Blackpool driving test centre to relocate to Norbreck Castle Hotel

The unexpected new location will come into effect at the of this month, when the current test centre on Warbreck Hill Road closes on May 31.

However, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) says the Norbreck is only a temporary solution and the search for a permanent home for the amenity will continue.

It was originally planned that the current site would close on March 30 and the centre move to Kirkham, after the DVSA was served notice by the landlord of the site.

However, those plans did not prove popular with learner drivers, as the Kirkham location was nine miles away.

The landlord agreed to extend the lease for two months to allow the DVSA to find a nearer site.

Some had expressed concern that the move would make it more difficult for learner drivers from areas such as Blackpool, Fleetwood and the rest of the North Fylde area to get there.

Driving instructor Ron Strangwick, of the Towerdrive School of Motoring in Hawes Side, Blackpool, was one of the critics of the Kirkham move.

He told the Gazette: “What a disgrace, this means of course additional time and money for the driving pupils living in Blackpool and Fleetwood areas .

"It will necessitate a two hour round trip just to learn the area and a three hour trip on their test day.”

A spokesman for the DVSA said of the latest developments: “The move to the Norbreck Castle Hotel is a temporary one and is not permanent.

“People with a driving test booked have all been informed of the situation.

“We will be issuing communications when the permanent venue is confirmed.

"The temporary arrangements will be used from the end of May so there will be no interruptions in testing.”

In March the DVSA also announced changes to its booking system, as it aimed to tackle its tests backlog.

The agency said it was altering the system to discourage drivers from booking tests before they are ready, which will free up slots for those who are.

Tests were banned over lockdown, with the resulting backlog forcing drivers to wait months before getting the chance to lose their L-plates.