Taxi drivers speak out over MOT changes
Anger at council plans to take over car checks
Taxi drivers have spoken of their anger at council plans to make all licensed cars have their MOTs carried out at the authority’s Dean Road Depot. The council is looking to bring in the changes after it says anomalies were found during spot checks on cars that had recently passed the required test.
Driver Bryan Fieldsend told The Scarborough News: “So I will now have to use a different location for my car’s MOT, the council yard, and they are going to charge me £54 for that privilege, but I will still be having my car checked over prior to its test because if it was to fail that would be a serious black mark against my name.
“This means more time, more cost, more inconvenience. My car is my living so it is in my interests to keep it running and in the best condition but this just seems like they need something to do with Dean Road Depot.”
Another driver, who asked not to be named, added: “It’s just all about money, [the council] is creating a monopoly on MOTs. There are more than 300 of us and it all adds up.”
Jonathan Bramley, Scarborough Council’s regulation manager said he was aware of the opposition to the proposed changes from drivers.
He said: “The consistency of existing MOT tests is of concern to us, particularly considering the results from snap inspections we have conducted since October 2015, where faults were found with vehicles which had only recently undergone and passed an MOT test. We do not think this is an acceptable situation for vehicles entrusted with carrying members of the public.
“The revised vehicle testing process we are proposing would combine both test elements into one comprehensive inspection at our depot.
“Not only will this provide consistency in terms of tests, it will negate the need for drivers to attend separate MOT and compliance visits.”
Consultation on the proposed changes is under way with the local private hire and hackney carriage trades and they have until November 9 to respond to it.