Disappointment over Whitchurch driving test centre closure

The test centre is set to close in April

The closure of a driving test centre is "hugely" disappointing, a council leader says.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) announced plans to close the Whitchurch driving test centre in Shropshire from 11 April.

But Shropshire Council's leader, Councillor Lezley Picton said the agency should have consulted with residents.

The DVSA said it understands the change "may cause an inconvenience".

Ms Picton wrote to Nick Bitel, non-executive chair of DVSA, objecting to the closure saying it was "not in the best interest of local learner drivers or the driving instructors who serve the local area".

Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, also urged the organisation to reverse its decision.

The response from the DVSA was that the centre "represents poor value for money".

Ms Picton said she was "hugely disappointed".

"As I said in my letter, yet again we are seeing a part of the Government withdraw services from local rural communities and adding to the inequality between cities and counties," she said.

A DVSA spokesperson said: "We understand this change may cause an inconvenience for some, but we have worked hard to ensure that there is no change in the number of tests provided to local candidates, and no tests were lost as a result of the closure."

It said the next nearest site is the Crewe test centre, which is 14 miles from Whitchurch and there have been no job losses as examiners have been relocated.