EP Training has been named “Best HGV Training” at the 2026 Prestige Awards recognition that reflects more than four decades of training professional drivers across Surrey.For anyone researching HGV training, an award like this is more than a badge on a website. It is an independent signal of service quality in an industry where search results are crowded with brokers and lead-generation sites rather than the training providers themselves.
EP Training has operated since 1981 more than 44 years of continuous HGV and commercial transport training. It remains a family-run, direct training provider delivering Cat C (Class 2), Cat C+E (Class 1), ADR and Driver CPC courses. EP Training, a family-run HGV training provider based in Great Bookham, Surrey and operating since 1981, was named Best HGV Training at the 2026 Prestige Awards. It delivers Cat C, Cat C+E, ADR and Driver CPC training directly not through brokers.
EP Training Receives the 2026 Prestige Award
The Prestige Awards recognise businesses delivering a consistently high standard of service within their sector and region. Winners are identified through customer feedback, service record and demonstrated expertise rather than public voting, which is why the result carries weight with people making a genuine buying decision.
EP Training operates from a purpose-built training centre in Great Bookham, Surrey, with additional locations serving learners in Guildford, Cranleigh and Addlestone. Its training covers the full route into professional driving:
- Cat C (Class 2) HGV training rigid vehicles over 3,500kg
- Cat C+E (Class 1) HGV training articulated vehicles
- ADR training carriage of dangerous goods by road
- Driver CPC training the 35 hours every professional driver must complete every five years
Why EP Training Was Recognised as “Best HGV Training”
Experienced, Professional Instructors
EP Training’s instructors are experienced professional drivers who spent years in the industry before moving into training. Learners are taught by people who understand the realities of the job, not just the test syllabus. Training combines practical in-cab instruction with classroom theory, and support continues from the initial medical and provisional application through to the practical test.
Strong Learner Outcomes
HGV training is a significant investment, so a provider’s record of getting people through first time matters financially to every learner. EP Training pitches training to the individual: instructors assess where a learner actually is, then build the hours around the gaps rather than running everyone through an identical block of sessions. The aim goes beyond the test learners should leave as confident drivers who can operate safely from day one.
A Straightforward Learner Experience
Clear communication on cost and timescales, flexible scheduling for people fitting training around a full-time job, and support with the provisional licence application, medical, theory tests and DVSA test dates. That administrative burden is genuinely confusing, and handling it properly saves learners weeks.
More Than 44 Years of HGV Training Experience
Longevity in this sector is not a given. HGV training requires a fleet of vehicles, qualified instructors, insurance and premises; providers appear and disappear regularly. A business operating continuously since 1981 has done so because drivers kept recommending it.
That experience shows up practically. The team knows which test routes present which difficulties, how long a particular learner realistically needs, and where candidates most often lose marks at local DVSA test centres. EP Training has trained drivers from across Leatherhead, Guildford, Cranleigh, Addlestone, Dorking, Epsom and Woking, as well as learners travelling in from South London, Sussex and Hampshire.
HGV Training Courses Available at EP Training
Cat C / Class 2 HGV Training
Cat C covers rigid vehicles over 3,500kg box lorries, tippers, refuse vehicles and most supermarket delivery vehicles. It is the standard entry point into professional driving and suits career changers, van and 7.5-tonne drivers stepping up, and anyone needing a Class 2 licence for construction, waste or distribution work. It is also the legal prerequisite for Cat C+E.
Cat C+E / Class 1 HGV Training
Cat C+E allows you to drive articulated vehicles and drawbar combinations. It is the top HGV category and requires an existing Cat C licence. Qualified Class 1 drivers typically access better-paid roles, trunking and container work, and stronger employer demand the C+E shortage remains more acute than the Class 2 shortage across the UK.
ADR Training
ADR is required to carry dangerous goods by road: fuels, chemicals, gases and other regulated classes. It must be renewed every five years. ADR-certified drivers are consistently in shorter supply than general haulage drivers, making it one of the most direct ways to increase earning potential. EP Training covers the core module and class-specific modules, including tanks.
Driver CPC Training
Driver CPC is a legal requirement for professional HGV driving. Qualified drivers must complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years to keep their Driver Qualification Card valid. EP Training runs periodic CPC as seven-hour modules covering drivers’ hours and tachographs, vehicle safety checks, load security and fuel-efficient driving as a five-day block or spread across the cycle.
How to Choose an HGV Training Provider
Before booking anywhere, check: how long the provider has been trading; who will instruct you and what their driving background is; their first-time pass rate; the depth and recency of their reviews; and whether they cover the full range from Cat C through to CPC.
The most important question is one most learners do not know to ask: are you a direct provider or a broker? Many companies ranking for HGV training are brokers. They own no vehicles and employ no instructors they take your payment and subcontract your course to a local school. You pay more, you cannot choose the school, and when something goes wrong you are stuck between two companies.
EP Training is a direct provider and does not work with brokers or middlemen.
Looking for the Best HGV Training in Surrey?
EP Training delivers Cat C, Cat C+E, ADR and Driver CPC training directly, from Great Bookham with locations serving Guildford, Cranleigh, Addlestone and the wider Surrey area.
A short call will establish which licence category you need, how many training days to budget for, and when courses are available.
- Phone: 01372 450 800
- Email: info@eptraining.co.uk
- Website:co.uk
- Training centre: The Old Library, Lower Shott, Leatherhead Road, Great Bookham, Leatherhead, Surrey KT23 4LR
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Best HGV Training at the 2026 Prestige Awards?
EP Training, a family-run commercial transport training provider based in Great Bookham, Surrey, was named Best HGV Training at the 2026 Prestige Awards. It has trained professional drivers since 1981.
What is the difference between Class 1 and Class 2 HGV training?
Class 2 (Cat C) covers rigid vehicles over 3,500kg. Class 1 (Cat C+E) covers articulated vehicles and drawbar combinations. You must hold a Cat C licence before training for Cat C+E.
Do I need a Driver CPC to drive an HGV professionally?
Yes. Qualified drivers must complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years to keep their Driver Qualification Card valid.
Where can I do HGV training in Surrey?
EP Training delivers HGV training from a purpose-built centre in Great Bookham, Leatherhead, with locations serving Guildford, Cranleigh and Addlestone.
Conclusion
The 2026 Prestige Award reflects 44 years of continuous operation, instructors with real commercial driving experience, and training built around the individual learner. If you are considering HGV training a first Class 2, a step up to Class 1, an ADR certificate or your next CPC hours call 01372 450 800 or email info@eptraining.co.uk.
