Whitchurch Civic Centre closure puts the brakes on driving test site

Earlier this year, efforts to bring driving tests back to Whitchurch took a major step forward when planning permission was granted for the DVSA to base a test centre at Whitchurch Civic Centre.

Budding drivers have been forced to wait months and travel to Shrewsbury, Wrexham, Telford and Crewe after the previous test centre at The Lodge on Dodington was closed in 2022.

But the civic centre now faces an uncertain future, after a detailed structural survey found that the dangerous concrete, RAAC, is present in the majority of the building.

Most of the civic centre has been closed to the public since September following an initial assessment which identified reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete roof beams in parts of the building.

This week, Shropshire Council revealed that the building's problems were further complicated by the widespread existence of asbestos, which would be disturbed by any works.

Now, North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has written to the Secretary of State for Transport to meet with her, DVSA representatives and local campaigners to find a way forward over the interruption to plans to bring back a test centre to the town.

The MP has said that she is determined to continue the campaign and bring a test centre back to Whitchurch.

She said: “Whitchurch needs a driving test centre, and I am fully behind local campaigning efforts to find a way forward. I have invited the Secretary of State for Transport to meet with me, the DVSA, and local campaigners so we can get around the table and do just that.

“In much of North Shropshire, a car is completely essential to access basic services, get to work, and have a high quality of life. Backlogs of months and months are not fair on anyone, especially our young people – there is a real economic and human consequence to this issue.

“I am hoping by bringing in Ministers and showing that there is clear local support, we can get these plans back on the road.”