Emergency stop as cuts loom at DVLA

Friday 28 December 2012

by Tony Patey

DVLA workers put themselves in the driving seat today as they took strike action over closure plans which will put more than 1,000 jobs at risk.

Members of the PCS union showed the stop sign at dozens of offices nationwide as they took on the task of disrupting all 39 regional offices in England, Scotland and Wales for 24 hours.

The cuts-crazed Con-Dem government wants to centralise the DVLA in Swansea and move more services online by the end of 2013 - but PCS reps say changes would lead to more vehicle tax evasion and fraud.

The union has delivered a 72,0000-name petition opposing the closures to the Department for Transport - the largest paper petition it has ever organised.

A PCS spokesman said: "Our petition was signed by members of the public, motor traders, representatives of motor trade federations and haulage and bus companies, and representatives of historic vehicle clubs.

"We're very concerned about the lack of awareness among people that the offices are set to close or even that a consultation has been carried out."

The DVLA advised motorists who needed to conduct transactions during the day to use its website or, where appropriate, go to a post office.

PCS said coalition policies would signal the end of a "highly prized" face-to-face service to motorists.

Union general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "As well as losing a high-quality public service and more than 1,000 jobs at a time of high unemployment, we believe these closures will lead to increased vehicle tax evasion and fraud.

"We want the minister to listen to the overwhelming views of the public, motor traders and his staff, to see sense and reverse these ill-thought-through and damaging closures."

The government is punting the idea that its plans would mean a more "effective" service and save £28 million a year - but more than 1,200 of the DVLA's 6,100 staff would be under threat.

Roads Minister Stephen Hammond said: "The DVLA has been serving motorists for more than 40 years but times and customers' needs change.

"This will give millions of motorists greater access and give the motor industry and the general public far greater choice of when, where and how they choose to deal with the agency."

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