The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) is calling on the government to make its decision on the MOT test frequency, with the Federation calling the lack of clarity on the matter “completely unacceptable”, and harmful for the entire supply chain.
A recent analysis of over 38 million MOTs conducted in 2021 has found that almost one in five resulted in failure, with tyres the most common cause. Poor condition tyres or not meeting the legal requirement of at least 1.6mm of tread depth contributed to 1,101,839 MOT failures across the UK in a single year. Furthermore, the driver-side front tyre tread depth accounted for more than a quarter of these, the equivalent of 368,853 MOT failures, One Sure Insurance found.
An Abertillery MOT tester has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison and ordered to pay £2128, according to DVSA Enforcement.
The MOT tester in question, whose sentence has been suspended for 12 months, was convicted after they issued four pass certificates over a number of years to a camper van that wouldn’t fit on testing equipment. In other words, the required MOT tests couldn’t have been carried out according to regulations.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has put limiting road casualties, emissions and particulate matter within its Strategic Plan to 2025 and Vision to 2030, which were published 4 April 2023. DVSA’s Strategic Plan and Vision also seek to demonstrate how the agency will harness data in order to improve MOT quality control. Both are likely to impact the way garages and fast-fits that offer MOT testing operation in future.
New analysis has revealed that the borough of Enfield, North London is the area of the UK where motorists are most likely to pass their MOT, with an average pass rate of 87.04 per cent, nearly 7 per cent higher than the national average.
In mid-February the NTDA wrote an article assessing the Department for Transport (DfT) decision to open a consultation into changes in MOT frequency. Published on 18 January 2023, the text offered an extensive analysis of the proposal, beginning with the well-known position of the National Tyre Distributors Association: “As expressed on many previous occasions, it is the view of the NTDA and its members, that the date of the first MOT should remain at 3 years for motorcycles, cars and light goods vehicles.” Here Tyres & Accessories examines and summarises that in-depth response:
Following the news that Wales-based garage equipment firm Oakmain Ltd’s sales manager was prosecuted for providing fraudulent solicitors letters to some garages applying to become MOT test centres, it has emerged that the historically “long-time” Garage Equipment Association (GEA) member company have been “struck off” from membership.
Road safety charity TyreSafe has joined a growing chorus of automotive industry opposition to the latest proposal to extend the intervals of the MOT test. The organisation, which has members from all spheres of the UK tyre business sector as well as councils and emergency services, said that plans to require a first MOT after four rather than three years would increase the number of defective tyres and vehicles on the country’s roads. It explained that while new vehicles are often safer than ever, the advanced safety systems they incorporate often rely on the roadworthiness of tyres. Research by TyreSafe and its members suggests that putting more responsibility for ensuring tyres’ roadworthiness on UK motorists could lead to illegal and unsafe tyres remaining fitted to vehicles for longer, as many motorists do not check their tyres frequently enough.
The sales manager of Wales-based garage equipment supplier Oakmain Ltd received a suspended custodial sentence on 16 January 2023. Newport Crown Court found that Thomas Richard Woods “knowingly providing false information in the form of forged solicitors letters to secure MOT garage applications” following a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) investigation. The company reportedly also completed the MOT Station application (VT01) form, which is required to set up an MOT test station on behalf of customers. The DVSA described the case as “the first-ever prosecution for providing fraudulent solicitors letters used as part of MOT garage applications.”
New analysis of DVSA MOT test data shows that faulty tyres accounted for 13 per cent of failures between July and September 2022. Of all failures, 27 per cent are “dangerous”. Previous analyses of MOT failure data have found that tyres account for between 8 per cent and 22 of all MOT failures. And therefore the latest figures represent long-term median tyre-related failure rates. Since industry sources generally agree that MOTs generate around 20 per cent of total annual UK tyre replacement sales, however you count it, MOTs have a significant impact on tyre maintenance and therefore road safety.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a public consultation on the future of MOTs in Great Britain, which closes at 11:59pm on 28 February 2023. According to the DfT, “Views are being sought to update MOT testing for cars, motorbikes and vans 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.” But the short story is that they are once again proposing to “change the date at which the first MOT for new light vehicles is required from 3 to 4 years” under the guise of saving “motorists across Great Britain around £100 million a year in MOT fees” based on a £40 MOT.
On 7 December 2022, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) published an information article entitled: “part worns: what operators need to know”. The obvious suggestion ‘don’t buy them’ aside, what advice is the DVSA offering when it comes to part worn tyres?
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