Proposals to change the frequency of the MOT test, to help ease the cost of living, have been met with criticism…
MOT Changes Criticised
It’s been reported that Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, has proposed cutting the frequency of the MOT test. The hope is that such a move would go some way in helping to alleviate the rising cost of living; a crisis largely brought about by the affects of the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As it stands, the law states that every vehicle that’s three years or older must undergo the MOT test once a year. On average, this costs £54.85 for a car and £29.65 for a motorcycle. Back in 2018, proposals to extent the test to four years were shot down due to safety concerns. So, it’s not surprising that Shapp’s suggestion has been met with criticism from motoring organisations.
Making Our Roads Dangerous?
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, believes the proposal would cause more harm than good. He explained, “though well intended, moving the yearly £55 spend on an MOT to every two years could make costs worse for drivers with higher repair bills, make our roads more dangerous and would put jobs in the garage industry at risk”.
He continued, “the MOT now highlights major and dangerous defects too; showing how important it is to keep cars in a safe condition”. Instead of tampering with the MOT test, Cousens suggested that the government bring about greater pump price transparency; producing more competition amongst fuel retailers in order to bring prices down.
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