MoT changes scrapped

As many as 4.3 million unroadworthy cars could be on Britain’s streets it emerged today, as the Government revealed the shocking ineptitude of MoT testing centres.

The Vehicle Operator and Standards Agency (VOSA) has admitted that 12.4 per cent of the 35 million cars tested between 2010 and 2011 were incorrectly assessed. And an incredible 27.7 per cent of vehicles – almost 10 million – had at least one defect that was missed by the assessor.

The data is particularly alarming in light of the changes made to the MoT test this year, which introduced complex technology likes electronic stability control and tyre pressure monitoring systems to the list of check-ups, creating even more opportunities for mistakes to be made. 

The shocking statistics have forced the Government to abandon plans to reduce the frequency of MoT tests from every year to every two. Instead, Transport Secretary Justine Greening has announced a number of measures to try and crack down on the sector and give motorists better value-for-money.

VOSA has been made to publish its research into testing standards to increase the sector’s transparency. The Government will also encourage garages to sign up to industry codes of practice and arrange “mystery shopper” tests to help improve performance. 

The MoT certificate will also be changed to show mileage information for the last previous three years as well as on the day of the test, to help motorists spot clocked cars. 

What do you think? Is the Government going far enough to ensure test centres are up to scratch? Can garages be trusted to assess a modern car’s roadworthiness, or should it be down to the manufacturer who made the car? Let us know below.