Buyers and owners of new cars, vans, motorbikes and other vehicles could be permitted to push back their initial MOT by one year - as the Government plan to slash costs for drivers across the UK.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that it has opened a consultation on proposals to allow certain vehicles in Great Britain to have their first MOT four years after registration - as opposed to the current three-year period in place.
Views on MOT frequency are also being sought after. At the time of writing, these are required every 12 months following a vehicle's first test.
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The DfT wants to 'ensure roadworthiness checks continue to balance costs on motorists while ensuring road safety, keeping up with advances in vehicle technology, and tackling vehicle emissions'. Drivers using vehicles without an in-date MOT can see fines of up to £1,000 if caught out.
The essential checks examine a number of vital parts to the safety of a motorised vessel, including lights, tyres, brakes and seatbelts - making sure they meet legal standards. Across the UK, these tests cost an average of £40 annually, and the premise of delaying MOTs by a year for new vehicles could save motorists in the region of £100million a year - according to the DfT.
It said that 'major developments in vehicle technology' since the introduction of the vital tests in 1960 have increased road safety. Conducting the first roadworthiness test after four years for a new vehicle is 'already standard practice' across Europe, with countries like Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal all having the later mandate in place, say the department.
They also added that the number of casualties through crashes due to vehicle defects is 'low' and recent Government analysis shows that delaying the first MOT 'should not impact road safety'.
Dft figures outline that 26 people were killed on British roads across 2021, with a vehicle defect being a contributory factor. However, professionals in the industry are reluctant at the premise of delayed MOTs.
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 per cent 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.”
The RAC’s head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes, added: “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.”
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