London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, May 11, 2025

Most drivers fear MOT rules relaxation will risk lives, suggests poll

Most drivers fear MOT rules relaxation will risk lives, suggests poll

A consultation into the Department for Transport's proposed shake-up, which it says is needed due to improvements in road safety and electric cars, closes on Wednesday.

More than two-thirds of UK drivers fear a proposed easing of MOT rules will put their lives in danger, according to a poll for the car industry.

The survey, commissioned by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), comes as a Department for Transport (DfT) consultation into the proposed shake-up closes at 11.45pm on Wednesday.

The potential plans include delaying when a new car, motorbike or van has its first MOT from the current three years to four.

Ministers argue that improvements in road safety, electric cars and wider technology mean the rules need to be modernised - and say it will also save motorists money.

But the poll of 1,784 Britons, carried out by research firm Savanta, found 67% opposed the move due to safety concerns.

Nearly three-quarters also said they believed the cost of a MOT - which typically costs from £35 to £45 - was worth paying for the peace of mind it gave them.

The DfT says the move would save motorists around £100m a year and bring the UK into line with countries such as Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

The SMMT, which has previously spoken out against a relaxation of the rules, said it would only amount to as little as 23p a week over three years for the average car owner.



'Little appetite' for change

Other measures in the consultation include proposals for pollution tests to form part of MOTs and new checks on the batteries of electric vehicles.

But critics have expressed concern that any shake-up could go even further, after former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last year refused to rule out the prospect of annual MOTs being scrapped and replaced with checks every two years instead.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "Safety is the number one priority for the automotive industry and the MOT is a crucial component in keeping the UK's vehicles and roads safe.

"Our survey shows that drivers support the existing MOT frequency and that there is little appetite to change it, despite the increased cost of living."

The tests involve checks on parts such as lights, seatbelts, tyres and brakes but more than 300,000 vehicles a year fail their first MOT.

Vehicle defects were also identified as being partly to blame for at least 26 fatal crashes on Britain's roads in 2021.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump fires director of U.S. Copyright Office, sources say
Retired British police officer arrested over ‘thought crime’ tweet
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
×