Plans to cut the frequency of the MOT test have been ditched after the Government bowed to pressure from road safety and motoring groups. The surprise move which was announced by Justine Greening, the Transport Secretary, will mean that cars will continue to be tested after three years from new and then annually thereafter. Ministers had been considering delaying the first MOT inspection until a car was four years old, with subsequent tests taking place every two years.
Supporters of the change argued that cars were better built and more reliable than they used to be, in addition ministers were keen to be seen to be driver friendly by easing the financial burden at a time of soaring fuel prices. However Justine Greening scrapped the plans, which were supported by her predecessor Philip Hammond, after examining research by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
The study by VOSA showed that more than a quarter of MOT tests carried out in 2011 missed routine defects and also wrongly passed thousands of cars as being roadworthy when they were not. Motoring groups had warned that cutting the frequency of the tests would have led to more unsafe cars being allowed on the country’s roads, putting safety at risk. The greater potential for highger numbers of road traffic accidents to occur would result in higher motor trade insurance premiums, not to mention the increased risk to human well being.
For the motor traders among you who buy and sell this U-turn could be seen as an annoyance, the potential change could have halved MOT costs for motorists. However, those of you insured as Mechanics and MOT Testers will no doubts welcome the U-turn, which could have lost you business as motorists pay less to keep their cars on the road.
