Double-quick delivery of site to train drivers for frontline

NEW facilities to help train military drivers heading for the frontline in Afghanistan have been completed in double-quick time.

Defence Estates, working with its regional industry partner CarillionEnterprise, has constructed classrooms, instructors' offices and vehicle storage facilities (VSF) at the Defence School of Transport in Leconfield, near Beverley.

An increase in demand for military driving training meant the new facilities were urgently needed to support operations in Afghanistan, and work has been completed in 10 months.

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The facilities were officially opened by Major General Gerald Berragan, Director General of Army Recruiting and Training.

He said: "The delivery of these new facilities, which are vital to sustaining operational success in Afghanistan, has been impressively rapid and professional."

The initial design brief called for classrooms that would accommodate 200 students and instructors, offices for 60 instructors, and seven VSF buildings.

However, during the design and development phase of the project, it was decided that three "super-sized" VSF buildings would be more versatile.

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Defence Estates project manager Rob Seymour said: "Supporting our Armed Forces is the top priority for Defence Estates, particularly when what we deliver has a direct positive impact for troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

"This project shows how well we can work with our partners to respond to urgent requirements.

"The whole integrated project team worked together to deliver the requirement on time, which ultimately resulted in better training for soldiers prior to their deployment."

The site is one of the largest residential driver training schools in the world, and can train up to 1,400 personnel at a time.

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