MOT every two years? Are they mad? Readers respond to Government proposal

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has refused to rule out relaxing MOT rules for motorists to ease the UK’s cost of living crisis.

Mr Shapps is reportedly considering allowing vehicles to only need an MOT every two years, rather than annually.

The tests cost up to £54.85, with repair bills on top.

Asked about the issue by the Commons’ Transport Select Committee, Mr Shapps said any changes would need to meet a “very rigorous safety standard”.

He went on: “I don’t rule anything out.

“If you look at things like MOTs – cars have clearly become a lot more reliable than when the MOT, named after the Ministry of Transport, was put in place.

“I think it’s always right to keep these things under review, but there’s a lot of road to cover before we get to that point.”

Mr Shapps added: “I’m always looking at things that can assist but I’m certainly not in a position to make specific announcements about those things.”

Transport Select Committee member, Karl McCartney, told Mr Shapps it was “an absolutely crass idea”.

Motoring groups have warned about the safety implications of relaxing MOT rules.

RAC head of policy Nicholas Lyes said: “The purpose of an MOT is to ensure vehicles meet a basic level of safety for driving on our roads.

“Shifting it from annually to every two years would see a dramatic increase in the number of unroadworthy vehicles and could make our roads far less safe.”

Vehicles must have an MOT on the third anniversary of their registration, and then every 12 months.

A number of parts such as lights, seatbelts, tyres and brakes are checked to ensure they meet legal standards.

Drivers can be fined up to £1,000 for using a vehicle without a valid MOT.

The plans have received a mixed response from Gazette readers.

Chris Curley said: “Most of the time it is drivers that cause accidents not cars, sometimes brakes fail or whatever but that can happen even with an MOT so what's the point of having one? They should be optional.”

Billy Canning added: “My car is 20 years old and passed every MOT from its third birthday, with no advisories because it is maintained to a high standard with a service and bodywork inspection every year.”

Stacey Graham Battersby said: “Absolute joke that!! Should have seen the state of some of the cars after they took advantage of thesix month Covid extension!

"Should be cutting back and helping out on household bills not safety of vehicles! Livess will be lost guaranteed! These people ain’t got a clue about the real world.”

Lyndsey Colderley said: “vehicle safety should be top priority & thinking about changing from one year to two years is just ludicrous.”

Beverley Collister added: “Depends on the age of the car. The rot can set in very quickly even in the space of a year.”

Pauline Jones said: “The government had a meeting yesterday to address how to help with the cost of living crisis and the only suggestions seem to have been to reduce the number of staff per child in children's' nurseries, putting young children at risk and requiring an MOT every two years instead of one year risking more dangerous vehicles on the roads.

“With Brexit meaning we now don't have to comply with EU health and safety standards, no doubt this is a sign of things to come.”

Nadine Copeland-Phelps said: “A saving of £40 a year, wow just don’t know what I will do with it, oh wait that £40 will be taken out of my bank to pay the government back for the £200 loan I never asked for.”

Up Your Alley on Facebook posted: “I think the Government should concentrate on ways to cut costs that don’t cut corners on safety. Scrapping annual MOT’s and increasing staff-child ratios in nurseries? Absolute recipe for death.”

Ian Duffy said: “Good way to close hundreds of small garages and lose thousands of skilled jobs. Sorry folks it has to be said, " Same Old Stories, Same Old Failed Tories.”

Robbie Derbyshire said: “Yeah, but garages will just charge double so they don't lose out.”

Patricia Beaver commented: “Every year or we will have scrap cars on the road.”

Brian Cohen said: “it amazes me how some vehicles pass MOT's. spewing out black fumes. Should be ever year stay the same.”

Ian Muir said: “Two years is fine so long as there is an increase in the number of random spot roadside checks to identify dangerous vehicles.”

Chris T Wilkinson posted: “Personally I think they should be every six months and mechanics that do dodgy ones for extra money should never be allowed to be a mechanic again!”

Shane Brown said: “Some cars on the road are dangerous after annual checks, so two years is ridiculous people will loose lives and then they will revert back to annual checks just leave it as is. Too many people ignore clunks knocks etc as the car still drives and if it wasn't for the fact there car failed an MOTit would have to have wheels falling off before they addressed the issue.

Katie Louise Myers added: “I'm not a driver but I wouldn't be happy with every two years, safety should be of number one importance.”