Statement on MOT modernisation from DVSA head includes apology

IGA publish DVSA comments as agency concedes, with a degree of understatement, that 'the early days of the new MOT testing service haven’t gone as well as planned'

Statement on MOT modernisation from DVSA head includes apology
DVSA head explains issues with data and hosting provider

Following extensive disruptive problems with the MOT modernisation roll out the Independent Garage Association (IGA) have published a full statement from Neil Barlow, DVSA Head of MOT Modernisation.

The statement explains the reasons for the problems, includes an apology and appears to indicate the system is moving towards stability.

Mr Barlow said: “The early days of the new MOT testing service haven’t gone as well as planned and we apologise for that. We’ve been as disappointed as you about the way the service has started and want to explain that we’re doing everything we can to make things better and take things forward.

“We’ve had some problems moving data between MOT Comp and the new service which has affected things like issuing duplicates and carrying out retests. We’re now starting to see this data move over to the new service which should resolve these issues.

“In the early days, we also had some performance issues around printing and last week had substantial problems with our hosting provider.

“It seems other parts of government experienced similar issues so this was not unique to DVSA and the new service.

“To prevent this from happening again, we made the decision to move to another hosting supplier last weekend. However, it seems our initial hosting issues masked some other underlying problems which we’ve now solved by working throughout the night every day this week.

“The service has now become stable and fully functional and, as a result, Friday was our busiest day so far with normal levels of transactions recorded on the service.

“Despite the recent problems, we’ve already registered over 1.6 million tests on the service and we’d like to stress to garages that they shouldn’t turn away customers if they can’t access the service because they can use contingency testing to issue certificates and carry out tests instead.

“To support this process (and to help everyone catch up on entering contingency tests) we’re temporarily allowing another tester to enter a contingency test on behalf of a fellow tester who works at the same VTS.

“We’ve also been working with Post Offices to make sure they accept any contingency certificates presented to them by customers wanting to tax their car. So, as you can see, we’re doing all we can to make things work.

“Until further notice, we’ll continue to make contingency testing codes and documents available on the GOV.UK website and email out the codes each day to make sure all garages can continue testing and issue certificates.

“We’ll be making further improvements to the service over the coming weeks in line with the feedback we’re getting from the MOT trade.

“We’d like to thank those garages who’ve been affected by the recent issues for their patience over the past couple of weeks.”

With many criticisms over poor communication, do you welcome the clarification below, and are the problems now gradually being resolved? Please do share your experiences – and the effect on your business – in the comments below.

32 Comments

  1. Not really fit for purpose at the outset, should have been much more sturdy, better designed. Ridiculous to be rolling it out before 31st August, traditionally a very busy time for MOTs. It has caused us tremendous problems with the MOT tester under pressure from the start of the day to the end of the day and beyond. Far too much stress at our busiest time of year.

    Reply
  2. Not really fit for purpose at the outset, should have been much more sturdy, better designed. Ridiculous to be rolling it out before 31st August, traditionally a very busy time for MOTs. It has caused us tremendous problems with the MOT tester under pressure from the start of the day to the end of the day and beyond. Far too much stress at our busiest time of year.

    Reply
  3. This week we have been issued with contingency test codes every day and have them until friday, as I am writing this the system has been down every day and today it has not worked at all. We have also purchased MOT slot for which the money has been taken but the slots do not appear on our account thus meaning even when we do get a window of the system working we are still unable to use it.
    And why has the statement from Mr Barlow not been seen in the national media?

    Reply
  4. This week we have been issued with contingency test codes every day and have them until friday, as I am writing this the system has been down every day and today it has not worked at all. We have also purchased MOT slot for which the money has been taken but the slots do not appear on our account thus meaning even when we do get a window of the system working we are still unable to use it.
    And why has the statement from Mr Barlow not been seen in the national media?

    Reply
  5. The system was started too early without being proved. As an older tester trying to embrace technology, I found the old system very good and easy to use; the new one is too drawn out and not an improvement. Also we didn’t have to be aware of hackers

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  6. The system was started too early without being proved. As an older tester trying to embrace technology, I found the old system very good and easy to use; the new one is too drawn out and not an improvement. Also we didn’t have to be aware of hackers

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  7. Getting better as we go along. One of the most important item missing fron the system seems to be the inclusion of the MOT test number when it is first logged on. If it is not required, it should be removed from the MOT Inspection Check List! If it is deemed necessary, then an explanation of it’s purpose should be better defined by DVSA.

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  8. Getting better as we go along. One of the most important item missing fron the system seems to be the inclusion of the MOT test number when it is first logged on. If it is not required, it should be removed from the MOT Inspection Check List! If it is deemed necessary, then an explanation of it’s purpose should be better defined by DVSA.

    Reply
  9. How the hell are we supposed to do our side of the testing if if the main interface with DVSA
    is certainly not fit for purpose?
    My company has been testing since 1965, many changes have occurred with the test since then and I can’t remember one that has been smooth sailing!!
    The powers that be need to make sure these systems will work before introducing them, as always the only people who lose money, customers etc are us!!

    Reply
  10. How the hell are we supposed to do our side of the testing if if the main interface with DVSA
    is certainly not fit for purpose?
    My company has been testing since 1965, many changes have occurred with the test since then and I can’t remember one that has been smooth sailing!!
    The powers that be need to make sure these systems will work before introducing them, as always the only people who lose money, customers etc are us!!

    Reply
  11. We expected to have trouble with our new computer, printer and connecting our emissions machine into our company network, but this all worked seamlessly. Unfortunately our high hopes were soon dashed once we started to use the new MOT system.
    As others have said, it has obviously been rushed out way before it was ready or had sufficient testing, leaving us to encounter multiple problems with the system, which has caused us tremendous delays and loss of productivity. I also imagine it has caused us to lose customers due to the delays, despite us taking time to explain that the delay was not our fault but the new MOT system, as far as they are concerned, it was us that has caused them to be delayed.
    It would help all of our reputations if the DVSA managed to get their apology into the main stream media then all of ‘our’ customers would know that it wasn’t ‘our’ fault. The problem is, when was the last time that a Government agency put its hand up and admitted making a mistake?

    Reply
  12. We expected to have trouble with our new computer, printer and connecting our emissions machine into our company network, but this all worked seamlessly. Unfortunately our high hopes were soon dashed once we started to use the new MOT system.
    As others have said, it has obviously been rushed out way before it was ready or had sufficient testing, leaving us to encounter multiple problems with the system, which has caused us tremendous delays and loss of productivity. I also imagine it has caused us to lose customers due to the delays, despite us taking time to explain that the delay was not our fault but the new MOT system, as far as they are concerned, it was us that has caused them to be delayed.
    It would help all of our reputations if the DVSA managed to get their apology into the main stream media then all of ‘our’ customers would know that it wasn’t ‘our’ fault. The problem is, when was the last time that a Government agency put its hand up and admitted making a mistake?

    Reply
  13. I can only speak from my own experience and, whilst I have huge sympathy for the people I know have been struggling, for some reason I’ve been lucky! I’ve been on the new system since 11 August and have yet to even think about using contingency testing. On 1 September the system was running very slow for a couple of hours but that was the only problem I’ve had. The one thing I am very cross about though is the loss of vehicle specific information. Despite the DVSA saying they don’t see it as necessary if I damage a customers car through not having access to the EPB testing procedure or fail a car because I don’t know that the manufacturer has stated that a certain amount of free lift in a strut top mounting when hanging free is acceptable then obviously they will bail me out because they decided I didn’t need to know this. I kind of think not!

    Reply
  14. I can only speak from my own experience and, whilst I have huge sympathy for the people I know have been struggling, for some reason I’ve been lucky! I’ve been on the new system since 11 August and have yet to even think about using contingency testing. On 1 September the system was running very slow for a couple of hours but that was the only problem I’ve had. The one thing I am very cross about though is the loss of vehicle specific information. Despite the DVSA saying they don’t see it as necessary if I damage a customers car through not having access to the EPB testing procedure or fail a car because I don’t know that the manufacturer has stated that a certain amount of free lift in a strut top mounting when hanging free is acceptable then obviously they will bail me out because they decided I didn’t need to know this. I kind of think not!

    Reply
  15. If my testers done mots as bad as the new mot computer is at the moment ! we would be have be struck off from doing mots , again one rule for us and one rule for them ?????

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  16. If my testers done mots as bad as the new mot computer is at the moment ! we would be have be struck off from doing mots , again one rule for us and one rule for them ?????

    Reply
  17. Total backward step I believe and should have been proven before going live, who will compensate ourselfs for this inconvienience I am sure the farmers would of got some help.

    Reply
  18. Total backward step I believe and should have been proven before going live, who will compensate ourselfs for this inconvienience I am sure the farmers would of got some help.

    Reply
  19. Im still on the old system so im happy for now. We had a swap over date, but then that was cancelled & told we would be staying on the good old system.Not looking forward to the new one unless all these problems are sorted before we swap over one day. I feel sorry for you guys going through this.03/09/2015

    Reply
  20. Im still on the old system so im happy for now. We had a swap over date, but then that was cancelled & told we would be staying on the good old system.Not looking forward to the new one unless all these problems are sorted before we swap over one day. I feel sorry for you guys going through this.03/09/2015

    Reply
  21. The fact that this statement was not sent to those of us operating the scheme shows just how contemptuously the DVSA view us.

    Reply
  22. The fact that this statement was not sent to those of us operating the scheme shows just how contemptuously the DVSA view us.

    Reply
  23. only been on MOT 2 24hrs. We had change over date for middle of last week and got last minute email to cancel this.The next day my old system would not work and the new system hadnt been activated either so I could not test.(I was given very conflicting advice on how to proceed that day from three different V.E’s and help desk staff.) Next day old system back to normal. Then to top it off when I attempted to start the old comp system Wednesday this week it was shut down and I tried the new system and logged in to my first MOT on Mot 2. THEN IT CRASHED SO COULD NOT LOG OUT!! The best of it was that I received an email at 5.15pm (some 7 hrs later)telling me there would be a planned closure that morning!! Left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. It can only get better. I hope!!!

    Reply
  24. only been on MOT 2 24hrs. We had change over date for middle of last week and got last minute email to cancel this.The next day my old system would not work and the new system hadnt been activated either so I could not test.(I was given very conflicting advice on how to proceed that day from three different V.E’s and help desk staff.) Next day old system back to normal. Then to top it off when I attempted to start the old comp system Wednesday this week it was shut down and I tried the new system and logged in to my first MOT on Mot 2. THEN IT CRASHED SO COULD NOT LOG OUT!! The best of it was that I received an email at 5.15pm (some 7 hrs later)telling me there would be a planned closure that morning!! Left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. It can only get better. I hope!!!

    Reply
  25. Spent three hours trying to get through and it just keeps cutting me off. Booked 50 slots, entered my card details and right at the end it jumped back to the home page…..no confirmation or rejection message and slots still not added. Entered all my details again and this time got a confirmation page and my slots increased by 50. Three days later I check my bank account and 102.50 has been taken twice but only 50 slots added to my account.

    Not happy at all and having two NT’s continually complaining is not good for garage morale.

    Reply
  26. Spent three hours trying to get through and it just keeps cutting me off. Booked 50 slots, entered my card details and right at the end it jumped back to the home page…..no confirmation or rejection message and slots still not added. Entered all my details again and this time got a confirmation page and my slots increased by 50. Three days later I check my bank account and 102.50 has been taken twice but only 50 slots added to my account.

    Not happy at all and having two NT’s continually complaining is not good for garage morale.

    Reply
  27. One of our regular customers came in yesterday for a service & MOT. She was very surprised to hear from us later that her car was all ready for her! “Oh, that’s a surprise, I’ve just been hearing about all the problems garages are having with the new MOT system on Radio Four!” So it looks like someone has let the cat out of the bag and the information has reached the main stream media.

    Reply
  28. One of our regular customers came in yesterday for a service & MOT. She was very surprised to hear from us later that her car was all ready for her! “Oh, that’s a surprise, I’ve just been hearing about all the problems garages are having with the new MOT system on Radio Four!” So it looks like someone has let the cat out of the bag and the information has reached the main stream media.

    Reply
  29. Well if top man Mr Barlow was working every night to sort problems I don’t think so. Ful of bull ????. How much money in compensation cash. that make dvsa vosa or whoever is in charge listen. Hit them in pocket like my garage has been. £2000.00 per sight sounds fair. Whot do others think?.

    Reply
  30. Well if top man Mr Barlow was working every night to sort problems I don’t think so. Ful of bull ????. How much money in compensation cash. that make dvsa vosa or whoever is in charge listen. Hit them in pocket like my garage has been. £2000.00 per sight sounds fair. Whot do others think?.

    Reply
  31. You should know who is in charge David Mays. If you had your CT Forms ready you could’ve carried on testing.

    Any positive comments from the trade?

    Reply
  32. You should know who is in charge David Mays. If you had your CT Forms ready you could’ve carried on testing.

    Any positive comments from the trade?

    Reply

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