There was another reason for the anger and rage shown in yesterday’s post, that forced me to buy two new Wii Games (Battallion Wars 2
You see, the DSA (Driving Standards Authority) have decided that, to “boost efficiency”, they will close a number of test centres, and replacing them with a lot less “super centres”, which will teach biking, truck driving, as well as normal driving.
Of course, one of the test centres that will close will be Colwyn Bay’s, and I’m not happy about it.
I have no idea at the moment how it’ll affect me, as neither does my instructor. None of us have been told when (or indeed if) it’ll close, and what’ll happen afterwards. What it could mean though is that I could in theory be taking my test in an area about 30 miles away in either Bangor or Chester (I know the article says Rhyl, but apparently people in Colwyn Bay can’t take their test in Rhyl). It is a huge disadvantage for me, as I’ll am learning on Colwyn Bay roads instead of Bangor roads, and I’ll take my test on Bangor roads. Of course, I could learn in Bangor, but that means a 30 mile drive there and back. Hardly worth it for an hour or so, so I’d have to do two lessons. Which is more expense.
Two reasons why I’m particularly angry. The first is because 30 miles isn’t that far to travel down in Cardiff or other city areas. But in North Wales, it’s terrible. I cannot go on the duel carriageway, so I’d probably have to drive over the sychnant pass, which is fine for Sunday drivers, but for actually getting anywhere it’s a pain in the arse. It just smacks to me that the Assembly have – in their short sighted vision – thought “yeah, inexperienced drivers will be fine driving to Bangor, no problem! It’s only 30 miles!”. They probably haven’t driven on North Wales roads at all.
The second reason is that I can’t seem to do anything about it. I added a petition to the government website, and they rejected it, basically saying that it’s nothing to do with us. I really have no idea who to turn to to kick up a fuss, hence why I’m posting it here.
So I guess there’s only one thing I can do, pass first time, and be shot of it. It is quite a selfish attitude, but if anybody has any other ideas, I’d love to hear it.
Comments: 10 Comments
Rhys Wynne, the author of this blog, is a 20 something web designer from Colwyn Bay. 
Best thing to do is keep doing your lessons on the roads your on, get insured on your mum/dads car and once a week ask them reeeeeeally nicely to go for a drive with you around the roads up in Bangor! And you are perfectly legal to drive on dual carriageways!
Jumping in the deep end is the best way i find with learning… those nice red L plates are a licence to do what ever you want as badly as you want on the roads! make the most of it whilst you have them!
and i can’t stop laughing at your diagram… i know you said your road positioning was off but seriously!!
That sucks. They are talking about closing the Canterbury test centre in favour of a supercentre in another town which is just totally stupid. Mind you I can see the sense for here in some ways, Canterbury has such shit road systems that learners spend half their time in a traffic jam going absolutely nowhere.
Have you thought about the local newspaper or radio? They love issues like that and you might get to rant on air/in the paper and generate a bit of support towards not closing your local centre as I am sure there are lots of others who think it’s a shit idea too.
Learners aren’t allowed on the A55. It’s a duel carrigeway technically, but it’s almost a motorway as it’s the main road in North Wales
I learnt in a completely different area to where I did my test. I leart in staines but the test centre was in weybridge. If you can’t drive on unknown roads then really you should’t be taking your test, if you know the roads its not a test is it.
Good idea from Debbie – write to the Pioneer/NW Weekly News and tell them about it + link it to your blog. It is crazy!
You can go on the A55 eastwards from Llandulas, so not far out of the bay really, and westwards anywhere from the other side of Conwy (so you can drive through Conwy, over to the otherside and get on there). So it is possible for you to drive to Bangor on normal roads, including most of the way on the A55 – will still take 30mins at least though, so 30mins there and 30mins back is crazy.
Oh stop your whining and think about your Welsh bretheren in the rural heartlands
When I was your age (eee by gum eck, them days were black and white and sepia toned, no such thing as the Internet) I had to take my driving test in Bala – 45 miles and an hour away along the curviest Welsh roads imaginable. All because Bala had a traffic light
You can drive on the A55 from Conwy Mulburry onwards cos there isn’t an alternative (hence the tractors pissing the tourists off on that road around Tal Y Bont.
I think it’s fair to say that the Welsh Assembly looks at South Wales much like Westminster treats London: as if nothing exists north of it.
My suggestion would be to start a paper petition or an online one with another site and deliver it to the Welsh Assembly.
I took my test in the town I lived in for 22 years, but ended up on roads I had never seen before in my life, which was, uh, interesting. Honestly, it was like they made a bunch of brand new roads just to flummox me, only they’d quite clearly been there for a long time.
Also, can’t you petition/similar the Welsh Assembly? I know you can do something like that with the Scottish Parliament; in fact they love it when people do because it shows someone somewhere cares enough about them to know what they’re doing.