An intimate and revelatory insight into the lives of women and their families, from Burnley to Bradford. The documentary series delves into the world of learner drivers and their instructors, telling stories from their homes as well as their cars. With exclusive access to driving schools across the north of England which specialise in teaching Muslim women, the programme follows new drivers negotiating perilous streets for the first time. Unlike many driving schools, those featured foster a specific relationship between instructor and student because of a shared understanding of the cultural restrictions that Muslim women experience. For them, driving isn’t just a pleasure pursuit – it confers freedom and status, and opens up job opportunities that would otherwise be unreachable. Grandmother Taslima Dhin has spent her life at home, bringing up her children. Aged 58, she needs to learn to drive to take her ill husband for regular hospital visits in Bradford. Taslima isn’t just challenging convention by taking driving lessons: her instructor is a man to whom she’s not related, which forces her to ask questions about the traditions she’s held dear. Thirty-eight-year-old Humera Ahmed wants to learn to drive so she can to take her children to school. Despite the prevailing traditions of conservative Muslim communities, her instructor, Mr Ramzan – who is also an imam at a local mosque – believes that motors aren’t just for men. The only issue is, will Humera be ready for her …

Taslima Dhin and her instructor Ali feel frustrated by her slow progress. It’s an emotional time for grandmother Taslima Dhin. Not only is it the holy month of Ramadan, but she’s also waiting to hear whether her 75-year-old mother will get a visa to visit her only daughter. In the 45 years that Taslima’s been in Britain, her mother has never been to see her. While she waits for news, Taslima carries on with her driving lessons. But both she and her instructor Ali are beginning to feel frustrated by her slow progress – one step forward, two steps back. Mother of three Humera is finally ready to take her test after five months of lessons. Having missed her deadline to pass in time to drive her oldest son to his new secondary school, she is determined get there as soon as possible. But as her test approaches, her confidence is evaporating and the instructor, Mr Ramzan, needs to find new ways to keep her concentrated on the task in hand. Broadcast on:BBC Two, 11:20pm Tuesday 2nd February 2010 Duration:29 minutes

24-year-old architecture student Arifa is on a mission. With her life a constant commute between her home in Blackburn, university in Liverpool and work in Preston, she’s desperate to learn to drive. But she’s got another reason to learn – to get away from the spotlight of her community and live her own life. Her instructor Vera understands her dilemma. As one of the first Asian women to drive in Blackburn over 30 years ago, she attracted huge attention. Taslima has now had over 30 driving lessons and she’s making slow and steady progress. Starting to drive has made her realise that she can learn anything and she’s eying up her first ever college course to study English. But this ambitious woman is beginning to have second thoughts about learning to drive with her instructor Ali. In her tightknit community in Bradford, it’s not that common for a 58-year-old grandmother to be taking to the road and Taslima will have to decide whether she has the determination to continue learning, despite what anyone else might say – and if so, will it be with Ali? Zahida has over 20 years of experience as a driving instructor behind her, and her pupil Tasmia is gearing up for her second test. Broadcast on: BBC Two, 11:20pm Tuesday 9th February 2010 Duration:29 minutes

24-year-old architecture student Arifa is on a mission. With her life a constant commute between her home in Blackburn, university in Liverpool and work in Preston, she’s desperate to learn to drive. But she’s got another reason to learn – to get away from the spotlight of her community and live her own life. Her instructor Vera understands her dilemma. As one of the first Asian women to drive in Blackburn over 30 years ago, she attracted huge attention. Taslima has now had over 30 driving lessons and she’s making slow and steady progress. Starting to drive has made her realise that she can learn anything and she’s eying up her first ever college course to study English. But this ambitious woman is beginning to have second thoughts about learning to drive with her instructor Ali. In her tightknit community in Bradford, it’s not that common for a 58-year-old grandmother to be taking to the road and Taslima will have to decide whether she has the determination to continue learning, despite what anyone else might say – and if so, will it be with Ali? Zahida has over 20 years of experience as a driving instructor behind her, and her pupil Tasmia is gearing up for her second test. Broadcast on: BBC Two, 11:20pm Tuesday 9th February 2010 Duration:29 minutes

Taslima Dhin and her instructor Ali feel frustrated by her slow progress. It’s an emotional time for grandmother Taslima Dhin. Not only is it the holy month of Ramadan, but she’s also waiting to hear whether her 75-year-old mother will get a visa to visit her only daughter. In the 45 years that Taslima’s been in Britain, her mother has never been to see her. While she waits for news, Taslima carries on with her driving lessons. But both she and her instructor Ali are beginning to feel frustrated by her slow progress – one step forward, two steps back. Mother of three Humera is finally ready to take her test after five months of lessons. Having missed her deadline to pass in time to drive her oldest son to his new secondary school, she is determined get there as soon as possible. But as her test approaches, her confidence is evaporating and the instructor, Mr Ramzan, needs to find new ways to keep her concentrated on the task in hand. Broadcast on:BBC Two, 11:20pm Tuesday 2nd February 2010 Duration:29 minutes

Despite 50 hours of lessons, Samiah – divorced at 18 – is still not ready for her test. An insight into the lives of women and their families, from Burnley to Bradford, as learner drivers and their instructors tell stories from their homes as well as their cars. With exclusive access to driving schools across the north of England which specialise in teaching Muslim women, the programme follows first-time drivers negotiating perilous streets. The relationship between instructor and student is intimate because of a shared understanding of the cultural restrictions that Muslim women experience. For them, driving isn’t just a pleasure pursuit – it confers freedom and status. Samiah has seen life – married at 16, divorced at 18, the Bradford-born woman is only now seeing the possibilities that life can offer. A new job has given her career opportunities and financial independence – driving will give her the liberty to go where she wants, when she wants. Yet after 50 hours of lessons, she’s still miles away from being ready for her test. Instructor Yaqoob has the unenviable task of keeping her hands on the wheel and her eyes on the road. Grandmother Taslima Dhin has more on her mind than driving lessons. She has the builders in at home, and it’s a nightmare. She’s also desperate to see her mother, who hasn’t been to Britain to visit her daughter in the 45 years Taslima’s been in the country. The planned family reunion depends on her mother getting a visa, and it’s not a done …

An intimate and revelatory insight into the lives of women and their families, from Burnley to Bradford. The documentary series delves into the world of learner drivers and their instructors, telling stories from their homes as well as their cars. With exclusive access to driving schools across the north of England which specialise in teaching Muslim women, the programme follows new drivers negotiating perilous streets for the first time. Unlike many driving schools, those featured foster a specific relationship between instructor and student because of a shared understanding of the cultural restrictions that Muslim women experience. For them, driving isn’t just a pleasure pursuit – it confers freedom and status, and opens up job opportunities that would otherwise be unreachable. Grandmother Taslima Dhin has spent her life at home, bringing up her children. Aged 58, she needs to learn to drive to take her ill husband for regular hospital visits in Bradford. Taslima isn’t just challenging convention by taking driving lessons: her instructor is a man to whom she’s not related, which forces her to ask questions about the traditions she’s held dear. Thirty-eight-year-old Humera Ahmed wants to learn to drive so she can to take her children to school. Despite the prevailing traditions of conservative Muslim communities, her instructor, Mr Ramzan – who is also an imam at a local mosque – believes that motors aren’t just for men. The only issue is, will Humera be ready for her …