Fear Rhos-on-Sea test centre could be closed

Sep 11 2008 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

DRIVING instructors fear plans to shut down a motoring test centre in Rhos-on-Sea will see the percentage of failing learner drivers soar.

The test centre is currently based at offices used by the Assembly and Conwy County Council at Dinerth Road but the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has proposed learners should travel outside the county.

The Assembly is set to vacate the offices, and the driving centre on Dinerth Road could shut if proposals to absorb tests at Rhyl and Bangor are put into place, forcing those living in Conwy to travel either 12 or 20 miles respectively.

The test centre has two examiners who perform 3,500 tests a year and driving instructors fear learners made to sit their driving test on unfamiliar Gwynedd and Denbighshire roads will be at a huge disadvantage, and out of pocket due to travelling.

Frank Price of the Dulas School of Motoring has been a driving instructor for 30 years and has been chairman of North Wales Driving Instructors’ Association for 14 years.

“We aren’t being told what’s going on and it’s unfair to the pupil. At the moment the average amount of lessons a pupil needs is about 25 to 30, but that will go up,” he said.

“People are going to have to double up on their test to get to Bangor or Rhyl, it’s going to cost the pupils a lot more money. They are not considering how long it will take to get to Rhyl or Bangor.

“Learners in Rhyl will have an unfair advantage and it’s wrong. The pass rate for Colwyn Bay test centre is 39%; Rhyl’s is 35% which is one of the lowest in the country. I think that figure will go down.

“It’s difficult to answer the questions from pupils. From the tutors’ point of view we’re going to make more money, but it’s not fair on the pupil.”

Morgan Dafydd, 17, is from Conwy, attends Ysgol-y-Creuddyn and feels a change in the location of the test centre would be drastically unfair.

“It’s not so much the paying extra, it’s the fact I don’t know the roads and feel I would have less chance of passing,” he said.

“I’ve got friends who’ve passed because they know the roads. If I had to go to Bangor or Rhyl I think I would stand less chance.”

Colwyn Bay Town Council has already written to the DSA against the proposals.

A spokeswoman from the DSA said she was unable to comment or clarify the current situation.

richard.evans