A new proposal could change how often MOT tests are done for some vehicles in Northern Ireland, aiming for a more efficient system.
Belfast: So, there’s some buzz about a new plan from the Infrastructure Minister, John O’Dowd. He’s suggesting that MOT tests for certain vehicles might switch from every year to every two years. This change could apply to private cars, motorcycles, and light goods vehicles.
The Department for Infrastructure is kicking off a 12-week consultation about this, which runs until April 16, 2025. It’s building on some earlier discussions about biennial testing from 2021.
Don’t worry, the first mandatory test will still be at four years for cars and motorcycles, and three years for light goods vehicles. But if this new plan goes through, it could mean fewer tests overall.
By 2030, they expect about 1.2 million light vehicles and 65,000 heavy vehicles will need testing. If they go ahead with biennial testing for cars aged four to ten, they could take around 253,000 vehicles out of the yearly testing mix. That’s a big drop!
O’Dowd mentioned that modern cars are built to high standards, which makes them safer and more reliable. He’s also introduced Temporary Exemption Certificates for certain cars, which is a nice touch.
He’s keen to hear from everyone, especially those in the automotive industry and road safety groups. The feedback will help shape the final decision. If they do make changes, it’ll need to go through the Northern Ireland Assembly, so it’s still a bit of a process.
Last year, they conducted over a million vehicle tests, which is pretty impressive. If you want to weigh in on this, you can check out the consultation on the NI Direct website.
