Vehicle inspection in Son Castelló closed for three months – who bears the gap?

Vehicle inspection in Son Castelló closed for three months – who bears the gap?

The ITV station in the Son Castelló industrial estate will suspend inspection operations for about three months because the roof urgently needs to be replaced. The work is scheduled to begin in mid-December; according to current information around 60 already booked appointments will be redistributed to other inspection centers and the administrative offices are expected to resume operations in early January.

Key question

Who is left stranded when a central testing facility suddenly goes offline – private drivers, dealer fleets or the craftsmen who need several vehicles every week?

Critical analysis

At first glance the solution sounds simple: redistribute appointments and everything stays on schedule. In practice, capacity and accessibility often cause problems. Other ITV stations already have full calendars under normal conditions; for companies with several vehicles rescheduled appointments mean additional travel and waiting times. Small businesses that rely on vehicles for deliveries or customer appointments are particularly vulnerable. Driving without a valid inspection can lead to fines – for some companies this can be economically painful.

In addition, Son Castelló is a hub: in the mornings vans and construction machines line up in front of workshops, trucks search for free ramps, and the noise of diesel engines and lifts is part of everyday life. The closure shifts these movements to other parts of the island: more trips, more parking pressure and potentially longer queues at the alternative stations; similar transport disruptions on the island, such as the Train stoppage Palma–Es Pont d'Inca Nou: Who pays the price of the weekend?, show how quickly schedules can be affected.

What is missing from the public discussion

Official statements provide the number of rescheduled appointments but do not say which stations will take on the additional inspections, how transparent the timetable will be and whether there will be priorities for commercial vehicles. It is also unclear whether there will be preferred time slots for professional drivers or for vehicles whose inspection certificate is about to expire. Such details often determine whether the redistribution runs smoothly or leads to bottlenecks and missed business appointments; local coverage of Son Castelló incidents is available, for example Major fire in Son Castelló: Bakery hall puts fire safety on Mallorca's agenda.

Everyday scene from Son Castelló

If you drive along the main access road to the industrial estate in the early morning, you see the yellow hi‑vis jackets from the workshops, hear the beeps of the lifts and smell the coffee from the snack bars at the entrance. When the ITV closes, these moments change: instead of a short queue in front of the testing station there could be more cramped parking in front of car dealerships and longer loading times in the coming weeks.

Concrete solutions

- Clear, up‑to‑date list: The Consell or the operators should publish which ITV stations will take on appointments and how travel times change.
- Prioritization: Commercial fleets should be given time priority so that supply chains do not stall.
- Mobile testing unit: In the short term a mobile ITV unit could help cover peak days.
- Extended opening hours: Other stations could offer evening appointments during the period to ease capacity shortages.
- Better communication: SMS or email notifications to affected parties with clear directions would reduce confusion and unnecessary trips.

Conclusion

A roof repair is necessary and unavoidable. What will be decisive is how transparently and flexibly the redistribution is organized. Son Castelló is part of the island's economic rhythm: if replacement measures are pragmatic, the damage will remain limited; otherwise not only individual drivers but small businesses will feel the impact in their daily routines. A detailed list of reception points and a rule for commercial vehicles would already remove much uncertainty.