Owners of new cars, motorbikes and vans could be allowed to delay vehicle’s first MOT by a year

Owners of new cars, motorcycles and vans could delay their vehicle’s first MOT for a year under government plans to cut driver costs, a move the AA has expressed deep concern about.

The Department for Transport said it has launched a consultation on proposals to require light vehicles in Britain to have their first MOT four years after they are registered, compared to three years now.

Opinions are also being asked about the frequency of MOT inspections – which, according to existing regulations, are every 12 months after the first inspection.

The DfT said it ‘wants to ensure that roadworthiness tests continue to balance costs for motorists, while ensuring road safety, keeping pace with advances in vehicle technology and tackling vehicle emissions’.

But the AA president has strongly discouraged the government from extending a car’s first MOT to its fourth birthday due to road safety concerns.

Drivers can be fined up to £1,000 for operating a vehicle without a valid MOT.

The tests check a number of components, such as lights, seat belts, tires and brakes, to ensure they meet legal standards.

MOTs for cars cost up to £54.85, with repair bills on top.

The DfT said MOTs cost an average of £40 and delaying the first test for new vehicles could save motorists around £100 million a year.

It said “significant developments in vehicle technology” have increased road safety since MOTs, such as lane assist, were introduced in 1960.

Carrying out the first roadworthiness tests for new vehicles after four years is “already standard practice” in many European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, according to the DfT.

AA chairman Edmund King said: ‘The MOT plays a vital role in ensuring that vehicles on our roads are safe and well maintained’ (stock image)

It said the number of casualties in accidents due to vehicle defects is ‘low’ and government analysis shows that delaying the first MOT should ‘have no impact on road safety’.

However, AA president Edmund King said: ‘The MOT plays a vital role in ensuring that vehicles on our roads are safe and well maintained, and while it is not a formal recommendation, we are completely opposed to any change to an annual MOT.

“Last year, 83% of motorists said the annual MOT is ‘very important’ to keep our cars and roads as safe as possible, underlining why an annual MOT should continue.

“With one in 10 cars failing their first MOT, we strongly discourage the government from extending a car’s first MOT to its fourth birthday due to road safety concerns.”

Nicholas Lyes, RAC’s head of road policy, said: ‘While we are not opposed to delaying the first MOT on a new vehicle, we believe there should be a requirement for particularly high mileage vehicles to be being tested.

“If the government wants to improve the APK, now is the ideal time to take into account how much a vehicle has been driven in addition to the number of years it has been on the road.

“We are also disappointed that the government is still pursuing the idea of ​​extending the time between MOTs.

‘Our research clearly shows that motorists do not agree with this and consider it dangerous.’