Garages call on government to reconsider new MoT extension

THE Independent Garages Association has urged the government to rethink its position after announcing the Department for Transport, with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, had extended MoT certificates from 12 to 18 months.

The move, which we reported last week (Issue 1,620), recognised the difficulty motorists and garages face in testing cars after the coronavirus outbreak. But the Independent Garage Association (IGA) has warned it jeopardises the livelihood of mechanics, and vehicle safety.

It says around a third of all cars fail their first MoT, so millions of vehicles “do not meet even the basic roadworthiness level of compliance.” And, it adds, the move will raise the number of vehicles that are unroadworthy, even given less use.

The organisation says that garages will also suffer as a result of the changes. It highlights that many testing stations conduct no business other than MoT testing and can expect to see their “cashflows seriously impacted”, even after the crisis has passed. The IGA pointed out that independent garages, which usually have smaller cash reserves than larger firms, carry out 80 per cent of the UK’s 30 million annual MoT tests.

Stuart James, chief executive of the IGA, said: “We understand that measures need to be put in place to fight the virus, and support these measures, however we do not agree with the six-month extension. We urge the government to show a degree of flexibility, as the repercussions for the independent sector will be severe.” James also urged ministers to provide better guidance “regarding the extension to ensure that vehicles remain roadworthy.”