a chicane. It is even more surprising when you think that chicanes, are features are used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars! So if any of our readers can tell us why they have not dropped the speed limit, please do let us know. If we do get the information, we will then pass this information on to you all... If you spot any odd things like this over the summer on Merseyside or on any of the major or minor roads that connect our area to to rest of the UK, please do let us know!  Email us to news24@southportreporter.com and if you send us pictures, do not forget to tell us your name!

What's that we see?

Lost in the bush, yep a 40mph road sign... Followed by a warning to slow down within about 3 meters!

Don't just take are pictures for it... See Google Map.