Library hope to save Cannock driving test centre
A library is being lined up as a potential new home for Cannock's scrapped driving test centre.
Campaigners are desperate to retain a test centre in the area and have approached the DVSA about setting up at Hednesford Library. Pye Green Community Centre is another option that is being considered.
The decision to close Cannock's test centre at the town's fire station has sparked a backlash among instructors and means learners will now have to travel to Lichfield or Featherstone to take tests.
Hednesford councillor Paul Woodhead is spearheading the campaign to try and keep a base in the Cannock area. The options have been put to the DVSA and he has called on them to enter discussions on whether it would be possible.
The move to close the Cannock base is thought to be partly based on costs involved with running it and Councillor Woodhead, chairman of Hednesford Town Council, believes an acceptable offer could be made to the DVSA.
He insisted there is enough demand in Cannock and Hednesford for the area to have its own test centre.
Hednesford Library is now run by volunteers rather than the county council, which could make reaching an agreement less complicated. Pye Green Community Centre is run by the Town Council, where Councillor Woodhead believes a majority could be in favour of the plan.
He said: "With the library, I am a volunteer, it's community managed, there is a space and it's a potential location to use.
"We need to understand more fully what the DVSA want and what's involved. If we know exactly what's wanted then we can look at how it can work. One of those two looks like the best option to keep testing in the locality."
Councillor Woodhead believes making young people travel further to take their tested on unfamiliar roads could put unnecessary pressure on them.
He added: "Taking a driving test is a stressful situation and you want to be where you are familiar. If you are in a different area on different roads it increases stress.
"I would be confident with a bit of good will on both sides a solution can be found.
"At the point of removing the service from Cannock my understanding was that all the testing spaces were full. That would suggest there is a demand."
