Trowbridge Driving Test Centre (DTC) is due to be closed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) on 29 August 2008. The DSA are taking advantage of an opportunity to terminate the current lease of Trowbridge DTC, which otherwise would have ten more years to run, to save money to build new Multi Purpose Test Centres (the nearest of which will be in Bristol) to meet European Union regulations solely relating to motorbike tests. There is absolutely no requirement to close Trowbridge DTC which is a highly profitable and suitable car test centre.

Trowbridge Driving Test Centre provides driving tests for people living in Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Westbury, Warminster, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and surrounding areas. From 30 August 2008, people in affected areas will have to take their driving tests in Chippenham, Salisbury or Brislington (Bristol). There are also justified concerns that, if the closure of Trowbridge DTC isn't resisted, the DSA will decide to close Chippenham DTC in September 2010, when there is an opportunity for the DSA to terminate the lease, thereby requiring people to take their driving tests even further away in Bristol, Swindon or Salisbury!

Shamrock Driving School has always covered Chippenham and Corsham in addition to Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon and Melksham areas so we have a detailed knowledge of the Chippenham DTC area. In the, hopefully preventable, event of Trowbridge DTC closing we shall continue to teach pupils from Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon and Melksham to drive in their local areas. It will be necessary to familiarise pupils with the roads in Chippenham shortly before taking their driving test. It is this additional requirement, imposed upon us by the DSA who are a Government Agency, which will result in increased time and cost for learner drivers to pass their driving test, both now and in the future.

The DSA will state that test candidates should be able to pass their driving test anywhere although their Chief Executive has recently acknowledged that test candidates will require familairisation lessons in the town in which they will be taking their test. Whilst Shamrock Driving School teach people to drive safely for life and not simply to pass the DSA driving test the truth is that every town has its own pecularities and when you add to this the additional nerves which test candidates frequently suffer in a test environment, a lack of knowledge of the test area could well reduce the chances of an excellent and deserving candidate from passing their test. As a result the pupil will need to take a further DSA driving test, bringing in more revenue for the DSA! Is this a coincidence...I couldn't possibly comment! How many experienced and safe drivers wouldn't commit what the DSA view to be a serious fault during a 40 minute drive in a busy town where they had never driven before and with the added pressure of a stranger sat beside them watching their every move and having the power to decide whether or not they retained the freedom and independence afforded by a driving licence?

It is only the DSA who will benefit from the closure of Trowbridge DTC and the resultant cost savings which they themselves state will be £14000 per annum (including staff costs this equates to around £3 per car test undertaken at Trowbridge DTC). Taking into account that it will cost learner drivers around £200 extra to pass their driving test as a result of the DSAs decision to close Trowbridge DTC, it is my opinion that the closure is effectively a stealth tax imposed by the Government on learner drivers in the areas affected by the closure of Trowbridge DTC! At a meeting between Dr Andrew Murrison MP, Rosemary Thew (DSA Chief Executive) and myself (on behalf of Wessex Association of Driving Schools) on 9 July 2008 the DSA made it perfectly clear that they only cared about the cost effectiveness of the closure for themselves and that they had given no consideration to the cost impications for their customers (ie Learner Drivers)!

The Wessex Association of Driving Schools is campaigning for the DSA to undertake a full consultation exercise and hopefully stop the closure. The DSA Code of Conduct on Consultations states that the DSA will conduct a full written consultation where it intends to close a DTC except where, in areas where the population density is more than 100 persons per square km but less than 1250 persons per square km (West Wiltshire Community Area population density is 241 persons per square km), most customers travel no more than 20 miles to a DTC. Since the sizeable towns of Frome and Warminster will be 25 and 22 miles (and over an hour travel time) respectively from their nearest DTC following the closure of Trowbridge DTC, how can the DSA argue that nearly all customers affected by the closure of Trowbridge DTC will have to travel no more than 20 miles to a DTC? The fact of the matter is that the DSA are interpreting "most" to mean that only over 50% of the population need to be within 20 miles travel distance of a DTC which is quite frankly ludicrous and, if left unchallenged, would give this Governnment pretty much a free hand to close as many DTCs as they wanted in order to minimise their costs and maximise their income. At the meeting on 9 July 2008 between Dr Andrew Murrison MP, Rosemary Thew (DSA Chief Executive and myself (on behalf of the Wessex Association of Driving Schools) it was stated by Rosemary Thew that the decision not to undertake a consultation was based on radius from the nearest DTCs as opposed to travel distance but the DSA are relying upon their definition of most customers.

Wessex Association of Driving Schools is currently organising protests and action against this closure and are in contact with local MPs and media, who are actively supporting the campaign. There was a protest at Trowbridge DTC on Friday 25 April 2008 attended by over 50 driving instructors and members of the public together with reporters from all of the regional papers and radio stations. Both Dr Andrew Murrison MP (Westbury Constituency including Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon, Westbury and Warminster) and David Heath MP (Somerton and Frome Constituency) were at the protest and have raised this issue in Parliament and with the Secretary of State for Transport calling for the DSA to undertake a full consultation process in accordance with its own Code of Practice. There was a further protest on Friday 9 May 2008 at Chippenham DTC which additionally drew attention to the impact of the DSA's decision to close Trowbridge DTC on the already congested roads in Chippenham and highlighted the travelling distances, times and resultant costs imposed by the DSA on learner drivers living in the areas previously served by Trowbridge DTC. This protest was attended by Dr Andrew Murrison MP and James Gray MP (North Wiltshire including Chippenham) and received extensive press coverage throughout Wiltshire. On 30 May 2008 Trowbridge Driving Instructors put up posters and distributed letters in Chippenham for Residents to send to Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP (Secretary of State for Transport) to voice their opposition to the closure of Trowbridge DTC as a result of the resultant impact on the already congested roads in Chippenham. As a result of the meeting between Dr Andrew Murrison MP, Rosemary Thew (DSA Chief Executive) and myself (on behalf of Wessex Association of Driving Schools) on 9 July 2008 it is hoped that, despite strong resistance from the DSA Chief Executive who it is strongly felt fully intends to close Chippenham DTC at the lease break in 2010, the DSA will guarantee the future of a DTC in the Chippenham area until at least 2015. The Wessex Association of Driving Schools has received positive advice from a Barrister regarding the possibility of an injunction to stop Trowbridge DTC closing pending a Judicial Review and are currently awaiting final confirmation from the QC as to whether the number of driving test candidates who will be further than 20 miles from their nearest DTC in the event of Trowbridge DTC closing justifies our argument that a full consultation should be undertaken thereby allowing us to seek a temporary injunction stopping the closure of Trowbridge DTC pending a judicial review. On the basis that we have a case, prior to being able to pursue a judicial review the QC has advised that we need to have at least £10,000 funding in place in the event that we are unsuccessful. Considering that the DSA's lease on the current Trowbridge DTC premises expires on 29th September 2008, local driving instructors are taking urgent action to raise funds from within their ranks, national trade associations and local businesses. and

If you want Trowbridge Driving Test Centre to stay open and would be prepared to make a donation to our fighting fund (we are keeping records as to who has donated in order that unspent funds may be returned in the event that we are unable to seek a judicial review or if we are successful when the Government would have to pay our costs) any contributions would be gratefully received (cheques should be payable to "Wessex Association of Driving Schools"). Any contributions should be sent to Sandra Belton, 7 Chantry Gardens, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 3BS. Thank you for your support!

YOUR DRIVING INSTRUCTORS NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO KEEP YOUR DRIVING TEST CENTRE OPEN FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS!