Call to scrap two-year MOT plan

Sep 12 2008 Ian Johnson

Call to scrap two-year MOT plan

AN AIR of uncertainty hangs over the future of Britain?s annual MOT test.

It all stems from what is perceived as ?gold plating? of EU regulations.

In EU law the minimum requirement for regular vehicle ?in service? testing (MOT) is every two years.

This was noted by Gordon Brown at the CBI conference in November 2005, who cited the annual MOT as an example of such ?gold plating?? suggesting that two-yearly MOTs in Britain should be considered.

There was supposed to be a consultation review dealing with the future of the MOT but it is still waiting to happen and Britain?s MOT Trade Forum is not happy.

The forum believes that three years on, any further uncertainty in the MOT industry is totally unacceptable. The Government should either publish the consultation now or drop the two-yearly MOT test proposal.

The MOT Test is carried out by over 19,000 testing stations employing over 51,000 MOT testers as well as additional supporting staff.

This sizeable industry has to make an ongoing positive contribution to road safety. It is no coincidence that European road accident trends indicate that countries with annual tests also have lower deaths and injuries caused by road accidents.

A two year test might be fine for the rest of Europe, but in Britain it can only be perceived as lowering standards.