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Test stations — they're hard to reach...
Page 26
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I WRITE, WITH increasing desperation. on the subject of truck testing stations.
I've spent what feels like a lifetime this morning trying to get through to the test centre at Purfleet in Essex with no success. The phone just rings and rings and rings.., until a cheerful, disembodied voice tells me to replace the handset and try again.
Which is all well and good, but when you repeat the process precisely the same thing happens —over and over and over again.
As paying customers of what is essentially a monopoly service provider, you'd think we might be able to expect a certain level of service provision in return for our hard-earned cash.
Obviously if we were to give our customers a similar level of service we'd quickly see our businesses vanishing, thanks to competition in the marketplace.
The really galling thing is that it's not as though they don't know we're coming. We were tested at this time last year, so is it really unreasonable for them to expect us back, this being an annual test and all that?
It's got so bad that I have to trek all the way over to Colchester for tests now — hardly my local test station. It's enough to make you want to pack up and do something easier with your life.
'Disgruntled of Dartford' Mr Phillips By e-mail