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Drivers stranded by car tax 'glitch' after Swansea transfer | Drivers stranded by car tax 'glitch' after Swansea transfer |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An Armagh driver has been left stranded, with a car he cannot drive, after he tried to tax his car on Monday and the computer said no. | An Armagh driver has been left stranded, with a car he cannot drive, after he tried to tax his car on Monday and the computer said no. |
Gerry Gormley went into Lurgan post office on Monday and tried to pay his car tax - but he was told that the computer declined his application. | Gerry Gormley went into Lurgan post office on Monday and tried to pay his car tax - but he was told that the computer declined his application. |
The problem follows the switch of Driver and Vehicle Agency services from Coleraine to Swansea last month. | The problem follows the switch of Driver and Vehicle Agency services from Coleraine to Swansea last month. |
The DVLA said technical difficulties had affected a small number of drivers. | The DVLA said technical difficulties had affected a small number of drivers. |
Mr Gormley said that when he rang Swansea, they said: "A lot of these cars are not on the database since we took over from Coleraine. | Mr Gormley said that when he rang Swansea, they said: "A lot of these cars are not on the database since we took over from Coleraine. |
"We can't tax your car, someone from Swansea will ring you in the next two or three days." | "We can't tax your car, someone from Swansea will ring you in the next two or three days." |
He is still waiting for a reply. | He is still waiting for a reply. |
Mr Gormley went to the local police station to establish whether he could still drive the car. | Mr Gormley went to the local police station to establish whether he could still drive the car. |
"A young lad said they were aware that there was a problem and a lot of people could not get their cars taxed," he said. | "A young lad said they were aware that there was a problem and a lot of people could not get their cars taxed," he said. |
"In the meantime, we have a car sitting in the driveway that is insured and MOT-ed and we cannot use it." | "In the meantime, we have a car sitting in the driveway that is insured and MOT-ed and we cannot use it." |
He has not been able to get an answer and feels exasperated. | He has not been able to get an answer and feels exasperated. |
"He couldn't give me an answer, nor could Swansea," he said. | "He couldn't give me an answer, nor could Swansea," he said. |
"How long are we going to have to wait - Is it a week or a month? What about anybody with a fleet of buses or 20 or 30 taxis to tax? What are they going to do? Park the whole lot up until Swansea sorts this out?" | "How long are we going to have to wait - Is it a week or a month? What about anybody with a fleet of buses or 20 or 30 taxis to tax? What are they going to do? Park the whole lot up until Swansea sorts this out?" |
"This lad said quite a few people have been asking the same thing. | "This lad said quite a few people have been asking the same thing. |
"There have been quite a few people needing tax to commute. If you park your car nowadays and have no tax disc, it would be lifted and impounded - so who pays that fine?" | "There have been quite a few people needing tax to commute. If you park your car nowadays and have no tax disc, it would be lifted and impounded - so who pays that fine?" |
A DVLA spokeswoman said:"The recent changes to vehicle registration and licensing services in Northern Ireland have been delivered in full consultation with the Driver and Vehicle Agency and stakeholders in Northern Ireland. | A DVLA spokeswoman said:"The recent changes to vehicle registration and licensing services in Northern Ireland have been delivered in full consultation with the Driver and Vehicle Agency and stakeholders in Northern Ireland. |
"We worked closely to address any anomalies identified between the two systems and as a result, the majority of Northern Ireland records were successfully merged with DVLAs on 21 July. | "We worked closely to address any anomalies identified between the two systems and as a result, the majority of Northern Ireland records were successfully merged with DVLAs on 21 July. |
"However, there have been some technical difficulties for a small number of vehicle records that have migrated from Northern Ireland, which has resulted in a small number of customers having difficulty taxing their vehicle, particularly if they have recently changed their registration number. | "However, there have been some technical difficulties for a small number of vehicle records that have migrated from Northern Ireland, which has resulted in a small number of customers having difficulty taxing their vehicle, particularly if they have recently changed their registration number. |
"We are working to resolve this issue quickly for our customers and apologise for any inconvenience caused." | "We are working to resolve this issue quickly for our customers and apologise for any inconvenience caused." |
In July, DUP MLA Michelle McIlveen said the switch to Swansea had been causing problems for local car dealers. In England, a car must get an MOT test after three years; in Northern Ireland, the test is due after four years. | |
"Where a car is registered in England in June 2011 and then sold in Northern Ireland in July 2014, a dealer can find himself being told that an application for car tax will not be processed because the computer system will state that it requires an MOT," she said. | |
"At the same time, the vehicle cannot be MOT'd in Northern Ireland because it is not old enough. In dealing with a situation such as this, Swansea, after some negotiation, agreed to process the application but it would take up to four weeks." | |
Such delays were a problem for dealers, she said. |