Logistics UK Wants MOT Test to Lock at 3 Years

Recent government plans to change the length of time between a vehicle being registered and requiring an MOT has created some controversy, with Logistics UK urging the UK government to maintain the current rules and regulations.

They feel that a one-year increase would not be suitable for a lot of high-mileage vehicles. They also feel that vans would be unfairly impacted, as they are technically classed in the same way as cars regarding regulations.

Tackling Pollution

The latest government proposals were published in January and outline tentative plans to change how frequently the vehicle safety test is conducted. This is done so in an attempt to try and monitor emissions more closely and tackle pollution for good.

Government ministers have claimed that the changes to the policy are necessary; they cite more hardy vehicles and electric vehicles having fewer moving parts as reasons why the tests don ’t need to be conducted as often as they do.

Furthermore, the government also claims that extending the duration of the MOT from three years to four would help to save a lot of money in the long run.

Logistics UK - Uncertain and Unsure

At the moment, Logistics UK isn’t sure about the new plans. They claim they will support the proposal as long as the new methods for emissions tests check for particulates, as these have been identified as a risk to public health. The old method does not do this.

Furthermore, the group has asked that the new plans be introduced with a new buffer period of 12-18 months, which will allow many groups and organisations time to prepare for the changes.

Further demand by the groups also calls for the movement of 4.25t alternatively-fuelled vans to go back into the car/van MOT scheme. They claim that the reason for this is that the vehicle type has remained the same, and a change in the category has only been introduced recently to offset recent concerns about the weight of batteries, which many feel isn ’t an acceptable classification system.

As a final point, Logistics UK has said that while it is in favour of annually training MOT testers and making changes to the annual tests to ensure that there is a proper account for electric and hybrid cars, they ’re also keen to ensure that such things are properly implemented, citing that they ’re already present on highways and are included in road strategies.

Phil Lloyd is the head of engineering policy at Logistics UK. He recently had the following to say on the situation:

“As we continue to see more major developments in vehicle technology, it is vital that road policy advances alongside to keep our members compliant and safe.

Logistics UK agrees that sections of the current MOT system need to be reviewed and amended to reflect the industry ’s progression and hopes to see our requests implemented into a new system.”

The government's response to these requests is unknown at this time