FIGURES released by the Driving Standards Agency have revealed that the Blackburn area is the hardest place in Lancashire to pass a practical driving test.

Last year 47.7 per cent of people who took tests at the centre in Darwen were successful, compared to 51.5 per cent of people across Lancashire.

But it is still easier to pass in Lancashire than in much of the country — nationally, only 47.1 of people pass their driving tests, and in nearby Manchester the pass rate was only 45.7 per cent. In Nelson, the other East Lancashire test centre, the pass rate was 49.9 per cent.

Driving instructor Ken Swarbrick said: “I wouldn’t have thought it was harder to pass at Blackburn, it’s just the luck of the draw.

“I’ve always found it to be the opposite, I can’t imagine that anyone would think that Blackburn is harder than Nelson.”

Fellow driving instructor Marilyn McPhie said that it actually helped pupils to learn to drive in a more difficult area. She said: “Some other areas are definitely a lot easier, but I think it’s a very good thing to drive here. If you can drive in Blackburn you can drive anywhere.

“If they learn to drive in an easy area and then try to drive somewhere difficult, they may well get in trouble.”

Pass rates across the country varied considerably. The highest pass rates were in Barra, Scotland, where 82.61 per cent of people passed. Belvedere in London was the worst centre with a pass rate of just 32.2 per cent. A DSA spokesperson said: “Pass rates can be influenced by various factors. Some people may take more lessons and be better prepared for the test. Statistical factors can also play a part as the number of tests conducted at different test centres varies significantly.

“However, every driving test is conducted to the same strict requirements. We train examiners to a high standard and closely monitor their work to ensure that all tests are assessed consistently across the country.”