Driving Lessons in Haymarket

Practising Between Lessons in Haymarket

There is no stand-in for the experience of one-to-one driving lessons with a professional instructor, but we have prepared a short information pack for pupils who are learning to drive in and around Haymarket and Dalry – with the aim of helping you to become more comfortable with the driving conditions and challenges you will face here.

Haymarket is one of the busiest parts of Edinburgh, and the recent introduction of trams on the roads is an additional reason for learners to take extra care here. The usual advice about handling trams applies – do not enter tram-only roads or lanes, do give priority to trams when departing from stops, avoid stopping on tracks (trams cannot swerve around you), do not try to undertake trams if they are stopped without a platform, and always keep an eye out for people entering the road while trying to board a stopped tram.

There are a number of locations in this area where you may need to take particular care to look out for pedestrians or cyclists – for instance near the very busy Haymarket Train Station, and Tynecastle High School in nearby Gorgie. Lothian Road is another street that can get extremely busy during (and outwith) peak hours.

Fountain Park, the restaurant and entertainment hub located in Fountainbridge, provides a limited number of parking spaces – though this is not ideal because the spaces are located in an underground car park, making it less suitable for beginners. Instead you would be better to practise your bay parking manoeuvres in nearby Gorgie – either at the Aldi store on Gorgie Road, or alternatively the larger Sainsbury’s car park on Westfield Road.

Overall Haymarket itself is not a great place to practise your skills, at least not when you are just at the start of the process of learning to drive. However there are number of better locations as you travel a short distance further away from the centre of Edinburgh – your instructor will be able to point these out to you during your lessons.

It may be worth looking through some of the alternative area guides we have published – you may find it easier to practise your driving techniques in nearby locations such as Comely Bank and Craigleith, Murrayfield and Roseburn, or even Morningside.

Speed Restrictions in Haymarket

Haymarket has a variety of speed restrictions which are in effect on different roads, going from 20mph zones in many residential streets to the busy West Approach Road which increases from 30mph to 40mph after Fountainbridge.

Because of the increased speed and levels of traffic on the West Approach Road you should avoid this route until you are more familiar with the basic driving skills – your instructor will be able to advise you when you are at the required stage.

In an effort to improve road safety, there are a number of safety cameras in and around the Haymarket and Dalry area – you should pay extra attention here, because cameras are usually installed in locations with a history of accidents or injuries. And this is a good anticipation exercise too, because it is not unheard of for motorists in front of you to brake suddenly when they see these cameras.

There are two red light cameras located at one junction near here – on Angle Park Terrace (east of Harrison Road), and another on Slateford Road (west of Ardmillan Terrace) – just at the point where Harrison Road becomes Ardmillan Terrace, and Slateford Road becomes Angle Park Terrace.

There is also a Dual Camera (Fixed Speed as well as Red Light) on Gorgie Road (west of Westfield Road) – at the McDonald’s close to Tynecastle Stadium.

How to Book Driving Lessons in Haymarket

It’s easy to book lessons with Driving Lessons Edinburgh! Simply call us now on 07496 296 130, or fill in the contact form at the bottom of this page – we are happy to answer any questions you may have, and will get your first lesson arranged as quickly as possible. You can even pay online if that’s more convenient for you.

Our instructors are friendly and expert, with many years of experience teaching pupils of all ages and dispositions, including nervous pupils and pupils who failed after taking lessons with another driving school. We believe that everyone can pass their test with the right instructor!

And remember, we offer a door-to-door service. So no matter whereabouts you are based in Haymarket, Dalry, Gorgie, Fountainbridge or surrounding areas, your instructor can pick you up at the start of your lesson and drop you back off at the end of your lesson.