'Increased pollution and congestion' in Sunderland after test centre closure, say driving instructors

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) closed South Tyneside’s test centre in April 2022 with the borough’s clients now expected to take tests at Sunderland’s centre.

The initial announcement led to drive-by protests and a concerted campaign for a u-turn by driving instructors.

Ten months on, following research carried out by the Save Our Test Centre group, campaign leader Vikki Holt says the group’s fears have come to fruition.

Vikki, 52, who owns Top Gun Driving School, said: “The DVSA said all we need to do is give four hours of tuition on the roads around the test centre in Sunderland where clients are to be examined.

"However, we are client led and if people are going to be tested in Sunderland they want to practice in Sunderland. This means learners in South Tyneside having to take longer, more expensive lessons to drive to Sunderland meaning more carbon emissions released in Sunderland in particular.

"There are now around 120 more instructors travelling back and forth between Sunderland and South Tyneside and we’ve calculated an estimated 1,231,345,312 grams of CO2 going into the atmosphere annually.”

Instructors say additional learner traffic, particularly around the test centre, is causing congestion problems which they feel is having a detrimental impact on students sitting their tests.

Sherburn SOM owner Jonathan Wilkinson, 47, said: “Congestion around the centre is horrendous and this is not a great situation for people who are often already nervous to start their tests.

"There have been times I’ve been sat in traffic for 45 minutes and the lesson is almost gone.

"We’ve even been told by the test centre not to use certain roads and car parks due to levels of congestion. Waiting times for tests are currently around four months.”

Vikki added: “Local residents must be getting sick of the extra congestion and we’ve all been subjected to incidents of driver aggression.”

The closure has also led to driving instructors leaving the profession.

Jonathan said: “I’ve got nine students to get through their tests and I’ve decided that will be me done. I know 10 other instructors who’ve left.”

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The instructors today (Wednesday, February 8) gathered outside the boarded-up test centre demanding the DVSA reverse its decision in a bid to “reduce carbon emissions and the cost for people passing their tests”.

Responding to the situation DVSA Director of Operations North Peter Hearn said: “We don’t recognise or accept the figures presented. There’s no need for learners to practice driving near a test centre that increases journeys and costs. Candidates should be able to drive safely on all types of road before taking their test, rather than simply being taught driving test centre routes they’re unlikely to drive on again.

“The decision to close South Tyneside’s test centre was made as the Sunderland centre is less than six miles away where the same services have been relocated and there’s no reduction in the number of tests available for candidates.

“As with all driving test centres, we keep local traffic under review and there’s no evidence of congestion impacting on the delivery of tests. The current pass rate at Sunderland is higher than the national average.”