Helen Morgan writes to DVSA over Whitchurch Test Centre closure
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has written to the boss of the DVSA urging the organisation to reopen a driving test centre in Whitchurch.
The town council has offered to provide a suitable venue free of charge to the DVSA but one month on and the authority is yet to receive a reply.
In a letter to Loveday Ryder, Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Helen Morgan MP said: “I understand that John Selbey visited Whitchurch in late March to view the proposed test centre facilities. The team are very keen to hear that they will be able to continue to test students in the town.
“Waits for driving tests continue to be a huge concern in Shropshire, particularly as the last time I checked there were only five tests available in the surrounding area for the rest of 2022.”
“Re-opening the Whitchurch site, at no cost to the DVSA, would help to alleviate this severe shortage in our car-dependent constituency and surely represent good value for the DVSA.”
TEXT OF THE LETTER:
Dear Loveday,
Closure of Whitchurch (Shropshire) Driving Test Centre
I am writing to request an update on the proposal of Whitchurch Town Council to provide the DVSA with a suitable venue, free of charge, to serve as a Driving Test Centre in the town.
I understand that John Selbey visited Whitchurch in late March to view the proposed test centre facilities. The team are very keen to hear that they will be able to continue to test students in the town. Waits for driving tests continue to be a huge concern in Shropshire, particularly as the last time I checked, two weeks ago, there were only five tests available in the surrounding area for the rest of 2022:
Wrexham: 2 (in Oct)
Crewe: 3 (in Oct)
Oswestry: ZERO
Shrewsbury: ZERO
Telford: ZERO
All Stoke on Trent Centres: ZERO
Re-opening the Whitchurch site, at no cost to the DVSA, would help to alleviate this severe shortage in our car-dependent constituency and surely represent good value for the DVSA.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Helen Morgan
MP for North Shropshire