MOT
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is pleased to report that it has been invited to a meeting by The Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood MP, to discuss the critical financial challenges posed by the stagnant MOT fee cap, which has not seen an increase in over 14 years.
When DVSA set out its strategy for 2030 back in 2023, combating fraud plus “making it easier to identify and support those getting things wrong” were key focus areas. Connected equipment has been a part of that too. Now, the department has published an article explaining what has been done and how that will impact garages.
The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) is calling for an official deferral for MOTs on 4.25 tonne electric vans as some fleets report finding tests “impossible” to book. For MOT test purposes, this special category of vans is treated as a heavy goods vehicle (HGV), meaning that it has to be tested at one year old rather than three, and also faces a more rigorous examination.
A recent study conducted by Select Van Leasing into the annual UK MOT vehicle check-up shows that more than a third of vans and pick-ups submitted for an MOT in the past year failed their initial test. Around 36 per cent of light commercial vehicles failed their initial test in a 12-month period between 2023 and 2024. That’s significantly higher than the 28 per cent initial failure rate recorded by the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) for cars, passenger vehicles and vans as a whole between 2023 and 2024. In the tyre segment, it is interesting to note that the MOT failure rate of vans due to tyres with tread below the legal limit at 17 per cent is below that suffered by UK vehicle MOT tests as a whole (circa 26 per cent), suggesting that UK van operators are generally better at checking and maintaining their rubber than the average motorist.
John Stone, owner of Stone Tyres in St Helens has bought the premises of nearby former homewares shop, Slinn’s as part of plans to expand with additional MOT capacity.
Brayleys Cars, a multi-franchise dealer group, reports that it has successfully enhanced its MOT testing standards and improved the skills of its MOT testers by using Autotech Training’s web-based platform – MOTsafe. Operating 19 sites across the UK and performing 150 MOTs daily, Brayleys recognised the growing challenge of managing MOT data effectively. With ambitious […]
With September marking the peak of the UK’s MOT season, Cataclean, the provider of fuel additives, is highlighting its popular product range that helps reduce emissions-related failures, supporting both garages and drivers. This year, with an estimated 34 million MOTs due, Cataclean is reinforcing its commitment to vehicle performance, reliability and fuel economy. The brand’s ‘8-in-1’ fuel and exhaust system cleaners range helps to restore performance, improve fuel economy, extend engine component life and reduce emissions.
September 2024 is projected to see a record-breaking number of MOTs, with DVSA estimating around 3.4 million tests due. This spike is partly due to the backlog created during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many MOT dates pushed forward.
Hassan Akbar Rashid, 24, and George Peter Snowden, 28, were due to appear in Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday accused of “issuing MOT certificates without testing cars” in October 2023, according to Teesside Live. Rashid faces 19 charges and Snowden faces six charges.
Northern Ireland’s infrastructure minister John O’Dowd has announced the introduction of one-year temporary exemption certificates (TECs) to some private cars. The TECs will apply to private cars first registered between 1 June 2019 and 31 May 2020 or between 1 June 2017 and 31 May 2018, which have a valid MOT certificate issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). TECs will come into effect from 1 June 2024 and will be automatically processed by the DVA. The Minister also confirmed that he will consider launching a public consultation on Biennial MOT testing. Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), expressed the organisation’s disappointment with the decision.
On Wednesday 10 April, NFDA-NI members hosted a meeting for key figures within Northern Ireland (NI) including MLAs, MPs, various associations and chargepoint operators at a cross-party roundtable meeting at the Culloden Estate in Belfast.
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) has expressed concerns over the delays drivers in Northern Ireland are facing in getting MOT tests. The region has been in an MOT crisis since 2020, when hairline cracks were found in the Driver and Vehicle Agency’s 55 Maha lifts, found to be caused by excessively long service cycles, as Tyrepress reported in 2021. These issues were compounded by the Covid pandemic, and a satisfactory resolution has yet to be found. Sue Robinson, chief executive of the NFDA said the current state of MOT testing in Northern Ireland is “unacceptable”.
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has reminded MOT testers that they must take their Annual Assessment before the 31 March deadline. Testers will face new checks if they miss this deadline. As of 8 January 2024, MOT testers are required to submit a recent basic DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check if they are “returning after being lapsed or suspended from testing – this includes being suspended for not completing your annual assessment.” The IMI said an estimated 73 per cent had yet to complete their assessment with just two months to go before the deadline.
Demand from automotive workshops for alternative finance is up 47 per cent over the last 12 months, making the sector one of the five fastest-growing alternative funding customers in the UK. Overall, the research conducted by 365 finance reports a 42 per cent year-on-year increase in small-and-medium-sized-enterprise (SME) funding across the country.
The news that the government is maintaining annual MOTs in the present 3-1-1 regime was universally welcomed by the industry. But tyre retailers up and down the country continue to highlight the appalling reality that many tyres are changed past the legal limit and in shocking states of disrepair. For many motorists, the MOT is an annual driving sanity check, reminding them to change their tyres and other safety-critical car parts. That reality and the increasing prevalence of electric vehicle and ADAS technology have prompted calls for an upgraded MOT – not least from the BTMA and the NTDA.
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