Trainers slam BSA's hotline
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A new central telephone booking line set up by the Driving Standards Agency has been condemned by liGV trainers as a disaster.
Last week CM received several calls from HOY training schools, saying it was almost impossible to get through.
CM tried to ring the new number (0870 010 1372) 10 times: in every case it was engaged or we got cut off. At no time did we get to speak to anyone.
Burton on Trent-based trainer John Orpwood says he spent hours trying to get through and still hadn't booked the tests his customers needed. Others tell a similar story.
The problem arose on 8 March when the EISA introduced a single phone number for the booking of all car, motorcycle and HU practical and theory tests.
A spokeswoman for the OSA says the line has been deluged with calls and admits that the system cannot cape. "We apologise to everyone who has been calling and ask that people do not keep redialling as it is only making the problem worse," she says. Training schools are advised to fax applications on 13870 0102 372.
The failure is the latest in a long line of disasters to beset the NA which had its Charter Mark denoting good cus tomer service returned to it in December 1997 after previously being stripped of it.