MOT consultation proposals labelled “farcical”

A number of the proposed changes to the MOT being considered through the MOT Consultation opened by the Department for Transport (DfT) on Wednesday have been labelled as “farcical.”

Karen Rotberg, Co-founder of BookMyGarage.com, said: “The fact the government is pitching these proposed changes as a way to save motorists money is farcical. On average, drivers pay £35.52 for an MOT test booked through our website – that’s less than the cost of half a tank of petrol in a typical family car. The reality is that most motorists prioritise safety over costs and the price of an MOT is only a tiny part of the overall bill that drivers face.

Data obtained by BookMyGarage.com from the DVSA via a Freedom of Information request showed 13.1% of three-year-old vehicles fail their first MOT on a major or dangerous defect. This rose to 15.4% for four-year-old vehicles.

On the impact of ending the annul requirement for a MOT after three years, the company cited more DVSA data that pointed to the fact that that over 29% of the 31.6 million Class 3 & 4 MOT tests conducted in 2021/22 resulted in failure. 8% failed a test with a ‘dangerous defect’

Karen continued: “We do of course welcome any measures that can help motorists to save money – especially during a cost-of-living crisis – but any proposal which risks compromising on vehicle safety is not a solution. Increasing the interval between MOT tests puts greater onus on the driver to ensure their vehicle is in safe and roadworthy condition at all times, and we know from our research that not all motorists feel confident carrying out checks themselves.”

58% of motorists admitted they never check their lights, in a survey of 2,000 motorists performed by the company, with 27% admitting they never their tyres. Karen added: “Remember, even if a vehicle has a valid MOT certificate, driving a vehicle with a dangerous defect can land the driver with fines, penalty points and even invalidate their insurance. For example, a defective tyre can result in a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre. We recognise that these are challenging times for many people, but we can help drivers save money on their MOT tests, servicing and repairs by making it easy to compare prices from local, trusted garages.”

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