When I passed my test 20 years or so ago I had a motorway lesson - best thing I ever did.

I can't see why a motorway lesson can't just be a follow up once someone has passed their test rather than part of the "learning".

Completely agree with this, especially the last bit. I did the Pass Plus after my test and learnt lot from that, where you do motorway driving and rural roads. I've always said that should be compulsory.

What worries me, is learner drivers on the motorway who are not ready for it, Would surely be better done once they have passed the main test,

I don't see the need for learners on motorways. One of the last lessons I had was to go on a busy dual carriageway - same speeds as a motorway so a good practice. I do wonder why so many people have this fear of motorways, did they never practice on the dual carriageway?

There was a driving instructor on the news who was saying that even though they offer motorway lessons for those who have just passed their test very few people actually take them. Offering these optional lessons before the test might encourage more people to do it.

Of course it is easier. A busy one way system in a major City can be challenging for even the most experienced driver especially if they are unfamiliar to the area. With motorway driving the hardest part is probably joining it but alot of practice on dual carriageways makes this quite easy in the end.

...and camera-monitored bus lanes into the mix...

At some point you do have to make use of the motorways if you are going to get maximum benefit from owning a car. I think making the Pass Plus compulsory not optional is a better idea, but not as part of the driving test ie you can't be failed for it, it's just to gain more advanced driving experience

Probably because most people have already spent 100's even 1000's of £ in driving lessons and feel they don't want to spend more money on optional further lessons. However as a new driver you can get insurance discount with Pass Plus which is an incentive.

When I was going up the A1(M) last week there was a BMW zooming up the middle lane and a driver ahead of me in the left lane indicated to pull out as the BMW was entering his blind spot, the BMW driver quickly signalled to move into the empty third lane. If it had been the middle lane and the BMW was already in the third lane he would have nowhere to go on the right & there could have been a nasty accident

good idea and it is already stated that when the driving instructor feels they are ready to do so. Its daftness saying- 'hey you do 95% of roads in lessons, but we'll leave the last one for you to work out on your own'. What? It's like saying, right we're going to skip the roundabout, and just do all the rest, you can work the roundabout on your own. Maybe it will cut down on half the irresponsible driving on motorways.

In theory you are right, but 30-plus years' experience of motorway driving have taught me that it is something a great many struggle with.

A lot of people driving on motorways today are accidents waiting to happen.

As has already been said, Pass Plus should be compulsory, not optional.

When I learnt to drive I did a lot of dual carriage way driving, from where I lived in West Cornwall to Truro where the Driving Test Centre was in those days, so I was taught all of those things. The only thing missing was the use of the middle and outside lanes, but then that is exactly the same as for the outside lane on a dual carriageway, for overtaking only.

However when I passed my test in 1983 there was a great deal less traffic on the roads, so to make the transition from a 70 mph dual carriageway to a motorway was relatively straight forward.

I'm not so sure that would be the case now, especially as so many dual carriageways are now 50 mph or, very often, lower.

When motorways actually criss-cross the entire country, there might be a case for making it mandatory for people who live on the mainland. That, or removing the motorway driving bits from it (making it no better than the current situation)

I learned a lot of road skills from a very early age. I was passenger (paying attention), Navigator (with map on lap) and changed gear for my Dad when I was 10 and onwards (he would dump the clutch and say 3rd, 2nd, 4th etc)

Motoways were no problem when I passed my test at 17 and 3 months.
Dad was away a lot and Mum was happy for me to become the main driver, even though she was quite comptetent herself.

I'd agree that motorway driving is far easier than urban driving. Unless you're changing lanes there is limited need to be checking around behind you. There are no parked cars with passengers opening doors to worry about, no traffic lights, no junctions every 50-100 metres to think about, much lower risk of children, dogs, cats, adults walking out in front of you, less chance of hitting potholes, no chance of hitting speedbumps & you're not having to navigate your route at anywhere near the same level.
Essentially you're driving in a straight line and keeping an eye on the cars ahead (preferably 3,4,5 cars ahead) to see if you're catching them or if they are braking & manoeuvring around them.
I can drive for hours & hours on a motorway and feel far less mentally taxed than driving round heavily urbanised areas, particularly ones I'm not familiar with.
Fairly much every motorway is the same & one shouldn't feel anymore inhospitable than another.

Doubt if that would be allowed nowadays.

I think it would also be a good idea to have 'Driver's Ed' in schools like in America

I think its a good idea. It took me years to brave a motorway after passing my test.

BIB, me too! I got an extra lesson after I passed so my instructor could take me on the motorway. I was still nervous the next time but I think it was a good idea.

I think people do need these lessons, it is clear that many members of the public are unaware they shouldn't drive in the middle lane for no reason.

It wasn't allowed then. But he was sensible about it and wouldn't allow it when in tricky or congested situations.

It was good training.

Whilst there are always going to be exceptions, there always are, it would be applicable to the vast majority in this country.

You only need one lesson on the motorway to get a feel for it and to know what to expect/do driving on one. Having spent so much surely the cost of one more lesson is money well spent?

The BMW driver seemed to be on the ball so would have already had another exit strategy from the developing situation such as braking (gently so as not to frighten the driver behind) or accelerating hard.

This is what I was thinking.
A motorway is essentially a dual carriageway with extra lanes. I'm also sure that driving on a dual carriageway was a requirement on the test when I passed 11 years ago?

The fear seems to come from people thinking a motorway is a lot worse than they actually are. Them not being part of lessons or the test also makes it seem as something for advanced drivers who've been driving for years.

The week after I passed my test we had a football match to go to 60 miles away. We'd previously been making this trip on the train but as I'd finally got my licence decided to drive.

I was initially going to take the A5 but my dad suggested going M1/M6 and said just make sure you're checking your mirrors regularly and watching out for others. We left early morning about 7am to avoid some of the Saturday traffic and we bumped into one of our friends at the petrol station who was on his way to work. When we told him where we were going he seemed quite shocked that I was going to use the motorway a week after my test. He'd actually passed his own test several months before and admitted he'd not been on a motorway yet as he didn't feel ready for it.