After many months of intensive lobbying, IAAF has finally announced that the proposed changes to the MOT test frequency were discarded, calling this decision ‘a triumph for the aftermarket and motorists alike’. Back in 2015, the proposals to extend the frequency of a vehicle’s first MOT test from three years to four years were welcomed with anger.
IAAF Chief Executive, Wendy Williams, argued that the current test is both safer and more cost effective for motorists. She voiced a number of concerns, including the potential increase in road accidents and fatalities because of the lack of formal inspection of a vehicle’s roadworthiness for a further 12 months. She also mentioned an increase in repair costs for drivers, insurance premiums, and harmful emissions.
“It is an understatement to say that we are delighted that these plans have now been scrapped, which comes as a result of all the hard efforts of IAAF as well as the whole of the industry. From the outset, we’ve vigorously fought these proposals, which threatened not just the aftermarket but more crucially, motorists’ safety,” said Wendy Williams.
The MOT testing frequency has been a debatable subject for a few years now, but IAAF has always believed that DVSA’s regulation of the MOT process and current testing frequency of 3: 1: 1 helps UK roads to be the safest in Europe. For this reason, the federation has worked relentlessly alongside other industry sectors to fight the unwelcome legislation.
“To ensure as safe and cost-effective motoring as possible, motorists must have their vehicle inspected and serviced regularly. Given that figures suggest one in five vehicles fail their MOT in the first three years, moving to an extended testing period would have potentially caused more accidents and fatalities due to defective vehicles on UK roads,” added Wendy.
