THE company which operates the NCT has disputed a report in a national newspaper which stated that motorists in Skibbereen face a 202-day wait to get an NCT appointment.
The report stated that the earliest date to get a NCT test in Skibbereen is November 30th, while in Macroom the earliest date is November 29th.
However, a spokesperson for Applus, who run the service, told The Southern Star that contrary to what was reported, the average booking time for a NCT appointment in Skibbereen is 20 days, while Macroom is 25 days.
‘We do understand that some customers who go online may only see appointments for mid to late 2023. However, if they require an earlier appointment than those available online, we are asking them to go to the website and place themselves on the priority list.
‘The option for customers to add their vehicle to the priority list can be found during the booking process and the vast majority of customers who use the priority list receive an appointment within four weeks.’
They added that they are now over the busiest part of the year and the number of vehicles overdue for their NCT have peaked and waiting times are starting to decline.
‘Unfortunately, we are still experiencing high levels of no-shows with over 2,500 customer no shows per week, along with a further 1,000 late cancellations each week. We are therefore asking customers, if they know in advance that they will not be able to make their NCT appointment, to let us know as soon as possible.’
‘Recruitment is still ongoing and so far in 2023, we have recruited 42 vehicle inspectors who are now testing vehicles. There are a further 16 inspectors in training, who will begin testing vehicles next week.’ An additional 20 vehicle inspectors are arriving next week from the Philippines to commence their NCT training and they will begin testing in June.
