South Derry construction company Henry Brothers has been appointed by the north’s Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) to build a new £13.5 million test centre and two-storey administrative building at Mallusk.
The centre is due to be completed in 2025, and is likely to go some way towards easing the current backlog of MOTs, where the average wait-time for a test is currently 72 days.
The new test centre will feature a 10-lane vehicle testing area, including two pit-based inspection lanes for heavy goods vehicles, seven ramp-based lanes for light vehicles, and a dedicated bay for motorcycle testing.
External works will include the development of a new internal road network, car parking, and an off-road motorcycle driving test track to improve operational efficiency and accessibility.
DVA chief executive Jeremy Logan said: “The construction of this new facility marks a significant investment in the future of our vehicle testing operations.
“By working with Henry Brothers to upgrade and expand our capacity at Mallusk, we will be able to provide a more efficient and user-friendly experience for all customers.
“The new centre will allow us to continue delivering safe, reliable, and more timely vehicle testing services to people across Northern Ireland.”
In the last six months (April to September) the DVA delivered 553,031 vehicle tests.
But this is behind where it was at the same time last year as the agency struggles to get caught up on a backlog stretching back five years - first to 2019, when cracks were discovered in lifts at a number of MOT centres, and then when centres were forced to close during the Covid pandemic.
Henry Brothers managing director David Henry said: “The new test centre in Mallusk will be designed to meet the growing demand for vehicle testing services while ensuring the highest standards of road safety.
“We are looking forward to working with DVA to enhance Northern Ireland’s infrastructure and deliver a facility that will serve the community for years to come.”
