Trade bodies up in arms about MOT briefing paper

The Independent Garage Association (IGA) and National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) strongly oppose today’s report from The Adam Smith Institute recommending the abolishment of the MOT test.

Stuart James, IGA Director comments: “The fact that the UK has one of the best road safety records in the developed world is testament to the quality of the MOT test.

“The report states that the average repair cost to get a car through its MOT is £143. This clearly indicates that a large number of vehicles are unroadworthy. Every fatality is one too many, and for an average price of £33, the peace of mind that this brings can only be perceived as outstanding value for money.”

Sue Robinson, NFDA Director, said: “Without an MOT, customers would be likely to incur additional expenses due to the damage caused by unresolved basic wear and tear issues affecting items including light bulbs, brake pads, tyres, wiper blades, steering and emissions which need to be constantly checked and can easily escalate into more severe problems.

“In January, the government acknowledged that ‘data relating to accidents involving mechanical failure would improve testing at year three’ instead of four and we believe abolishing the MOT test could have potentially devastating road safety implications.”