Plans to close all DVLA regional offices by end 2013

[A-AvantGarde]

Just came across this article on the BBC website, looks like there are plans to shut all of the DVLA's regional offices and centralise services in Swansea.

I know a number of offices were reduced a few years back, and can see how further savings / cuts may be needed:

BBC News - DVLA closures plan puts 1,200 jobs at risk

 

[moonloops]

+ putting them all in one place makes them easier to nuke

 

[brucemillar]

+ putting them all in one place makes them easier to nuke

So where would I go to queue for hours to be told that I need another form and have to go the back of the queue?

 

[trapperjohn]

So what happens if you buy a car which is on "disabled tax" (Not my words) Normally you just bob in to your local office and its sorted.
Same thing for personal reg transfers and the like.

Anyway - Is Swansea not in Wales which wants its independence from England. So why not centralise it in Brum.

 

[Will]

Can't they use some of the money they make from selling registration plates to keep the offices open instead

What about road tax? SORN penalties? Transfer fees? I struggle to believe that they make a loss on some of those charges and services?

Losing 1200 jobs isn't always going to be a good thing, no matter what the 'instant' savings are, IMHO.

 

[trapperjohn]

What about the DVLA inspecting cars at the local office, which they do from time to time. I'm not going to drive to Swansea thanks.

 

[clever dicky]

Lets hope they realise how much they could REALLY save and close them all down.

 

[grober]

That's 1200 people less to process your personal and vehicle licencing needs. Of course they will increase the central staff numbers at Swansea to cope. Half a dozen school leavers on minimum wage ought to do it.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

That's 1200 people less to process your personal and vehicle licencing needs. Of course they will increase the central staff numbers at Swansea to cope. Half a dozen school leavers on minimum wage ought to do it.

Don't you mean 'outsource' the calls it to some far-flung place where their command of English isn't exactly clear....

 

[Scott_F]

Losing 1200 jobs isn't always going to be a good thing, no matter what the 'instant' savings are, IMHO.

Having experienced the calibre of staff at my local DVLA office then weeding out 1200 wasters may well improve the quality of the service. It seems that many of them benefited from a taxpayer-funded job creation scheme during the boom years.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Don't you mean 'outsource' the calls it to some far-flung place where their command of English isn't exactly clear....

Newcastle?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Newcastle?

Funnily enough, as soon as I posted that I remembered the last time I spoke to DVLA Swansea that I could barely understand a word the woman was saying.

 

[Charles Morgan]

If you will dial the Welsh line...

 

[Will]

Having experienced the calibre of staff at my local DVLA office then weeding out 1200 wasters may well improve the quality of the service. It seems that many of them benefited from a taxpayer-funded job creation scheme during the boom years.

Bit harsh. I'm sure some out of 1200 must be ok...

Of course it's better to sack them all and have them twiddling their thumbs on the dole instead of earning a living

Good and bad experiences to be had with many dealings in life. Ever had your car serviced at Mercedes-Benz? Plenty of whinges on here about main dealers etc.

No bias at all, don't work for them and I don't know anyone that does. But a loss of jobs isn't usually a good thing. How would you feel?

 

[Scott_F]

Of course it's better to sack them all and have them twiddling their thumbs on the dole instead of earning a living.

It is better and cheaper to sack those that prove too idle and too inept to do the job and provide the service that the taxpayer pays for.

But a loss of jobs isn't usually a good thing. How would you feel?

Judging by the calibre of those that I have had to deal with I'd feel lucky to have got away with it for so long.

 

[bolide]

I hesitate to spring to the defence of the DVLA but the people in my local DVLA Office in Brighton are extremely good

By contrast the local council parking office is a complete nightmare

Nick Froome

 

[AMG-Al]

Sorry to see this, any dealings I have had with Glasgow office have been bordering on excellent.

 

[Rory]

Funnily enough, as soon as I posted that I remembered the last time I spoke to DVLA Swansea that I could barely understand a word the woman was saying.

Wait until they transfer it to India!

I don't know, I have mixed feelings about all this - pretty well all the central government offices have gone from many city centres. My wife used to be a civil servant and survived three office closures before bailing out when the closure of the fourth was announced.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Sorry to see this, any dealings I have had with Glasgow office have been bordering on excellent.

I've got to also say that whenever I've had to use the Sheffield branch, they have been very efficient and nothing is too much bother.

 

[jaymanek]

Many of the staff at Birmingham are demotivated, arrogant and ignorant.