I am finding it impossible to find an alternative to the above number.

I've tried all search methods I can think of but have hit a brick wall it seems.

Any help please?

~ Edited by Dave: Thread title amended

The proper name is Driver & Vehicle Testing Agency, www.dvtani.gov.uk. There is a number for their Northern Ireland switchboard in the DB.

According to 192.com, their number in London is 020 7944 8300. Please can you try it and let us know how you get on.

Thanks.

You're a wee bit wrong as their correct name is as I posted, ie. Driver & Vehicle Agency.

They did used to be known by the name you posted but they have recently been re-branded. The link you gave redirects me to their new web address, however, but this still doesn't contain an alternative number to the 0845 one.  :(

Will try the number in the DB...if I can find it!

Sorry, the page that I found with that number one must have been an archived page - apologies for that.

Did you try the 020 number I put in my previous post?

Yes, I did, but their office closed at 17.30

The number I'm looking for is a Northern Ireland number, I'm pretty certain.

It will be prefixed with 028 therefore.

I'm not sure if their offices are either

a) Royston House, Upper Queen St, Belfast, BT1 6FA

or

b) County Hall, Castlerock Rd, Coleraine, BT51 3TA

Can you get numbers from these addresses?

I got 028 9054 2042 for the Belfast one, but it connects to a recorded message instructing me to ring an 0845 number  >:(

The two numbers that are in the database are 028 9068 1831 and 01204 770 768. I think you probably want the 028 one, although apparently the 01204 one is also the NI switchboard.

Thanks for those two numbers.

For obvious reasons I had to wait until after 09.00 to try them.

The 028 9068 1831 number is indeed for the Driver & Vehicle Agency, but it's not an geographical alternative for the 0845 247 2471 number.  :(

028 9068 1831 got me through to the DVA's offices in South Belfast (Boucher Road). I was told by the girl who answered I needed to ring the call centre in North Belfast (Newtownabbey) on...guess what....

...0845 247 2471.

>:(  

The 01204 770 768 number, which I thought because of the STD prefix would be answered by someone in Bolton, is indeed a Northern Ireland phone line, albeit a recorded message information line for the Agency's Coleraine HQ.

[smiley=cry.gif]

So I'm still no further on. The only number I can get for the MOT booking line is the call centre number, 0845 247 2471.

Is there no alternative???

Dusty Bin wrote on Oct 4^th, 2007 at 9:09am:

028 9068 1831 got me through to the DVA's offices in South Belfast (Boucher Road). I was told by the girl who answered I needed to ring the call centre in North Belfast (Newtownabbey) on...guess what.... ...0845 247 2471.

What is the address of the Newtownabbey office?

I've now phoned a couple of vehicle testing centres in my attempt to book an MOT without having to use the 0845 247 2471 number.

Each would not take my booking when I called the testing centres, telling me only the call centre could do this and their number is 0845 247 2471!

>:(

When I asked why, if I was already through to the test centre where my vehicle would be tested, could they not book a MOT for my car, I was told that because their phone lines are not secure, they couldn't take my credit card details and I had to phone the call centre.

Are 0845 numbers more "secure" phone lines?

:-?

I also asked where the call centre is and have been given two separate answers :-

i) the site of the old gasworks in Newtownabbey

ii) close to the Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey.

Now it just so happens I drive past this leisure centre occasionally when the M2 is closed so I know it's on Church Road, Newtownabbey.

I've tried googling combinations of DVA. Driver & Vehicle Agency, call centre, Church Road, Newtownabbey etc. but all without any success.

Does this 0845 number really have no geographic alternative???

Sorry, Dave, you posted while I was writing, and so missed your question. I hope, however I answered it (sort of) in my last post, ie. Church Road, Newtownabbey.

Thanks

Dusty Bin wrote on Oct 4^th, 2007 at 10:01am:

When I asked why, if I was already through to the test centre where my vehicle would be tested, could they not book a MOT for my car, I was told that because their phone lines are not secure, they couldn't take my credit card details and I had to phone the call centre. Are 0845 numbers more "secure" phone lines? :-?

That sounds like a complete lie to me. 0845 numbers are no different to 01/02 numbers in terms of security really. It is probably just an excuse to ensure you ring the 0845 number...

Yes, I did think it was an odd thing to say.

More likely that the computer system they would enter the information into that I gave them would be less secure perhaps?

As you said, just another excuse to justify using an 0845 number.  >:(

Dusty Bin wrote on Oct 4^th, 2007 at 10:01am:

I've now phoned a couple of vehicle testing centres in my attempt to book an MOT without having to use the 0845 247 2471 number. Each would not take my booking when I called the testing centres, telling me only the call centre could do this and their number is 0845 247 2471!

So does it work differently in Northern Ireland than the mainland?

Don't you book your MOT at the garage you have chosen to perform the test?

Dave, it does indeed work differently in Northern Ireland.

Here, if a car is more than 3 years old, it has to be tested annually at a Vehicle Testing Centre.

To book a test you have to call an 0845 number (which seemingly has no geographic alternative).

Since last posting, I've found that the call centre may be operated by a company called Northgate Solutions.

I'm going to do a bit of searching using this new info. I'll update this thread when I've learned more!

Yes - the 0845 247 2471 number gets you through to a call centre run by a company called Northgate Information Solutions on behalf of the DVA.

I guess this provides an explanation for the tosh I was fed about insecure phone lines.

The call centre in question is indeed on Church Road, Newtownabbey...as I was led to believe (see earlier post).

I've even found a contact number (028 9085 9085) for Northgate-IS which I'm going to try after 09.00

Do you know of this company?

Are they 0870/0845 specialists?

Hi there. There is no listing on this site for the DVTANI (Driver Vehicle Testing Agency for Northern Ireland). They've recently amalgamated with the DVLNI to create DVNA but the numbers seem to have remained unchanged. The number on their forms are:

0845 601 4094 - Helpline
0845 247 2471 - Vehicle Test
0845 247 2472 - Practical Test
0845 600 6700 - Theory Test

Does anyone know of any freephone or geographical numbers for them?

Thanks very much for your help!

Sean

seanmcq wrote on Nov 27^th, 2007 at 4:43pm:

Hi there. There is no listing on this site for the DVTANI (Driver Vehicle Testing Agency for Northern Ireland).

There's two entries for Driver & Vehicle Agency Northern Ireland (DVANI). Any good?

Let me know and I will change the title of them to DVTA. I've also joined the thread you started to the existing one. Perhaps you can confirm the current address for DVTA.