The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) welcomed the end of the MOT extension period on 1 August. The federation argues that the move will not only significantly increase road safety but will give a much-needed boost to the automotive sector overall.
Steve Nash, CEO of The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has welcomed the return of mandatory MOT testing from 1 August. “The exemption from mandatory MOT testing announced at the end of March made sense at that time. But our sector moved very quickly to ensure it could work safely and support motorists during the lockdown,” he said.
Drivers in Northern Ireland whose MOTs are due during the pandemic shutdown will enjoy a one-year exemption, a Stormont minister said. It would not be possible to accommodate the backlog as well as conduct normal business at testing centres, infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon said. Drivers will instead apply for MOTs as normal next year. The announcement caps a year of turmoil for MOT testers in the region. In January, all tests were suspended due to faults with vehicle lifts used in MOT centres. Anti-Coronavirus lockdown measures had already led to further extensions for the MOT exemption.
At least 50,000 MOT tests have been cancelled in Northern Ireland since testing ground to a halt a month ago. The Northern Ireland MOT process was thrown in crisis on 21 January after cracks were found on lifts at many test centres owing to the fact that all MOTs are run by the DVA, a Northern Ireland government agency, which had bulk bought the same model of lift for all its centres.
In addition to the news that the Maha Duo+1 scissor lift if the model behind the Northern Ireland MOT crisis, GEA chief executive Julian Woods has pointed out that these Irish lifts are different to UK equivalents: “Vehicle lifts used for performing MOT tests in Ireland are of a different design/specification to those required in the UK MOT market and as such we cannot compare the situations.”
Maha Ireland has confirmed that its Maha DUO+1 scissor lift is behind the Northern Ireland MOT crisis. The lift, which has been supplied to DVA centres across Northern Ireland and is also believed to have been supplied to NCT centres in the Republic of Ireland, suffering from cracking which resulted in the suspension of all car MOTS in Northern Ireland on 27 January 2020.
MAHA Ireland Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the German company MAHA Maschinenbau Haldenwang GmbH & Co. KG, supplied the lifts at the centre of the crisis that brought all Northern Irish MOTs to a standstill on 27 January 2020 and subsequently spread to the Republic of Ireland.
Three more vehicle lifts became operational at Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) test centres in Northern Ireland on 31 January as work continued to restore normal operations. Together with the two lifts that went into operation on 29 January as well as roughly 15 per cent that were not affected by the severe cracking reported across 85 per cent of the DVA network, this means that the Northern Irish MOT process is now running at between 15 and 25 per cent of normally capacity more than a week after all MOTs in Northern Ireland were suspended on safety grounds on 27 January 2020. Therefore, it is still likely to take months before the process is back at full speed.
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon announced reviews into the MOT fiasco during a visit to DVA’s Boucher Road test centre on 28 January.
Speaking from the test centre, Minister Mallon said: “I have just been in speaking with staff here at the Boucher Road DVA centre. Staff are working tirelessly on the frontline to process priority customers and to communicate with the public. However, I have acted decisively to minimise disruption.”
Two new MOT lifts are being installed in DVA test centres in a bid to increase MOT capacity in Northern Ireland. The MOT process ground to a halt on 27 January 2020 when more 85 per cent of DVA lifts were deemed unsafe. Nevertheless, replacing MOT lifts is still likely to take months.
24 hours after all passenger car and light vehicle MOTs were halted in Northern Ireland (NI), it has emerged that replacement of the fault lifts at the centre of the crisis could take months and cost millions of pounds. Indeed, if all 55 vehicle lifts across Northern Ireland need to be replaced, with new lifts costing between £30,000 and £40,000 each (according DVA chief executive Paul Duffy quoted in multiple sources), the total cost will be between £1.65 million to £2.2 million.
Serious issues with vehicle lifts have led to all MoT tests for cars and light vehicles in Northern Ireland being suspended with immediate effect as of 27 January 2020.
IAAF