Confusion over Dannevirke's licence testing venue

Tararua Community Youth Services is Dannevirke's driver testing venue which is accessed through the Ward St carpark.

It's been almost three months since the Dannevirke venue for driver licence testing changed but many people are still turning up at the old venue.

VTNZ is no longer carrying out licence testing at the Hearing Association rooms in McPhee St, this has moved to Tararua Community Youth Services (TCYS) premises which are accessed via the Ward St carpark.

The issue over confusion surrounding the testing venue was raised at last Monday's Dannevirke Community Board meeting by member Terry Hynes who is the TYCS board chairman.

"The licence testing is going very well now it has transferred to Tararua Community Youth Services. People can wait in the warm and dry, which they couldn't do at the McPhee St venue."

However, Hynes said there was the little issue of a number of people still going to the old venue and, on some occasions, missing out on their tests.

"In some instances they have waited outside the Hearing Association rooms for someone to come out and this hasn't happened."

Hynes suggested a sign be put up on High St directing people to the new testing venue while council governance manager Richard Taylor suggested a simple poster with the address of the new venue be put up at the Hearing Association rooms.

Adding to the confusion is that the AA, which issues the paperwork once a person has passed their driving test, is still using the Hearing Association rooms.

Adding to the difficulties facing newly licensed drivers is the fact that VTNZ testers are in Dannevirke on either Wednesdays or Thursdays each week but the AA is only here on the first Monday and the last Thursday of the month, meaning that a driver wanting to be issued with their new licence on the day they have passed their test they often have to travel to Waipukurau or Palmerston North.

TCYS youth development manager Jeanne O'Brien said that was the next problem that needed to be resolved.

"That's what we want to work on next so that people can do everything in the same place at the same time."

People travel to Dannevirke for their licence testing from throughout the Tararua district as well as from Waipukurau, Waipawa, Napier and Hastings.

The push to find another testing venue came from out-of-towners who travelled to Dannevirke to take their test.

"They had to wait outside, there was no toilet for them to use and they didn't know who to check in with. At the time we were in the Carnegie Centre when they approached us. Ultimately there was a conversation with VTNZ. So now people can sit and wait here and have a cup of coffee. There's also plenty of parking," O'Brien said.

Appointments for driver testing needs to be booked online, although O'Brien said TCYS staff are happy to provide help to do this.