New statistics show that people in Norfolk and Waveney are better at passing their driving tests than the national average.

Eastern Daily Press: Jupiter Road driving test centre. PHOTO: Steve AdamsJupiter Road driving test centre. PHOTO: Steve Adams

The figures, taken from between April 2017 and March 2018 by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), show that the average pass rate for Great Britain was 46pc, a figure surpassed in all four of Norfolk and Waveney's driving test centres.

Jupiter Road had the highest pass rate overall, with 1,108 passes out of 2,130 tests - more than one in two.

The other Norwich test centre on Peachman Way also saw more than half of test takers come away successful, with 5,547 passes out of 10,840 tests.

The lowest pass rate in the region was at King's Lynn, where 42.5pc of women and 51.7pc of men passed with an overall rate of 46.6pc for the 6,166 tests taken.

Men in particular consistently managed a pass rate of more than 50pc throughout the region.

At the top of the table 55.1pc of men passed at Peachman Way in Norwich, with Jupiter Road coming close behind at 53.5pc.

In Lowestoft in Suffolk, 52.3pc of men passed, while despite achieving more than the national average King's Lynn came in last at 51.7pc.

On the whole, only 42-47pc of women passed their driving tests in Norfolk during the time period looked at, apart from Jupiter Road test centre, where 50.8pc of women successfully passed.

Martin Wright, of Wrightlearn Driving Instruction, has owned his company for seven years in Thorpe Saint Andrew.

He said: 'I couldn't say for sure why Norfolk is above the national average.

'It could be that the driving instructors might take more effort to get pupils to drive more safely because the country roads are more dangerous, with faster speeds and tractors and wild animals.

'It could also be that there's more private tuition from family members and so forth, which I always recommend.

'The new test, which replaced the old one in December of last year, puts more of focus on rural roads and driving at the national speed limit, and it's easier to get practice for that in Norfolk than in London.

'In terms of the gender difference, I teach everyone the same.

'I had a girl yesterday who passed with no faults which was amazing and very rare.'