From February 27, those with a learner's licence will have to go to New Plymouth or Hawera for their practical restricted driver's licence test, with the service being withdrawn from Stratford.
This comes in the wake of the New Zealand Transport Agency developing a longer and more challenging restricted driving practical test aimed at improving the safety of young and novice drivers as part of the Government's Safer Journeys road safety strategy.
``International evidence shows that young drivers who accumulate around 120 hours of supervised driving are almost 40 per cent less likely to crash in the first six to 12 months of driving solo. The new, more difficult, restricted licence test has been specifically designed to test for drivers who have accumulated around 120 hours and requires test locations with consistently challenging environments,'' says NZTA chief executive Geoff Dangerfield.
The new test requires minimum levels of traffic, multiple lanes and merge lanes within a 60-80km speed zone, he says, adding that the decision to withdraw the service from 36 locations nationwide has not been taken lightly as they are aware that it will inconvenience some people.
``But, the reality is that we must raise driving standards if we are to reduce the appalling number of young people killed and injured on our roads every year, and we need a more challenging test to do that.''
The AA, which is the registered agent to conduct the tests in Taranaki, says it is in full support of the move and that
the AA office in Stratford will still take bookings for the practical tests, but that the test itself will have to be conducted
in either Hawera or New Plymouth.
Last year 314 restricted driver's licence tests were carried out in Stratford.
Approved driving instructor John Moore says having to go to New Plymouth or Hawera will add more than an hour's driving time and push up the fuel bill, which in turn will push up the price of their service. ``It is dear enough as it is. I am dead set again this. I am not happy about it at all.'' Stuart Beare says it might price them out. ``It is
very costly. You cannot make money from this.'' He says he has received no notification.
Stratford District Council mayor Neil Volzke says he can fully understand the reasons given to strengthen the testing of drivers and increase the training requirements for young drivers in particular, as well as the need to review test routes to include the more complex scenarios required by the new practical tests.
``But, my information is that Stratford has not even been formally assessed against the new test route criteria. Surely this should have been done before a decision was made. It gives the impression that discontinuing the service at Stratford and other centres, is more about cutting costs. If that is the case, NZTA should just say so
and give us an opportunity to discuss options.
``While it is a relief the theory testing will continue at Stratford, the withdrawal of the practical tests will be a real inconvenience for people in Central Taranaki. The service is clearly in demand and is well utilised. In the past 12
months we have averaged over 45 bookings for practical driving tests per month and these occur on just one test day per week.''
Stratford High School students when asked their opinion on the tougher test and the closing of the Stratford facility said it will be an inconvenience and that they deem toughening it up as unnecessary as it is not always driving skills that are causing the high death rate, but rather irresponsible driving such as texting or drinking while driving and taking chances.
Another asked doubted that Hawera offers the ``tougher driving environment'' the new test calls for.
The new test comprises two stages and is expected to take about one hour to complete. It includes:
Conducting a pre-drive vehicle safety check
A 45-minute practical drive
Feedback to the applicant on their performance at the end of the test
The on-road practical test is made up of two stages - a set of relatively simple driving tasks followed by more-challenging tasks.