Motorists air frustrations over MOT backlog despite test centre figures ‘above the five-year average’

Statistics for January 2024 show that 83,755 full vehicle tests were carried out in Northern Ireland, which DVA says is 19% (13,085) above the five-year January average (70,670). It is also the second highest January figure in the series, from 2014/15. The agency has delivered 942,784 vehicle tests in this financial year to date.

The backlog stems from 2020 when testing was suspended in January of that year after faults were identified in the scissor lifts across all of the province’s MOT centres. This was followed by the Covid pandemic which resulted in further suspension of services from March 2020.

Despite the introduction of a new online system in 2021, some vehicle owners say they are struggling to book a test.

One motorist said: "I know of people ( family members) who were booked for Larne but their waiting list was so long that they got their MOT dates changed by checking daily and transferring/accepting cancellations in other towns.” In nearby Carrickfergus, a reader reported “six months for a MOT unbelievably shocking”.

And reacting to the latest figures on the Newtownabbey Times Facebook page, another said: “Very good, my MOT expires end of March I can’t get a date until end of July so don’t be congratulating yourselves.”

There were similar concerns in other parts of the province too, including this from Portadown: “And when you look online to book a test most show no availability or dates in July, not fit for purpose.”

A Mid Ulster driver observed: “And still have to wait till June for a date for car.” A Coleraine view: “Where do that get that from as you can't get a MOT in Coleraine anywhere near your test date, you have to travel half way round Northern Ireland.”

In response to the ongoing challenges, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) pointed to a new examiner recruitment drive and plans to introduce two new MOT centres. It also noted a record high number of test cancellations.

A Departmental spokesperson said: “In 2022-2023, the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) conducted over 1.15 million vehicle tests, which is the highest number ever recorded in a year.

"This increase in capacity has been achieved through a range of measures including the recruitment of additional vehicle examiners, the use of overtime to provide cover for leave and offering vehicle test appointments on Sundays and bank holidays, when testing is not normally available.

"A further vehicle examiner recruitment competition launched on 19 February and will be used to fill staff vacancies across the DVA’s network of test centres. Disappointingly, the number of vehicles that failed to attend a booked appointment in 2022-2023 was also the highest on record at 50,772.

“The construction of a new test centre at Hydebank, in Belfast, is nearing completion and will open later this year. The construction contract for a second new test centre at Mallusk has also been awarded and this new test centre is expected to open in 2025.

"Once fully operational, these two new centres will provide the capacity to test over 200,000 additional vehicles per annum, which will help the DVA meet the future demand for this service.”