Testing station

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32474, 8 December 1970, Page 16

Testing station

Sir, —-My visit to the Lichfield Street testing station recently for my warrant makes me write this complaint, for the standard of courtesy has unfortunately fallen. Arriving at 4.5 p.m. I was surprised at 4.25 p.m. when the inspector testing the front wheel bearings suddenly disappeared and was eventually replaced by a young man who, in reply to my query, said he assumed the other man had gone home. I, a woman, then took over the job of turning the steering wheel for the benefit of the mechanic. My inquiries as to a scraper to remove my old warrant and as to guidance for affixing the new warrant, which now has no adhesive side to it, were met by extreme rudeness by the officer issuing the receipts. I would hope that we could get a prompter and more courteous service from the members of the staff as the standard seems to have deteriorated since the station was taken over by the Transport Department.—Yours, etc., G. M. TAYLOR.

November 20, 1970.

[Mr D. L. Hogan, regional secretary of the Ministry of Transport, replies: “The staff at the Lichfield Street testing station is substantially the same as it was before the Ministry of Transport took over control, and the standard of service should not have declined. If at times officers do not live up to the standard expected of them by the Ministry, it is a mattef for regret. The reason for the inspectors -stopping work at 4.25 p.m. is that the testing station is now open from 7.30 in the morning until 5.00 p.m. and, to keep within the normal span of working hours, those inspectors who start, at 7.30 a.m. finish work earlier. The new warrants are gum-impregna-ted even though they do not appear to be. There is a scraper available at the counter and also a water-roller to enable the warrant to be attached to the windscreen.]