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21/03/2006
NI MoT waiting times 'more than doubled'
Northern Ireland's MoT waiting times have more than doubled over the past two-years.
A report by the auditor general claimed that, despite a multi-million pound Private Finance Initiative, waiting times have risen from 20 days in 2002, to 55 days in 2004.
The Vehicle Testing Agency spent £57 million on new equipment and 15-years worth of maintenance, however the agency has today claimed that they are currently taking steps to combat the problem.
Commenting on the Auditor General's Report on the waiting times of MoT centres, the Federation of Small Businesses repeated its call for the MoT to be privatised and given to local garages to run as in the rest of the UK.
FSB spokesperson Kieran McShane said: “The FSB is not surprised that MoT waiting times have doubled as the current system is failing businesses and consumers alike.
“The solution to this problem is simple, allow local garages, which would be properly regulated, to undertake MoT’s as is the case in the rest of the UK."
He continued that if the Government where to do this then it would be far more convenient and effective for consumers and would give small garages and the local economy a considerable boost.
He said: “If local garages where to run MoT’s it is very unlikely that we would see the ridiculous waiting times of the current system.”
Mr McShane added that in addition, the FSB are concerned that there is still an unacceptably long wait for commercial and private driving tests and would repeat their call for Northern Ireland to adopt the same system as the rest of the UK, where small private sector Driving Schools have in house examiners who are regulated by the Government.
(EF)
A report by the auditor general claimed that, despite a multi-million pound Private Finance Initiative, waiting times have risen from 20 days in 2002, to 55 days in 2004.
The Vehicle Testing Agency spent £57 million on new equipment and 15-years worth of maintenance, however the agency has today claimed that they are currently taking steps to combat the problem.
Commenting on the Auditor General's Report on the waiting times of MoT centres, the Federation of Small Businesses repeated its call for the MoT to be privatised and given to local garages to run as in the rest of the UK.
FSB spokesperson Kieran McShane said: “The FSB is not surprised that MoT waiting times have doubled as the current system is failing businesses and consumers alike.
“The solution to this problem is simple, allow local garages, which would be properly regulated, to undertake MoT’s as is the case in the rest of the UK."
He continued that if the Government where to do this then it would be far more convenient and effective for consumers and would give small garages and the local economy a considerable boost.
He said: “If local garages where to run MoT’s it is very unlikely that we would see the ridiculous waiting times of the current system.”
Mr McShane added that in addition, the FSB are concerned that there is still an unacceptably long wait for commercial and private driving tests and would repeat their call for Northern Ireland to adopt the same system as the rest of the UK, where small private sector Driving Schools have in house examiners who are regulated by the Government.
(EF)
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