Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has accused the Department for Infrastructure of presiding over a “broken” MOT system, as motorists face lengthy delays for tests while a brand new £13.5 million centre at Mallusk remains unopened.
The DUP representative says she has been inundated with complaints from constituents who are struggling to secure MOT appointments at test centres across Northern Ireland.
“Drivers are spending valuable time and repeatedly logging on to the NI Direct website in search of an appointment,” she said.
“The options are very limited, with many people having to accept test dates outside their local area… drivers are travelling to test centres miles from home, and are being offered test dates more than two months beyond the expiry of their current certificate.”
Ms Lockhart said the situation is causing “significant stress and inconvenience” for private motorists and businesses alike, and questioned why additional testing capacity is not yet available.
“This is a long-running saga,” she said. “While Temporary Exemption Certificates (TECs) are available for eligible vehicles, they are not a solution to a broken MOT system that is struggling to provide timely appointments. The Department of Infrastructure needs to get its act together.
“There are obvious concerns around roadworthiness, particularly when it comes to older vehicles.
“The backlog is causing major inconvenience for private motorists and motorcyclists, but it is particularly challenging for those who depend on their vehicles to earn a living. Farmers, delivery drivers, hauliers and other businesses rely on vehicles every day.”
Her intervention comes as Armagh I recently reported that learner drivers in Armagh, Newry and Craigavon are now waiting more than two months on average for a practical driving test – almost double the Driver and Vehicle Agency’s 35‑day target.
DVA statistics for August 2026 show the average test wait at Newry has risen to 66.79 days, Armagh to 64.69 days and Craigavon to 69.22 days, with overall waiting times across the network climbing from 37.91 days in March to 61.30 days by August.
Newry & Armagh DUP MLA Gareth Wilson previously warned that the Minister’s handling of the introduction of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) had added pressure to an already stretched system, leaving learner drivers “paying the price for a lack of preparation”.
Now Ms Lockhart says MOT delays are compounding wider frustrations with vehicle testing and licensing.
The Upper Bann MP has written to Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins demanding to know why the new ten‑lane Mallusk MOT centre in County Antrim – described by the Minister earlier this year as “an important milestone in strengthening the future of vehicle testing” – has yet to open.
“A brand new ten-lane facility, which cost tax payers £13.5 million to construct, was completed at the end of April 2026, but has remained idle since then,” Ms Lockhart said.
“The centre is understood to have capacity to test around 100,000 vehicles a year, including light and heavy vehicles and motorcycles.
“That simply does not make sense when motorists are facing a significant backlog and struggling to obtain appointments within a reasonable timeframe.”
She added: “It is completely unacceptable that drivers are having to travel significant distances across Northern Ireland to secure an MOT test when there is additional capacity sitting unused.”
Ms Lockhart confirmed she has asked the Minister to set out clearly what is preventing Mallusk from opening and, crucially, when motorists can expect the extra capacity to come on stream.
“The new facility should be helping to tackle the backlog, not sitting unused while drivers across Northern Ireland struggle to secure MOT appointments,” she said.
The MP also highlighted continuing delays around the proposed new MOT centre at Hydebank in south Belfast, a project which has already faced a number of years of slippage.
“I appreciate the pressures facing the Driver and Vehicle Agency, and that Temporary Exemption Certificates are in place for eligible vehicles, but this cannot become the norm,” she said.
“Drivers deserve a convenient and functioning MOT system, with sufficient capacity to provide appointments when they are needed.
“The Department needs to swiftly rectify this situation, bring the Mallusk facility into service without further delay and provide motorists with a clear explanation of how it intends to address the wider backlog.”
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