Diamond Driver Training

Professional driver training in Newark

Diamond Driver Training is a family-run business with over 18 years of experience dedicated to the training and assessment of professional drivers. Its training centre is located in Newark, Nottinghamshire, next to Newark Showground, and operates as a DVSA-authorised test centre, which means the practical test is conducted from its own premises with a DVSA examiner, with no need to travel to another centre.

The company presents itself as a specialist in driver training in the East Midlands and states that in 2020 it received the award for Best Vocational Driver Training Specialists in the East Midlands, presented at the SME Midlands Enterprise Awards.

Courses and training categories

The course catalogue covers the main categories of heavy and towing vehicles:

• B+E: car and trailer training and handling, with trailer health and safety courses and caravan towing lessons.
• C1 (7.5 tonnes) and C1+E (7.5 tonnes with trailer): preparation and test for vehicles such as horseboxes, ambulances or large motorhomes.
• Category C (class 2, rigid) and CE (class 1, articulated): training and test, with the option of direct access to CE or upgrading from category C.
• Company driver assessments and fleet training, including employer duty of care courses and post-incident driver development.
• Initial and periodic Driver CPC qualification.

The company also offers free mock theory tests and training programmes tailored to the needs of individuals or companies.

Geographic coverage and student profile

The business operates in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, with students travelling from different parts of the country. The centre's location, just off the A1 at Newark, allows it to serve areas such as Chesterfield, Sheffield, Rotherham, Mansfield, Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, Grantham and surrounding areas.

Pass rate and comparative data

The company highlights a pass rate of 74.1%, which is around 20 percentage points above most nearby test centres. The website compares this figure with those of other centres: Leicester (Cannock Street) 42.1%, Birmingham (Garretts Green) 52.2%, Hughes Driver Training 53.5%, Sheffield (Handsworth) 54.1%, Watnall 55.2%, Peter Smythe (Mansfield) 55.8%, Denby Transport (Lincoln) 58.7% and Apex (Peterborough) 59.6%. The cited source is the LGV practical test pass rate summary DRT322B, with data from 2023/24.

Finance and relationship with brokers

The company offers 0% finance through its partners J Coates HGV Services Ltd. It also states that it does not provide training for brokers and warns that companies presenting themselves as nationwide or with more than 40 sites are usually brokers looking for third-party trainers.

Structure and locations

Diamond Driver Training Ltd has a training centre in Newark, next to the showground, and a head office and correspondence address in Leicester. The company is registered in England and Wales with number 07386758.

Locations and premises

Newark training centre: Training Centre adjacent to Newark Showground, Drove Lane, Winthorpe, Notts NG24 2NY · Phone: 01636 556688 · Email: info@diamonddrivertraining.co.uk

Leicester head office / correspondence: 23 New Star Road, Thurmaston, Leicester, LE4 9JD