Newslink December 2021

News
More changes to test centres
The DVSA has announced changes to the
following test centres for both theory and
practical testing.
THEORY TEST CENTRES
Region C (East Midlands and South East)
King’s Lynn
The new centre will be based at
Ground Floor, 26 High Street, King’s
Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 1BP.
Corby
The new centre will be based at Unit
2, Oakley Vale District Centre, Butland
Road, Corby, NN18 8QT
PRACTICAL
Goodmayes DTC
Goodmayes driving test centre will be
closed for refurbishment from Monday,
January 17, 2022 until Friday, February
11, 2022.
All practical car driving tests, ADI tests
and standards checks will still go ahead
as planned, but instead these will take
place at:
Parkside Community Association, 176
Goodmayes Lane, Ilford, Essex IG3 9PP
Testing will recommence from the
Goodmayes test centre on Monday,
February 14, 2022.
Baillieston DTC
Baillieston driving test centre will be
Germans get tough
on law breakers
Enforcement fines for speeding and
other traffic offences have been
substantially increased in Germany
following legal changes agreed in early
October.
Anyone caught driving 16 to 20
kilometres per hour (km/h) too fast in
an urban area will see the fine doubled
from 35 to 70 euros. For those that
are caught at 91 km/h instead of the
permitted 50 km/h, the fine will be
400 instead of 200 euros.
Drivers who do not form an
emergency corridor or use one to get
ahead of traffic will face a fine of
between 200 and 320 euros and a
month’s driving ban.
Lorry drivers who violate the
recently introduced obligation to drive
at walking pace when turning right in
urban areas will face a 70 euro
penalty.
10
closed for refurbishment from Monday,
March 21 until Friday, April 15, 2022.
All practical car driving tests, ADI tests
and standards checks will still go ahead
as planned, but will take place at the
following address:
The Barrbridge, 2 Barrbidge Road,
Bargeddie, Glasgow G69 7TZ
Testing will recommence from the
Baillieston test centre on Monday, April 18,
2022.
What you have to do
• Where driving tests centres are
temporarily out of action, all affected
candidates have been informed, and
reminders will be sent out to them a
week before the test.
ADIs who book tests on behalf of their
pupils will need to tell them of the
change of address.
• ADIs up in arms over plans to close
centre: See Area News, pg 39
Waving goodbye ... to your UK licence
The DfT has issued a reminder to all UK
driving licence holders that if you move
to an EU country or Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland,
you will not be able to renew your driving
licence in the UK.
It is advised that you exchange your
UK driving licence for a local licence as
soon as possible in line with specific
advice for your country of residence.
Be aware that if your UK licence is
lost, stolen or expired, you will not be
able to exchange it for a local licence in
the country where you are living.
You will have to apply for a local
licence and may have to retake your
driving test. Check with the licensing
authority in your country of residence if
your licence is lost, stolen or expired.
Click here for the full rules in
each nation if you are
planning to move abroad
Spain ahead of the game on alcohol interlocks
Spain is considering making it
compulsory for all lorries and buses to
have alcohol interlocks fitted from 2022.
The European Union agreed in 2019 that
all new cars, vans, lorries and buses
should have a standardised interface for
connectng an alcohol interlock from next
year – but not the interlock itself, which
would be retro-fitted from 2024.
The Spanish proposal goes substantially
further by requiring lorries and buses to
be fitted with the devices now.
Alcohol interlocks require the driver to
blow into a device that prevents a vehicle
being started if he or she is over a pre-set
limit.
France already requires alcohol
interlocks on all coaches and buses.
NEWSLINK n DECEMBER 2021