Driving in the UK

If you want to drive in the UK you must have a valid driving licence. It may be possible to use your existing licence

EEA Nationals

This applies to students from the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway.

If you have a full valid licence you may use that licence until it expires. Once expired you must apply for a British licence.

Licences from the following non-EU countries can be exchanged for a full UK licence:

Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Malta Monaco, Republic of Korea New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

You are able to drive on your current licence for up to 12 months from entering the UK. After 12 Months you must obtain a British licence by completing the relevant form at any post office and pay the relevant fee.

All Other Countries

If you are coming to the UK for 12 months or longer then you are able to drive on your valid foreign licence for 12 months following your date of entry. If you wish to continue to drive after that period you must obtain a provisional GB licence and pass the driving test before the 12-month period expires.

There are also important legal requirements for drivers and their cars. Please contact the Advice Unit for information.

Important Legal Requirements for Drivers

In the UK you must drive on the left hand side of the road and overtake on the right.

Drivers and front seat passengers must wear seat belts. Rear passengers must wear them if they are fitted. Failure to comply can result in an 'on the spot' fine by the Police.

You must not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

You must observe speed limits: 20, 30 or 40 miles per hour (mph) in towns, 70 mph on motorways and 60 mph on all other roads.

The minimum age for driving a car is 17 or 18 years if you are driving a medium sized goods vehicle (van).

You must have a licence that allows you to drive in the UK.

Important Legal Requirements For Cars

It is a requirement of UK law that all vehicles are registered, taxed and insured.

To tax the vehicle, take all your documents (insurance, MOT) to any post office and complete form V10. The cost of taxing a car depends on its age, CO2 emissions or engine size. Costs currently range from £110.00 to £165.00 for 12 months tax. New cars are taxed according to their CO2 emissions and type of fuel used and charges range from £90.00 to £150.00 for 12 months. Please note, however, charges are subject to change according to government budget decisions.

The Tax Disc must be displayed in your car at all times.

We recommend that you contact the DVLA for up to date details of the documents you will need to tax and licence your vehicle.

PLEASE NOTE: to drive a vehicle without valid registration documents and/or insurance is illegal and, if caught, you could be fined substantially. You should not borrow a friend's car without proper arrangements for insurance.

More information can be found on the DVLA website

Public Transport

Buses

This is an extremely good method of travel in Bolton and the surrounding areas. Local buses are pay as you enter and many prefer you to have the correct fare.

There are frequent services within the Deane, Derby, Daubhill, Halliwell and Gilnow areas. Bus timetables can be obtained from Moor Lane Bus Station, which is next to Bolton outdoor market.

Trains

Travel to other parts of the UK is made easy by a well-developed train network.

You are advised to purchase a Young Persons Railcard available from the Train Station, Trinity Street, Bolton, if you are planning to travel extensively by train during the year. The Railcard allows one-third reduction on fares.

If you plan to visit Manchester (nearest city to Bolton) the fares are:

Standard Day Return - £4.65 before 9.00am
Cheap day Return - £2.65 after 9.30am

The train takes 15-20 minutes to reach Manchester Piccadilly Station.

Coaches

In addition to trains, you can also travel by National Express Coaches. National Express offers a comprehensive network of coach services linking Bolton with all parts of the country, and they leave from Moor Lane Bus Station.