First MOT test delay proposed

Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2023 | Author: Sean Keywood

A public consultation on alterations to to the MOT test has been launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) – including potentially moving the date when the first test is required from three to four years after registration.

The DfT said updates to the test regime would aim to balance costs to motorists with ensuring road safety, keeping up with advances in vehicle technology, and tackling vehicle emissions.

It said there was also a need to consider advances to vehicle technology, such as ADAS, and the growing number of hybrids and EVs on the road.

It argued that since most vehicles pass the first test at three-years-old, and the number of casualties in car collisions due to vehicle defects remained low, analysis had shown a change from three to four years for the first MOT should not impact road safety.

It also claimed the measure could save motorists around £100 million a year in MOT fees.

Proposals for a four-year first MOT period were previously put forward in 2017 – but scrapped the following year, since at the time consultation respondents felt the potential savings were outweighed by safety issues.

As well as delaying the first test, the DfT is also considering moving the schedule for subsequent tests to every two years, rather than every year.

Other potential new measures include testing of pollutants such as particulate number and NOx to ensure diesel, petrol and hybrid cars always meet emissions requirements throughout their lifespan.

EV battery testing and additional measures to tackle excessively loud engines are also being considered.

Reacting to the announcement, RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “While we’re not opposed to delaying a new vehicle’s first MOT, we believe there should be a requirement for particularly high mileage vehicles to be tested sooner.

“If the government is looking to improve the MOT, now is the ideal time to take into account how much a vehicle is driven, alongside the number of years it’s been on the road.

“We’re also disappointed the government is still entertaining the idea of increasing the time between MOTs. Our research clearly shows drivers don’t agree with this and believe it’s dangerous.

“It would also likely increase the number of unroadworthy vehicles on our roads – putting lives at risk – and not save drivers any money as they would likely end up with bigger repair bills as a result.

“Given the technological advances of driving aids in cars and the increasing adoption of electric vehicles, there is an argument that suggests the MOT will need to adapt accordingly in the future. Certainly, moves to check for faulty or removed diesel particulate filters will improve air quality by targeting dirty vehicles.”

AA president Edmund King said: "The MOT plays a vital role in ensuring that vehicles on our roads are safe and well maintained, and while not a formal recommendation, we totally oppose any change from an annual MOT.

“Last year, 83% of drivers said that the annual MOT was ‘very important’ for keeping our cars and roads as safe as possible, which highlights why an annual MOT must remain in place.

"With one in 10 cars failing their first MOT, we strongly discourage the government from extending a car's first MOT to the fourth anniversary due to road safety concerns.

“When this proposal was last considered in 2017-18, the four-year policy did not obtain public support - with many citing concerns over vehicle safety as the main reason for opposing the move. We do not believe this to have changed over time. Safety items like tyres and brakes can often be deficient after three years.”

King did add that there were aspects of the consultation the AA supported, such as ensuring the MOT was fit for purpose for the new technology in vehicles.

He said: “Making sure MOT testers check and test advanced safety features and autonomous systems are important as the nation’s car parc evolves.”

Peter Golding, managing director of software firm Fleetcheck, said: “The mooted idea to move to four years for MOTs is madness for road safety. As someone who managed workshops for many years before moving into fleet, I can attest that plenty of three-year-old cars that pass through garages have mechanical and electrical problems that severely compromise safety.

“There is a vague justification on the government’s consultation page that ADAS devices and the arrival of EVs are helping to make three-year MOTs unnecessary. This is high nonsense.

“ADAS and EVs don’t reduce wear on most major components, and there is even a strong argument that the much higher weight of the latter could increase the impact on wheels, brakes and the suspension.

“Even with current vehicle shortages, most fleets still aim to replace company cars at three years and vans around four. With annual mileage reaching up to 30,000 miles or more, this means that some vehicles being operated by businesses might not receive an independent safety inspection until they have covered in the region of 100,000 miles. This is an idea that should be dismissed out of hand.”

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