A NEW government consumer helpline aimed at helping customers stand up for their rights has come under fire before it is even officially launched.

Several puzzled York residents have contacted the Evening Press to say that they can no longer directly contact council trading standards officers.

Instead they claim that for the past two weeks they have been redirected to a Leeds call centre where operators log details of their complaint or query.

The new service forms part of a move to link 13 different local authority areas across Yorkshire and Humber to a new Consumer Direct helpline, based on the NHS Direct health information service.

It is expected to be launched officially on Monday, when residents will be able to dial a local rate number to access advice, information and support on matters from bogus holiday clubs to counterfeit goods.

David Stanford, 32, of Woodthorpe, York, said he was "disappointed and frustrated" when he found he could not speak to a local trading standards officer about a suspected mobile telephone scam.

He said: "I dialled the number for City of York Council trading standards out of the phone book and was expecting to be able to talk to a local person about a York issue.

"A man took my personal details and said someone would get back to me, but that was the last thing I heard about it.

"I appreciate that they are probably very busy, but we are encouraged to try and help combat cheats and rip-offs by giving information and they clearly weren't interested."

A 28-year-old Clifton man, who asked not be named, said he wanted to speak to a York trading standards officer about a suspicious mail shot he had received from a company based in the city.

He said: "Consumer Direct may prove to be a huge improvement on the previous service, but it seems strange to change over to it without warning anyone or giving them an alternative."

A Consumer Direct spokeswoman said local trading standards officers would respond if any further work or investigation was required.

Updated: 10:02 Saturday, August 21, 2004