A free app giving learner drivers the chance to save £300 on the cost of lessons has been launched by a pair of Kent businessmen.

After a successful trial phase in the South East, miDrive is rolling out its mobile app and supporting web service to the rest of the UK’s 750,000 learner drivers.

The tool lists information on the most highly-rated instructors in their area and helps budding motorists track their movements using GPS.

It aims to help learners make an informed decision when picking an instructor and gives teachers a quick and easy way to get online and grow their business.

The company was founded by web developer Matt Sutton from Ashford in 2011, who showed the idea, a year later, to his then boss Simon Hagger, the chief executive of Hythe-based Holiday Extras.

He loved the idea and quickly secured funding and built a team to help Matt take the concept from bedroom project to full-blown start-up.

Starting out as a searchable database of driving instructor profiles under the name PassSmart, they then decided after a number of tests in the Kent market to begin work on the app under the new name miDrive.

It is estimated the app has already provided driving instructors with £2.3m of business and tracked 15,000 miles of driving lessons in the South East.

miDrive chief executive Scott Taylor said: “After a fantastic six months focusing on the South East, we’ve helped thousands of learners to find an instructor who is right for them, placed more than 33,000 hours of driving lessons and welcomed more than 2,200 driving instructors to miDrive.

“We’re confident that we can continue to provide the same great service throughout the UK and we can’t wait to start saving learner drivers across the country time and money.”