Government proposals to change the frequency of MOT tests from the current every three years then annually to fours years and then biennially have been ditched by the Parliamentary Under-secretary of State for Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick in a statement published today.

Following a detailed appraisal of the proposals which included a cost and benefits analysis, the Minister concedes that any change would “suggest that a significant number of additional road accidents would be likely if the MOT test frequency was reduced.”

The statement continued: “This is primarily because the annual MOT failure rate is already high (around 35%), and, if we were to reduce test frequency, there is a very real risk that the number of unroadworthy cars would increase significantly. In turn, the number of road casualties would inevitably increase.”

Accepting that an increase in road traffic accidents would be wholly unacceptable, the Minister stated that “our view is that the MOT test frequency should remain unchanged.”

The announcement comes as a huge relief to the motor trade who have made the strongest representation to the Department for Transport in an effort to get the proposal shelved.

Commented Richard Edy NTDA: “We have actively supported the MOT Trade Forum, of which were a founder member, in fighting these bizarre proposals and it is a great relief to us, and especially our members who have over a thousand centre’s carrying out MOT’s, that the Government has seen sense”