No immediate decisions on MOT changes likely, say DfT and DVSA
The Government has confirmed that no immediate decisions will be made on MOT changes once the current consultation on a planned shakeup of the rules ends.
The six-week consultation was opened in January by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to discuss the current MOT first date and test frequency to make it “fit for the future”.
It’s led to widespread road safety concerns, including by the AA and the RAC, and a petition to retain the current setup, signed by major industry bodies who say the proposals are “dangerous and damaging”.
In a meeting conducted by the Independent Garage Association (IGA) and Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA), the DfT said ministers are focusing on saving consumers money and want to use the consultation as an opportunity to evaluate if any areas of the MOT can contribute to further savings.
Photo by Fleet World
The DfT and DVSA also said no immediate action would be taken, despite the Government’s impact statement stating any legislation changes would be implemented from 1 April 2023.
And when asked why such a large and complex consultation covering 27 areas within the MOT test was published with only a six-week response period, the government departments revealed there would be further consultations based on the initial information and responses provided.
They also shared that consultation responses submitted after the closing date on 28 February 2023 would still be considered.
All parties agreed to continue working closely at every stage of the consultation process to ensure that public safety and the needs of the industry are being thoroughly considered.
Stuart James, IGA chief executive, said: “We appreciate the DfT being open about many of the questions raised and understand that cost implications for consumers and advances in vehicle technology are the main drivers behind this consultation. However, the UK’s roads are amongst the safest in the world, and we would like to believe that the Government would not make decisions that would cause any increase in road casualties.
“We believe it may have been more appropriate to break the consultation down into smaller subject areas to ensure that road safety will not be impacted by any of the many changes being considered. We will be working non-stop to ensure that road safety and the public are protected as the consultation progresses.”
To access the current consultation on the MOT changes and to have your say, click here.
Written by Natalie Middleton for Fleet World © Monday, January 13, 2023.
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