Transport Control chief Donald Dane yesterday showed the red light to instructors who are allegedly abusing the driving test system.

And he vowed to slam the brakes on any driving instructors who were found to be working around the regulations.

He was speaking after a woman claimed a driving instructor had said that he would block her test spot, claiming he had booked it and it was his, unless she paid him $50.

The woman who took lessons with instructor Bill Simmons forked out the cash -- even though she was using her husband's car to take the test.

Mr. Dane said it was normal practice to give instructors one to three test times a week if TCD was asked -- but instructors were forbidden to charge for a test time alone.

He added: "It's given if you have trained that person and you book them -- that's what it's about. I'll look into this.'' Mr. Dane said he had also had two complaints from members of the public about instructors charging people they have not trained themselves for test spots.

He added: "It's not supposed to be for other people. I have heard of one or two people doing this, but not too many.

"But you can only respond if the complainant tells me who the person is.'' Driving instructor Mr. Simmons, a 38-year veteran, told The Royal Gazette that he gets no special favours from TCD. He said he books the test time as soon as the new student enrolls in the school.

When asked how long it took for each student to pass his driving course, Mr.

Simmons replied it depended on the student; some needed up to ten lessons, others needed five or six, or less.

Asked how he could pre-book a test but not know when the student would be ready to take it, Mr. Simmons had no reply.

Still he denied driving instructors were getting a quota for blocks of time, and denied driving students were being charged for the reserved slots.

"I've never heard of that. It doesn't work like that from me. I make them take the test in my car, and they're paying for the use of the car,'' he said.

A former student of Mr. Simmons, who wishes to remain unidentified, tells a different story however.

Recently arrived on the Island with 20 years experience behind the wheel, he told The Royal Gazette he took one lesson from Mr. Simmons and, despite pressure to take more, paid $50 to use the school's car for the driving test.

"Fair enough. I tied up his car for the better part of an hour and I can accept that,'' he said.

In a little over two weeks though, he had been in and out of TCD with the help of Mr. Simmons, who booked his test.

After having passed his test he then went out and bought a car and enrolled his wife with Mr. Simmons. Again Mr. Simmons took care of all the TCD work, but when it came for her to take the test she told him -- two days before the examination -- that she preferred to use their new car and would therefore not need him.

Mr. Simmons resisted however, telling her she learned in his car and should take the test in it, but the offer was turned down.

On the day of the test the couple showed up at TCD at the appointed hour, only to find Mr. Simmons in the parking lot, "handing out watermelons, or squash, to the (TCD) inspectors.'' When told -- again -- his car was not needed for the test, Mr. Simmons became upset: "He told me, `I booked the test, I own the spot, and you owe me $50'.'' Added the wife: "He threatened to cancel the test. He said, `that's the way it works around here', and he kept poking (my husband) in the chest. He said it was his block of time.'' After a few heated words the couple backed off and reluctantly parted with $50, giving it to Mr. Simmons who continued to threaten to cancel "his spot''.

Mr. Simmons however denies this. He told The Royal Gazette he was never told the couple wanted to use their own car.