Redevelopment planned for Dundalk NCT centre

Plans are underway to redevelop the NCT centre in Dundalk. Applus Car Testing Service Ltd, the company operating the National Car Testing service on behalf of the Road Safety Authority have lodged a planning application with Louth County Council, seeking to redevelop their test centre at the Coe's Road in Dundalk.

The application lodged with Louth County Council last week, seeks permission for modification to the existing offices, waiting area, toilets and canteen, and it also seek to construct a new waiting reception area, toilets, store, at ground floor level and new first floor mezzanine extension consisting of staff canteen, store and open plan area.

A decision is due on the application by May 7, 2020.

Work is still underway at NCT test centres across the country, to resolve the issue with car lifts identified in January which meant that Applus could not an underbody inspection on most cars turning up for their test. 

The National Car Testing Service (NCTS) says has now completed the detailed condition survey of all 106 vehicle lifts operating throughout its network of 47 centres in Ireland.

It has also agreed an action plan with the lift manufacturer which will see lifts identified with defects repaired and brought back into service between now and the end of April. It is anticipated, NCTS says, that at this stage full testing will be available on 100% of test lanes in centres.

In terms of the Covid-19 crisis, NCTS says that all centres are operating as normal but in the interests of the safety and welfare of their staff and customers, they will only be allowing a small number of customers into the waiting area at a time. 

They have also put a number of measures in place for customers including:

• Once checked in, they ask motorists to return to their car and wait until advised when it is their turn to enter the building. NCTS says are taking these measures in line with the social distancing guidelines that have been issued by the HSE.
• They also ask that motorists please ensure their vehicle is clean, tidy and free of any unhygienic matter such as used tissues and wipes.
• Ensure that the air vents in the car are closed and the fans are on low settings.
• They also ask that customers pay by card where possible to reduce the chance of cross infection by using cash.

The company are asking customers to not visit any NCTS facility if they have been exposed to the virus or have knowingly been in contact with anyone showing symptoms. In this instance they ask that people should follow HSE advice on Covid-19.