MOTORISTS are facing delays of up to three months in getting a MOT slot amid a continuing backlog of appointments.
Drivers have been left frustrated at the long delays with some reporting that the first available slot is more than 80 miles away.
This comes despite capacity being increased at all centres.
The Department of Infrastructure (DfI) last night said the Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) "continues to experience significant demand for vehicle testing services" and that "in some cases customers may not be able to have their vehicles tested before their current MOT certificate expires".
One motorist told The Irish News that despite his MOT test being due in April, the earliest available slot is in July.
The man, who lives in Belfast, also said that despite receiving his MOT reminder letter six weeks in advance, the first appointment at an MOT centre is 80 miles away in Enniskillen.
He said he has resorted to logging into the DVA system every day to secure a cancellation slot closer to home.
There has been continued disruption to MOT bookings since January 2020 when tests for cars and light vehicles were stopped after concerns over lift equipment. Two months later, the Covid-19 pandemic led to further delays with tests postponed. MOT vehicle tests resumed three months later, but with social distancing restrictions, which were only eased last July.
In a statement, a DfI spokeswoman said there are around 145,500 vehicle tests booked across the north and "over 47,000 vehicle test appointments remain available across its network of centres up to 30 June 2022".
"The DVA releases vehicle test appointments on a daily basis and customers are encouraged to regularly check the booking system as they are able to change existing appointments to a different test centre and time if a slot becomes available," she said.
"The DVA does not currently hold information to enable it to accurately report the average waiting times for vehicle tests, given that this position changes on a regular basis."
She said the agency has "steadily increased its vehicle testing capacity" by adopting a range of measures such as recruiting additional vehicle examiners, making more daily slots available and offering appointments on a Sunday and Bank Holidays, when testing is not normally available.
But she added that DVA "continues to experience significant demand for vehicle testing services and in some cases customers may not be able to have their vehicles tested before their current MOT certificate expires".
"In such cases, customers must book the earliest available test appointment for their vehicle, which may mean travelling to another test centre instead of their preferred location," she said.
"The DVA has consulted with the PSNI and the Association of British Insurers to make them aware of the current position.
"The PSNI has agreed not to penalise the driver of a vehicle whose MOT has expired so long as the vehicle is in a roadworthy and safe condition; the vehicle is properly insured; and the driver can provide proof that a test appointment has been booked for the vehicle."
