Driving test centre set to close

Learner drivers face journeys up to 45 minutes to other centres

A Surrey driving test centre will close now that its lease has finished, it has been announced.

The lease at Weybridge test centre ended on Christmas Day, and its last day of testing will be on 11 March, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) said.

It said a better service could be provided by other centres, such as the one in Chertsey.

But local MP Ian Taylor said other test centres were difficult to get to because of traffic congestion.

When the threat of closure first arose in December 2006, the MP for Esher and Walton, said Weybridge was ideally located for driving schools that were out of reach of Guildford and Tolworth.

What we have done is to make steps to inform people as far in advance as possible so they can make arrangements to go to the alternatives. Terry Triggs

He said pupils would now face a 30-45 minute journey time in off-peak times.

Terry Triggs, the DSA's operational delivery manager for the South, said: "What we have done is to make steps to inform people as far in advance as possible so they can make arrangements to go to the alternatives."

She added: "Chertsey is the nearest alternative and there are also other centres, depending where they are living they could go to Ashford or Guildford.

"I know that they are further afield but some of our candidates have travelled from outside the Weybridge area to come this centre so they might find that the others are nearer."