New lift installed at Derry’s MOT test centre at Newbuildings
It is one of three vehicle lifts which are now back in operation at MoT test centres, having been inspected and approved for use, officials have said.
Work is continuing to restore normal operations for the tests at Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) centres.
Most tests for cars and light vehicles in the North of Ireland had been suspended with immediate effect.
It followed inspections in test centres that detected “signs of cracking” in 48 out of 55 lifts.
The lifts that are back in use are in Lisburn and Belfast and were independently inspected and cleared for use.
The DVA chief executive Paul Duffy said the lifts would provide extra capacity for prioritising tests for four-year-old cars, taxis and vehicles from car dealerships.
“Since the disruption to services began last week, we have conducted over 19,000 vehicle tests and continue to issue temporary exemption certificates on a daily basis, allowing those drivers to keep driving and tax their vehicle,” he added.
On Wednesday Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said two new lifts – one in Belfast and one at Newbuildings in Derry – would go into operation
They will be operation by Monday, her department said.
Mr Duffy said DfI was hoping to contact anyone who was affected by the disruption and to reschedule their appointment as soon as possible.
Apicture of a crack in a lift at one of the vehicle test centres in the North of Ireland obtained by BBC NI News
The DVA said nine MoT centres would be open this Sunday to increase capacity for the testing of priority vehicles.
They are the centres in:
Ballymena
Belfast
Coleraine
Craigavon
Larne
Lisburn
Omagh
Newry
Newtownards
The testing of heavy goods vehicles, buses and motorcycles is not affected by the disruption.
As a result of the faults found in lifts, around 10,500 tests were cancelled across the North of Ireland.
Minister Mallon has now set up an independent review to find out who knew what and when about the faults in the lifts.
But she would be drawn on whether heads would roll at her department over the shambles.
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