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Carn NCT centre to go full time
26.03.10
by Kevin Kelly, Inishowen Independent
THE National Car Test centre in Carndonagh is to
become a full time test centre at the start of
April. The site, which first opened its doors on a
part time basis in mid January, is to be extended
due to the demand for the service in Inishowen.
In recent weeks, the Inishowen Independent had
received reports from frustrated Inishowen car
owners who were unable to secure a test in Carn with
many being forced to travel to Letterkenny. One
motorist was told that he would have to wait five
weeks for an appointment at the new test centre
which only operated a two or three day cycle per
week since it opened.
However, an NCT spokesperson confirmed this week
that the Carn site was to be upgraded to a full time
service due to high demand. “Within the next week to
ten days Carndonagh will commence testing vehicles
five days a week and a further tester will be
appointed to the unit’s staff,” the spokesperson
said. “This will go along way to reduce the waiting
time for the centre in Inishowen.”
“This decision was made due to the high demand for
tests in Carndonagh,” the spokesman continued. “It
wasn’t planned to upgrade the site as quickly as
this, but such was its popularity it was deemed
necessary in order to meet demand. People in the
area were unwilling to continue to travel long
distances to Letterkenny to have their car tested."
Senator Cecilia Keaveney said she was pleased the
NCT had released further details of their plans to
expand the service in Carn. |
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“When a service has
been fought long and hard for and it finally becomes
a reality it is vital that it hits the ground
running. The uncertainty that was being created by a
lack of capacity in the new centre was ruining the
confidence of locals to opt for Carn," she said.
A full time NCT centre had been promised for
Inishowen for several years but problems acquiring a
suitable site meant it didn’t come on stream until
the turn of this year and only on a part time basis.
“Word of mouth is a strong positive or negative
force. The negativity was taking over and so I had
to air the issue last week,” Senator Keaveney added.
“I appreciate the speed with which the NCT operators
are reacting to this most serious issue. My priority
is maximizing the success of this vital piece of
local infrastructure and I wish the expansion well.”
The news of a full time service in Carndonagh has
also been welcomed by a local garage owner who had
claimed the part time site was causing them to lose
out on sales.
“It was awfully frustrating when you had a car on
the forecourt which you had just sold but couldn’t
get it tested in Carndonagh unless you were willing
to wait weeks,” said Sean McLaughlin of Inishowen
Motors in Malin. “This meant testing the car in
Letterkenny to prevent losing the sale. Carn going
full time will lessen the congestion currently being
experienced in Inishowen which is a good thing.
“However, in order to help car dealers a priority
test system should be put in place similar to that
which operates in Northern Ireland."
The current NCT system makes no difference between
private vehicle owners and car dealerships.
“Garages should be given first chance on
cancellations which become available like in the
North were this system works well allowing garages
to continue with their business without delay,” the
businessman added. |
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