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15/08/2002
Mayor reopens Ballymena MOT Centre
The Mayor of Ballymena Councillor Hubert Nicholl has presided at the official reopening of Ballymena's revamped MOT Centre.
The upgraded centre boasts the latest in computerised vehicle testing technology, which it is claimed puts the DOE’s Driver Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) at the forefront of vehicle testing in Europe.
Councillor Nicholl said: “The refurbished centre significantly improves vehicle testing facilities in Ballymena. The new Test Centre is at the leading edge of vehicle testing in Europe and will improve the service, not only for the people in Ballymena, but also those from other council areas who use it.”
Installation of the new test equipment is possible as a result of a Private Finance Initiative 17 year partnership worth £57 million between DVTA and RoMaha, a consortium made up of Maha, a German manufacturing company, and Rotary Group from Northern Ireland.
DVTA Chief Executive, Brian Watson, said: “The new equipment will ensure that DOE can continue to deliver statutory testing responsibilities and fully meet EU testing obligations. Our staff are being given extensive training to ensure that they are fully competent in using the equipment.”
Ballymena is the sixth of the Agency’s 15 centres to have the new equipment installed. Larne, Lisburn, Coleraine, Armagh and Cookstown have all been refitted and the Enniskillen Centre and the main Belfast Test Centre are currently undergoing refurbishment. It is expected that the refit of all 15 MOT centres throughout Northern Ireland will be completed within the next year.
When the new equipment is installed at all 15 centres, new emissions tests on diesel vehicles and on catalytic converters will also be introduced to help improve air quality.
Customers will no longer have to drive their cars over inspection pits, as these have been replaced by hoists operated by the examiners.
This new equipment will enable test centres to deal with an additional volume of testing as the growth of vehicles requiring an MOT is expected to continue.
(SP)
The upgraded centre boasts the latest in computerised vehicle testing technology, which it is claimed puts the DOE’s Driver Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) at the forefront of vehicle testing in Europe.
Councillor Nicholl said: “The refurbished centre significantly improves vehicle testing facilities in Ballymena. The new Test Centre is at the leading edge of vehicle testing in Europe and will improve the service, not only for the people in Ballymena, but also those from other council areas who use it.”
Installation of the new test equipment is possible as a result of a Private Finance Initiative 17 year partnership worth £57 million between DVTA and RoMaha, a consortium made up of Maha, a German manufacturing company, and Rotary Group from Northern Ireland.
DVTA Chief Executive, Brian Watson, said: “The new equipment will ensure that DOE can continue to deliver statutory testing responsibilities and fully meet EU testing obligations. Our staff are being given extensive training to ensure that they are fully competent in using the equipment.”
Ballymena is the sixth of the Agency’s 15 centres to have the new equipment installed. Larne, Lisburn, Coleraine, Armagh and Cookstown have all been refitted and the Enniskillen Centre and the main Belfast Test Centre are currently undergoing refurbishment. It is expected that the refit of all 15 MOT centres throughout Northern Ireland will be completed within the next year.
When the new equipment is installed at all 15 centres, new emissions tests on diesel vehicles and on catalytic converters will also be introduced to help improve air quality.
Customers will no longer have to drive their cars over inspection pits, as these have been replaced by hoists operated by the examiners.
This new equipment will enable test centres to deal with an additional volume of testing as the growth of vehicles requiring an MOT is expected to continue.
(SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Scattered showers and clear spells continue through this evening, becoming dry with clear skies developing in places for a time overnight. Clouding over again from the west by sunrise. Minimum temperature 3 °C.
