New counter services for vehicle licensing

The Department for Transport has announced that, following centralisation of services, local vehicle licensing offices will be retained in Belfast, Armagh and Enniskillen, with an enquiry office at Coleraine.

There will be a phased closure of the existing offices in Londonderry, Omagh, Downpatrick and Ballymena, phased in over 18 months, with the first office probably closing around the end of 2008. All staff will be redeployed elsewhere in the Driver & Vehicle Agency or offered posts in the wider Civil Service.

Speaking of the changes to the services, DOE minister Arlene Foster, said: “As part of the new arrangements, additional services will be available from post offices and customers in Northern Ireland will also be able to tax vehicles over the telephone and on the Internet.

“This will make it more convenient for customers to renew their tax discs as well as providing welcome new work to strengthen the post office network. The extension of Internet and telephone relicensing, which has been available to customers in GB for some time, is also very welcome.

“I am also pleased that the Department for Transport has agreed to maintain a proportionately greater network of local offices in Northern Ireland than in GB, recognising the needs of some customers and the vehicle trade, to have reasonable access to specialist advice and services from Motor Tax officials. Obviously I am concerned for staff in the offices which will close and I have asked my officials to work with the wider Civil Service to secure suitable redeployment opportunities for those staff”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

In January 2007, Dr Stephen Ladyman, Minister of State for Transport announced that, from November 2008, the delivery of vehicle licensing services in Northern Ireland, which are carried out by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) on behalf of the Department for Transport, would be brought into line with the rest of the UK.