RENEWED calls have been made to reopen Barry's driving test centre, after a learner driver failed to make her 9am test in Cardiff due to traffic.

Pregnant Jessica Gillard Dyer, of Cardiff Road, Barry, was all set to take her test yesterday morning (Wednesday, May 19) – but failed to make it to the Llanishen test centre, after the accident on the A48 closed Five Mile Lane and led to a build-up of cars on route to Cardiff.

Her instructor Lyndon Davies said: "Because of road closures on the Five Mile Lane, Pontypridd Road was jammed.

"We hit traffic at Culverhouse Cross and a train was crossing at St Fagans which cost us another five minutes.

"We were more than ten minutes late for the test, which meant it couldn’t go ahead - but I left my house at 8am.

"We said we would face these problems when the Barry test centre closed," he added.

"It’s bad because Jessica will lose her money, and will now have to pay for more lessons until her new test, as well as another two hours of time to get her to the test and back.

"There's also the stress of preparing for a test again."

Barry driving instructors, who fought the closure of the local test centre earlier this year, say it has led to unfair pressures being put on learner drivers from this area – a view that is supported by Jessica.

The 19-year-old said: "I am gutted. My first test, which was set for April 27, was cancelled, then I had to have more lessons to prepare for today’s test, and then because of traffic I've lost out again.

"I have spent loads on lessons to try and get familiar with the routes in Cardiff and now I have to spend more, on more lessons and to get to and from the next test.

"It’s ridiculous. Learners in Barry shouldn’t have extra stress – a driving test is stressful enough."

A meeting is currently being arranged between AM Jane Hutt and MP Alun Cairns to discuss a test centre for the town.

A spokesman for the Driving Standards Agency, which closed the Barry centre earlier this year, said: "It is every candidate's responsibility to arrive for the test on time, allowing for local traffic conditions."