THE Fleet Driver Training Association has been hit by the resignation of three high-profile members - AA Driving School, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents' Driver Services division and Universal Driver Training.

Both the AA and RoSPA said they were keen to retain an independent voice and added that their move was not intended as a criticism of the association. Bob Smalley, RoSPA's general manager of driver services, said: 'The FDTA was formed to bring set standards to the driver training industry and raise its profile and it has achieved those aims. The Driving Standards Agency is now close to creating a register of driver trainers and the FDTA is now more about making policy statements.'

A spokesman for AA Driving School said: 'We have said we would like to keep doors open between us. However, at this time, we feel that our energies can be better spent elsewhere.' Universal Driver Training decided to resign after changes to the FDTA's code of conduct meant it had to sign the trainer declaration, which names its trainers.