Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andrew Muir MLA has said the public needs to be better informed about the crisis relating to MOTs here.

Mr Muir was speaking after the Infrastructure Minister announced 52 new lifts have been purchased for MOT centres in Northern Ireland, with the replacement process intended to be completed by July.

“It is vital the audit report into this situation, as well as the various independent reports, are published as soon as possible, to allow scrutiny of how this matter got to this point. It is important the Minister keeps the Infrastructure Committee informed along the way as well, as it will play an central role in that scrutiny process,” said the North Down MLA.

“There is a need for the quality and regularity of information being given to the public to be increased too – currently a lot of people remain in the dark regarding what they can and can’t do with MOTs for their vehicles.

“Road safety needs to be a priority, so it is crucial the Minister outlines all future plans as soon as possible, as the backlog of vehicles needs addressed and the completion of replacement lifts only by July may cause further issues.”