Motability Scheme lessons in Doncaster town centre

Starting with a conversation

Disability covers a huge range of conditions, and two learners with the same diagnosis can need completely different things from a lesson. So the first step happens on the phone. When you ring 07402 034084, talk us through anything that affects how you sit, steer, use the pedals or concentrate, and mention any adaptations you already know you need. That lets us work out honestly what we can offer before a lesson is booked.

Every lesson takes place in an automatic car, so there is no clutch pedal to work. The dual controls let your instructor slow or stop the car if needed, and our instructors are all DBS checked and most are DVSA approved driving instructors (ADIs).

Why automatic suits the centre

Driving through DN1 means a lot of stopping. Queues build on Trafford Way. Buses pull in and out of stops on Cleveland Street, and the junctions along Waterdale come one after another. In a manual car that is constant clutch work, which can be tiring or painful for some disabled drivers. An automatic gearbox takes that away and leaves you free to concentrate on steering and observation as well as speed.

Lessons can be planned around your energy levels too. Your instructor can build in breaks, keep early sessions short, and save the busier central roads for a time of day that suits you.

Learning at 16 and paying for lessons

An earlier start with PIP

The standard age for driving a car is 17, with provisional licence applications accepted from 15 years and 9 months. Learners who receive the enhanced rate of the PIP mobility component, or who are waiting on a claim for it, are allowed behind the wheel a year sooner, at 16. Apply online through the GOV.UK provisional licence service. For a student at Doncaster College on Chappell Drive or Doncaster UTC on College Road, that can mean learning while still in the first year of a course.

The Motability Foundation grant

Through its driving lessons grant, the Motability Foundation may pay for as many as 40 hours of tuition. It is aimed at Motability Scheme customers who have already passed the theory test and meet further conditions, one of which is getting a means-tested benefit. The Foundation books those funded lessons itself, so contact it before anything else on 0800 500 3186 or through its driving lessons grant page.

Not every learner qualifies, and some would rather not wait. In either case you are welcome to book with Alma and pay for lessons yourself.

Getting expert advice on controls

If you are unsure which controls or adaptations would help, an independent assessment is worth considering before or alongside lessons. Driving Mobility, a national charity, offers driving and vehicle adaptation assessments at an outreach centre in Doncaster. Appointments there are booked through the charity's Leeds centre.

Pick-up spots and your first drives

We can meet you at your front door, or outside your college or workplace. If you come in on the train or by bus, we will choose a level spot close to the station and Interchange where the car can stop safely, away from the bus stands, with room to open the doors fully.

The first lessons happen on calm residential streets off Thorne Road. Later you move on to College Road and Waterdale, and eventually out towards the Doncaster test centre on Shaw Wood Way, about three miles north-east. The theory test is taken at Fraser House on Netherhall Road, and you can ask for support such as extra time when you book on GOV.UK.

More detail is on our main Motability driving lessons page. You might also compare Motability driving lessons in Intake on the eastern side of town, or go back to driving lessons in Doncaster town centre.

Motability Scheme driving lessons in Doncaster town centre: your questions

Can Alma give me lessons paid for by the Motability Foundation grant?

Lessons funded by the grant are organised by the Motability Foundation itself, so we cannot book them for you. Speak to the Foundation on 0800 500 3186 to find out whether you qualify. Learners who do not, or who want to begin straight away, can book with us privately.

Do your cars have hand controls or other adaptations?

Our cars are automatic with dual controls. Because needs vary so much, we ask you to describe any adaptations you rely on when you phone. We will be straight with you about whether we can help, or whether a Driving Mobility assessment would be a better first step.

I am 16 and receive PIP. Can I learn now?

You can, provided you get the enhanced rate of the PIP mobility component or have a claim for it in progress. Apply for your provisional licence on GOV.UK first. Once it arrives, we can plan lessons that start from home or from college in the centre.

Is there anywhere in Doncaster that assesses disabled drivers?

Yes. The charity Driving Mobility holds driving and adaptation assessments at an outreach centre in Doncaster. You book through its Leeds centre, and the assessment can point you towards the controls that will work best for you.