Monday 23 March 2026
The AA has opened its new Patrol Training Academy, marking a significant investment in the future of its patrol workforce while maintaining its long-established connection with the Basingstoke area.
The 15,521 sq. ft, two-storey academy has been redeveloped to The AA’s own specification, incorporating valuable feedback from colleagues to create a flexible, fit-for-purpose and energy-efficient facility. Conveniently located close to The AA’s existing offices in Basingstoke, the site boasts excellent on-site parking for an eclectic mix of AA vehicles.
The academy features an indoor training workshop, two indoor training rooms, additional meeting and breakout spaces, kitchen and shower facilities, and a dedicated area for the AA Signs team. It will support the training of around 50 patrols each month, subject to operational demand, as well as training for AA Mobile Mechanics throughout the coming business year.
“Our new training academy gives patrols a brand-new, modern, practical space to help accelerate their learning experience”
The new academy also celebrates The AA’s rich heritage. It will provide secure storage and display space for part of the organisation’s Heritage Fleet, alongside its archives and a mini museum area for staff and corporate visitors. This integration of past and present ensures that while The AA continues to invest in future skills, it remains firmly connected to its proud history.
For many years, The AA’s former National Training Centre at Widmerpool near Nottingham served as the primary residential training facility for patrols and technical staff. Opened in the 1970s, the purpose-built site offered classroom learning, hands-on mechanical workshops and simulated roadside scenarios, playing a central role in maintaining the organisation’s technical standards for decades before being superseded by a newer, more modern training facility in Leicestershire, and later in Oldbury. The new Basingstoke academy builds on that legacy, reflecting a modern, forward-looking approach to learning and development.
Dean Keeling, Managing Director, AA Roadside Services, said: “Our new training academy gives patrols a modern, practical space to help accelerate their learning experience as they join The AA, or develop their career with us. I’m looking forward to seeing ambition, collaboration and energy come to life when the academy opens.
“Purpose-built to meet our training requirements, the new site represents a significant investment in our people, patrol capability and future skills – strengthening not only The AA, but Britain’s workforce.
“Alongside upcoming investment in our Oldbury site, we’re committed to The AA being a great place to work and we’re well placed to continue to create confidence for drivers, now and for the future.”
Sustainability has been a key focus of the project. In October 2024, the motoring organisation moved its headquarters from Fanum House on Basing View a few hundred yards down the road to PLANT (formerly known as Mountbatten House). The furniture and audio-visual equipment saved from this move will be used at the new academy, supporting the organisation’s sustainability objectives.
Luke Murphy, MP for Basingstoke, said: “This is really positive news for Basingstoke. The AA choosing to invest further in our town, with a new Patrol Training Academy creating and supporting skilled jobs, is a real vote of confidence in our local workforce. Training around 50 new patrols each month, alongside expanding Mobile Mechanic training, means opportunities for people here to learn a trade, build a career and stay working locally.
“Basingstoke has the talent and the infrastructure to be a hub for high-quality training and employment, and this kind of investment helps strengthen that. I look forward to visiting the academy and working with The AA to ensure local people can benefit from the opportunities it brings.”