SNCA's new driving center in Friedhof: what goes with Wiltz?

The National Society of Automobile Traffic (SNCA) in Luxembourg is getting ready to open a brand new driving test facility in Friedhof in July 2023, which will bring together all automobile services for northern Luxembourg.

However, the changes don't come alone: the current SNCA center in Wiltz will be forced to close. This does not sit well with the growing population of the city, which is predicted to reach 11,000 inhabitants over the next few years, positioning Wiltz as a northern regional center.

Municipal officials cannot understand why the service is being withdrawn, nor why the issue was not raised sooner. The SNCA announced plans to move to the new site as early as 2020, but it was not clear whether practical exams would end in Wiltz or not.

Currently, in Wiltz, there are 16 driving tests made every week, while the overall capacity of 9 tests per day. So the problem of not having enough space is not the deal here.

While the SNCA seems confident that the new site will provide better conditions for practical driving exams, the closure of the Wiltz Center will undoubtedly create additional challenges and inconvenience for driving students in the region. Now pupils will have to drive additional 50 km to reach the new auto school facility.

This decision to close the Wiltz SNCA center has sparked a discussion in the northern region, about the decentralization of resources. MP of the Democratic Party, André Bauler has asked mobility minister François Bausch to reconsider the decision and suggested looking for new premises in the municipality of Wiltz. While Bausch is thinking about the answer, local authorities in Wiltz have shown their full support for Bauler's proposal: Mayor Fränk Arndt will do everything possible to keep the SNCA office in the city.

The director of the SNCA, Manuel Ruggiu, defended the decision, saying it was not necessary for candidates to practice the test where the practical exam takes place. He added that exam itineraries were not defined in advance, and students are expected to be able to drive anywhere in Luxembourg. The Wiltz training site was not optimal, according to Ruggiu, and the Friedhof site would boast a 100-meter long, 20-meter-wide track for optimal conditions.

The SNCA appears to be optimistic about the improved practical driving exam conditions that the new site in Friedhof will offer. However, the closure of the Wiltz Center is bound to create problems for staff and people who live in the region. The concerns of local officials and residents highlight the importance of considering the impact of such decisions on the decentralization and accessibility of public services.