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Test centre strikes will cause chaos
Page 13
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THE DRIVER AND Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) will be forced to cancel up to 5,000 vehicle tests for each week of indefinite strikes at seven test centres across Northern Ireland.
From last Monday (17 May) walkouts began at centres in Armagh, Belfast, Craigavon, Lisburn, Mallusk, Newry and Newtownards. Any operators with trucks scheduled for annual test at these stations will be turned away.
The Road Haulage Association has urged under-secretary of state Ian Pearson to ensure that action is taken to ease the situation. It warns that operators in
Northern Ireland cannot possibly lay up their vehicles until the dispute is settled.
Phil Flanders, RHA regional director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, says: "We want the DVTA to issue temporary exemption certificates until normal service is resumed and the backlog is dealt with.
"If the strikes go on for two or three weeks there will be a hell of a lot of trucks that aren't tested, which will cause problems for operators as they need their MoTs to get insurance. Northern Ireland needs the haulage industry to safeguard its economy."