RSA responds to north Mayo NCT centre proposal

MINISTER of State Alan Dillon has confirmed receipt of formal correspondence from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) regarding the proposal to establish a National Car Testing (NCT) centre in Belmullet, following ongoing local advocacy led by Michael Conroy of Michael Conroy Motors and supported by the Erris Chamber of Commerce.

In its response, the RSA stated that the current NCT network meets its national service standard, which requires that each test centre be located within 50 kilometres of 90% of vehicle owners.

Based on demographic and population analysis conducted at the outset of the current NCTS contract, the RSA said it did not identify a need for an additional centre in the Belmullet area.

The RSA also referenced recent customer satisfaction surveys, which found that 84% of respondents considered their nearest NCT centre to be “very” or “quite” convenient. Feedback from these surveys did not indicate a specific need for a new centre in Erris.

However, Minister Dillon has pledged to continue advocating for improved access to NCT services in north Mayo.

“I appreciate the RSA’s response, but I remain concerned about the significant travel distances and long appointment wait times faced by residents and businesses in the Erris region,” said Minister Dillon.

“I will be raising this issue directly with both the Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State Sean Canney in the Department of Transport.”

The current NCTS contract is due for renewal in 2030, at which point the RSA will again review the location and number of test centres nationwide.

Minister Dillon has committed to ensuring that Belmullet is actively considered during that review process.

“I will continue to press this matter and work with local stakeholders to build a strong case for Belmullet’s inclusion in future planning.”

Read more about the local campaign for an NCT centre in Erris here.