Waimate is to lose testing for restricted driver's licences because its roads are not difficult enough - a problem also faced by other Otago and Southland rural centres.
The town had licence testing every two months and last year 71 people used the service to sit for a restricted licence.
However, the New Zealand Transport Agency is ending testing in Waimate and people sitting their restricted licence will have to spend about an hour travelling 88km to and from Timaru.
Waimate will still have testing for learner's licences and vehicle licensing.
That did not concern Waimate Mayor John Coles, who could see the reasons for tougher testing.
For young people, he did not believe sitting the test in Timaru would be a hardship, but it could be more difficult for the elderly.
In a letter to the Waimate District Council, the agency said the new tougher restricted driver's licence test to be introduced on February 27 required a "more complex driving environment" than the existing test.
This included a minimum level of traffic, multi-lane environments and 60kmh to 80kmh speed zones.
"Investigations show that conditions in Waimate do not meet the requirements for the test, so regretfully testing services for restricted driver's licences ... will cease," the agency said.
Waimate is one of 36 centres across New Zealand judged not suitable for the tougher restricted licence test. Capacity at 52 remaining sites would be increased to cope.
In the southern South Island, other centres to lose restricted licence testing are Winton (to Gore), Otautau (to Invercargill), Te Anau (to Invercargill), Wanaka (to Alexandra-Queenstown), Fairlie (to Timaru), Geraldine (to Timaru) and Mosgiel (to Dunedin).
