10:07 am, January 23, 2017
NEW cars could be allowed to stay on Britain’s roads without an MOT for four years, the Government has proposed.
Extending the period before the safety check is required from three years would save motorists more than £100 million, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
It’s a proposal that has been made before, as reported by Car Dealer, and the policy, which would also apply to motorcycles, could come into effect next year, subject to a public consultation, and would bring Britain into line with Northern Ireland and many other European countries.
The AA said the change would generally be supported by drivers, although the backing would not be ‘overwhelming’.
In 1967, the MOT-free period was slashed from 10 to three years, and the DfT believes the development of safer technology and improved manufacturing means new vehicles stay roadworthy for longer.
Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: ‘We have some of the safest roads in the world and MOT tests play an important role in ensuring the standard of vehicles on our roads.
‘New vehicles are much safer than they were 50 years ago and so it is only right we bring the MOT test up to date to help save motorists money where we can.’
AA president Edmund King said: ‘The benefits are that there will be cost and time savings for drivers, whilst the downside is that we are likely to see some more cars with faulty tyres and lights slipping through the net.
‘Most three-year-old cars will have undergone regular servicing so the majority will be in good condition.
‘In the past the Government consulted on a switch from an annual MOT to biennial (every two years) which the AA and our members strongly opposed as we felt that would compromise road safety.
‘This latest proposition appears to have support from drivers although that support is not overwhelming.’
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