THERE is still no confirmed opening date for Whitchurch's new driving test centre - but the Driver Vehicle and Standards Agency (DVSA) says it hopes it will be soon.

Planning permission was granted by Shropshire Council last month to hold tests in the Civic Centre in High Street.

But the DVSA says a number of logistical issues are being sorted out at the moment.

Pupils are currently taking tests in Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Crewe after the previous test centre in Dodington was closed by the DVSA in 2022.

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The government body apologised for the wait for the new centre but insisted there are issues that it needs to resolve before being able to open it.

A DVSA spokesperson said: "DVSA welcomes the news that planning permission has been granted for the Whitchurch Civic Centre.

"There are still a number of factors that need to be resolved before we can use the site for driving tests.

"We’re very sorry that this is taking longer than anticipated."

The spokesperson added: "It is a commercial property and there are ongoing discussions which we can't say any more about.

"It is in the process of being sorted. We are hoping it will be soon."

However, the DVSA was able to confirmed that the tests will start and finish by the Civic Centre when the new centre opens.

They also DVSA confirmed that tests at the other centres in Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Crewe have remained the same and spoke about how it had not been a speedy process to bring tests back to Whitchurch.

The spokesperson continued: "We haven't changed the amount of tests in the local area.


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"We appreciate, it is a bit inconvenient for people in Whitchurch and the surrounding area to have to use Crewe, Shrewsbury or Wrexham.

"We acknowledge that and apologise that the site had to close initially.

"It has not been a speedy process to bring driving tests back to the town centre."