Bangor to get state-of-the-art driving test centre in weeks

Oct 29 2008 By Jamie Smith

A NEW state-of-the-art driving test centre will be fully up and running within the next couple of weeks.

The new multipurpose test centre on the Llandegai Industrial Estate, on the outskirts of Bangor, began carrying out motorcycle tests at the end of September and is expected to start conducting car driving examinations within the next fortnight.

The new centre was built after the Holyhead and Colwyn Bay test centres closed earlier this year and the demand was too great for the small centre on Coed Mawr in Bangor.

The only other test centre remaining operational in the region is in Pwllheli.

A spokesman from the Driving Standards Association (DSA) said: "Bangor’s multipurpose test centre is one of around 60 being developed as a national network throughout Britain.

"The centre at Bangor conducts motorcycle and car practical tests.

"The test centre will be modern, purpose-built, energy efficient and compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act."

DSA chief executive, Rosemary Thew, said: "The new motorbike test will contribute to improvements in road safety and this test centre fits into our overall vision of improving facilities for riders and drivers across Great Britain."

The new test centre will also incorporate theory tests, which are currently held at the DSA office at Bangor train station.

The new location will also make it easier for instructors and pupils to access and park away from the heavy congestion of Coed Mawr.

The move has been a controversial one with driving instructors in Holyhead complaining about the long distance they now have to travel for lessons and tests, with it being even more difficult for Colwyn Bay instructors as the A55 is a no-go area for learners, making it difficult for them to reach Bangor quickly.

Another major reason for the move was that a European directive comes in from March 2009 changing the way learner motorcyclists are tested.

These changes include new manoeuvres which must be undertaken at speeds of between 19-32mph, and for safety reasons these cannot be carried out on public roads, so the DSA had to find a suitable site where the manoeuvres could be conducted.