Proposals to extended the DVSA's annual MOT (basic safety) test have been met with fierce repression after Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps suggested relaxing the frequency of MOTs to every two years, rather than one to help ease the cost of living crisis.

'The cost of vehicle maintenance is insignificant compared to human cost of a casualty caused by an incident that could have been avoided'

Industry safety giants TyreSafe warns

The call comes amidst fears of the likely increase in the number of unroadworthy vehicles on the road that such an extension in intervals would cause.

The test was updated in 2018 to include new categories for defects, including ‘dangerous defects’.

Since its introduction, of the 7.7 million vehicles failing their first MOT test there are over two million tyre defects, 59 per cent of which are categorised as ‘dangerous’.

Without the annual MOT, it’s clear that number would be far greater as would be the risks to all road users.

Vehicles are increasingly more reliable, efficient, and safe but all of them require regular inspection to ensure wearable, maintenance parts are in good order.

'We often experience vehicles that fail with dangerous defects that would, without the annual (basic safety) inspection, mean our clients safety is put at risk - let alone the risk to other road users, pedestrians and cyclists'

The proposals would result in national unemployment, a lack of basic safety for motorists and a inevitable increase in driveway repairs - something the industry is keen to reduce to promote regulation of the trained skills now required in the industry to safely work on modern vehicles, including electric and hybrid powered motor cars.

A petition has been launched to scrap these plans;

https://www.change.org/p/scrap-cost-of-living-2-year-mot-plans

What are your thoughts?

You can now book your MOT Online and direct into the workshop, plus read and understand all the basic safety requirements tested during your test with us;

https://www.bteautomotive.co.uk/mot