MOTs: Drivers affected by NI cancellations to get temporary exemptions

Drivers affected by disruption at vehicle test centres will be granted temporary MOT exemptions from Monday, the infrastructure minister has said.

Nichola Mallon said this would apply to those with expired or soon-to-expire MOTs whose tests have been cancelled.

Her department said it was trying to give prior notice of cancellations but was not able to contact all customers.

The cancellations follow an inspection of MOT centres that found "signs of cracking" in 48 of 55 vehicle lifts.

There has been limited testing and cancellations at a number of centres since Wednesday.

The Department of Infrastructure previously said that anyone who had a test rescheduled would be refunded half of the MOT fee.

Ms Mallon said that "in ensuring safety, disruption has been caused to DVA (Driver and Vehicle Agency) customers".

"I have instructed officials to work to ensure all MOT centres are fully and safely operational as quickly as possible and that appointments are rescheduled as quickly as possible, with priority given to those customers whose MOT has expired or will expire in the coming days," she said.

She added that no one whose appointment had been cancelled would "have to pay a further fee".

"I want to assure the public that all customers affected will have a free test, plus half of their fee repaid."

Ms Mallon also said that test centres would be opening for additional hours this weekend, and in the weeks ahead, to ensure customers have their appointments rescheduled "as soon as possible".

On Friday, she advised customers whose MOT tests were booked over the next few days to "attend their appointment as planned, unless their appointment is cancelled by the DVA".

On Saturday, an Armagh councillor said drivers with test bookings were still being turned away from Armagh MOT centre.

"Vehicles have been turning up for full tests this morning, only to be turned away leaving people very annoyed and frustrated," Councillor Darren McNally said.

"MOT centre staff are carrying out some re-testing today but not full tests."

BBC New NI contacted the Department of Infrastructure to ask why motorists were still not being given prior warning of cancellations.

"The DVA is endeavouring to contact customers to cancel their tests," the department's spokeswoman said.

"However, we do not have contact details for all customers or may not have been able to make contact with them.

"There are a limited number of tests currently being conducted at all test centres and therefore customers are still encouraged to attend."

She added that the DVA "sincerely apologises to those customers who have turned up at a test centre and it has not been possible to conduct their test".

"Every effort is being made to contact customers and to restore operations as soon as possible."