Welcome to Coastal Driver Training. Based in Whitley Bay covering both Blyth and Gosforth test centres. No marketing gimmicks or misleading discount rates on driving lessons. If you are new to driving or already have some experience, Coastal Driver Training provides lessons at £36 an hour helping you pass your driving test in a professional and timely manner.
Due to a high volume of successful pupils passing we have regular lesson slots to fit your busy lifestyle. Lessons are available 7 days a week between 8am-8pm subject to availability.
If you want to have an informal chat or are keen to book lessons please reach out to Paul on 07308 275597. Coastal Driver Training looks forward to supporting you in passing your driving test in record time.
By deciding to become a Coastal Driver Training pupil you can expect:
Paul is a very unique and exceptional driving instructor who is patient and genuinely invested in his students' success. Every lesson is tailored to your individual ability, ensuring you make the best possible progress while building confidence behind the wheel.
Paul provides clear feedback using positive reinforcement, making his advice easy to remember and apply. His academic background is reflected in his excellent teaching style, and he focuses not only on helping you pass your driving test but also on developing the skills and habits needed for a lifetime of safe driving.
He also provides helpful handouts to reinforce learning, offers valuable support for the theory test, and uses a variety of test routes to create realistic mock test experiences. Paul is always punctual, professional, and reliable, and his lessons are always a pleasure to attend, and an exciting joy to look forward to.
Thanks to Paul's outstanding lessons, I achieved a very strong first time pass. If you are looking to pass your driving test, I would recommend Paul without hesitation, to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, supportive, and dedicated driving instructor. (Vijay J, July 2026)
Paul is an exceptional driving instructor. I was very nervous when I started lessons but the nerves didn't last long thanks to Paul's calm and friendly demeanor. He is professional, calm and always gives great advice and tips I still use.
Thanks to Paul, my confidence while driving improved immensely and I was able to pass my driving test first time. Would absolutely recommend him as a driving instructor. (Eloise H, April 2026)
Paul is a very understanding and calm instructor who never made me feel stressed when learning. He has great tips and tricks that I still use today, almost a year since passing my test. The lessons were never boring and he is easy to speak to. (Toby T, July 2025)
Paul is an exceptional driving instructor, with calm and confident guidance and lessons which adapt to your ability. Paul is a stand-out instructor in the area, offering lessons exactly to your needs, without ever overselling you packages as others might do. I feel very confident in giving high praise, as I felt a marked difference in my ability to learn and enjoy my driving lessons with Paul, after switching from a different instructor in the area.
In particular, the structure of the lessons running up to my driving test was perfect for that final "peak," enabling me to pass with only two minors.
I felt valued as a student and found the entire experience very enjoyable; I cannot recommend Paul enough.
(Nathan R, August 2025)
Paul is one of the best driving instructors with calm and confident guidance and lessons which work around you and to your ability. Before getting Paul I had a couple of driving instructors which were nothing like Paul; his lesson plans made it so much easier to learn. There was no chucking you in at the deep end. Trust me he will do everything and anything to help you get through your test; he also had me pass my test within 5 months. Thank you Paul for everything. (Robert D, December 2025)
Learners should book both their theory and practical driving tests as soon as they start to learn to drive. You can't book a practical test until you have passed your theory test. Learners often find the booking process one of the key challenges in learning to drive. It is important to book your test only using the official DVLA Gov.uk website:
Official Theory Test Booking link (individual bookings cost £23)
Official Practical Test Booking link (individual bookings cost £62)
Remember for your practical test you will also need use of your instructor's car or use your own suitable vehicle.
Since June 2026 you must book and manage your bookings personally and not use 3rd party websites or apps or you may find that the DVLA cancel any bookings you make. Please seek further guidance if you are unsure.
DVSA has introduced a further change to the practical driving test booking system, with new restrictions now in place on where learners can move their test appointments. From 9 June 2026, learners can only move their driving test to one of the three nearest driving test centres to the centre where their test is currently booked.
For existing bookings, the restriction is based on the test centre where the booking is held today, rather than the location where the test was originally booked. If a learner changes their booking from today onwards, any future changes will be calculated from the newly booked test centre. Please reach out if you need any guidance on how to most effectively manage your driving test booking. If you wish to change your driving test to an earlier date you may consider swapping your existing test date with another learner. Please follow the official DVSA guidance using the following link: Gov.uk .
Using the above guidance once you have found someone to swap your test date with contact the DVLA using the following phone number : 0300 200 1122. When you do the swap the other person must be available to be on the phone at the same time as yourself. There is no charge to do this but you can only change your booking twice. Please reach out for further guidance but please note ADI driving instructors are no longer in a position to directly change a pupil's driving test.
Even though automatic cars are becoming more popular, it's still a good idea to learn to drive with a manual gearbox as young drivers with automatic-only licences face the highest car insurance premiums.
Last year, drivers under 25 with automatic-only licences were quoted an average of £2,803 per year for car insurance, which is a 49% increase from £1,887 in 2023, according to the Compare the Market website.
Young drivers with automatic gearboxes paid £490 more for insurance in 2023 compared to those with full licenses, and this gap increased to £760 in 2024.
By investing in learning to drive a manual car the savings alone will cover the cost of your driving lessons.
Equality is not about treating everyone the same; it is about ensuring that access to opportunities are available to all by taking account of people’s differing needs and capabilities.
Diversity is about recognising and valuing differences through inclusion, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial origin, religion, belief, sexual orientation, language, respecting people's perspectives, opinions and everyone's values.
Inclusion is about ensuring everyone feels welcome, no one feels uncomfortable and everyone is able to thrive and contribute equally regardless of who they are and where they’re from.
Coastal Driver Training respects and treats every pupil as a unique individual learner and welcomes all individuals. We only teach and instruct in English as UK driving tests are only available in English. Coastal Driver Training have experience of supporting a wide range of pupils with diverse requirements including nervous drivers, dyslexia, autism and ADHD. Learning to drive takes patience, enthusiasm and commitment from both instructor and pupils. We agree to and apply the driving instructor code of practice from the DVLA, the Driving Instructor's Association Code of Conduct (DIA) and are a member of The Motor Schools Association of GB (MSA-GB).
As part of Coastal Driver Training's commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we make regular donations to Sense - a UK charity proactively working towards a society which helps people become more connected and included irrespective of a person's unique needs.
Coastal Driver Training utilises GoRoadie to ensure that pupils stay informed about their training progress.
Coastal Driver Training is officially registered with the National Business Register.
All site content is © 2026 Coastal Driver Training.
