Driving
Before driving in the UK, it's really important that you familiarise yourself with our Highway Code. The British Tourist Board also offers a comprehensive guide to driving here.
Some important things to note:
- UK driving is on the left-hand side of the road, so, for many people, the steering wheel is on the 'wrong' side of the car. If you are used to driving on the right, you'll probably find yourself reaching for the door handle instead of the gear stick. Pay particular attention when you are pulling out of driveways and petrol stations, it's really easy to set off on the wrong side of the road, especially if there's no other traffic around.
- UK law states that children must use a child car seat until they are 12 years old or 135cm/4ft 5in tall, whichever comes first. If you are not travelling with your own child car seat, then you must ensure beforehand that the taxi or car hire firm can provide one.
- Most of our cars are manual (or stick-shift). If you learned to drive on an automatic car, your driving licence might not permit you to drive a manual car here. Please make sure you check before hiring or buying a manual car.
- You should always carry your driving licence and proof or insurance with you, algthough it's not illegal if you don't. If you're stopped by the police and you don't have your papers, you will be required to present them within a certain timeframe.
- It is illegal to turn right on a red light.
- It is illegal to use a mobile phone (cell phone) while driving.
- Please also familiarise yourself with our laws regarding alcohol and driving.
- If you have learned US English, you will find that we have different vocabulary, particularly when it comes to cars. If you get stuck, Woodward English has a helpful vocabulary list.
- Petrol in UK is expensive compared to many other countries.
Public Transport
Traveline provides a great online tool to help you plan your journeys by any form of public transport in Great Britain.
Merseytravel provides travel information and planning tools for the Merseyside area, while Traveline will be useful in planning a trip by public transport to our Leahurst campus or to Ness Gardens.
Mersey Ferries provides timetable information on ferry travel.
National Rail is the place to go for information about the various train operating companies in the UK.
Rail travel can also be booked via Trainline.
Points to note are:
- Buses in the UK are run by local operators and it is a good idea to plan your journey beforehand. You can use cash or card to buy a ticket on the bus in most areas.
- You must buy a ticket before getting on a train. If you're caught without a ticket, you might have to pay a hefty fine. If you're travelling from a major (mainline) station, you should be able to buy the ticket online in advance and collect it from a machine at the station - but remember to take the card that you used to buy it, you will need to put this in the machine.
- You don’t need to show your passport or any form of photo identity. All you need on the train is your ticket.
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