Changes to the way penalty points and fines are issued in the case of vehicles with no NCT, are likely to provide additional work for garages and a major boost to the independent aftermarket in the coming months.

Up to now it has been an offence to drive a car without an NCT, however, for penalty points to be issued, required a court conviction. The big change is that from December Gardai will be able to deal with non-certified vehicles and issue three penalty points and a fine at the roadside.

As news of the rule changes reaches motorists, there has been a sharp rise in the number of vehicles being booked in for the NCT. Many of these cars has never been tested or have been out of the testing system for some time and so will often require a significant amount of remedial work to bring them up to test standard. Estimates suggest that up to 250,000 cars may be on the roads without a valid NCT.

The NCT service has recruited some 50 additional vehicle inspectors to cope with increased demand and while some test centres are providing test dates with a two-month delay, there are arrangements in place for concerned motorist to make priority booking by calling the NCT assistance line on 01-413-5992. Many centres are now also offering extended opening times.

The concern is that with most cars registered in the first quarter of each year, there will be a huge rise in demand for test in January, February and March. Motorists can book tests earlier than the due date to avoid this.

With the average car on Irish roads now around 8.5 years old and stricter test enforcement in place, demand for repairs in the independent garage sector is likely to see a significant rise over the coming months. Areas of the most expected growth are those which account for the highest NCT failures, which apart from tyres are: Front Suspension, Brake Line / Hoses, Stop Lamps and Steering Linkage.