Grant Shapps refuses to rule out MOT change

Date: Tuesday 03 May 2022

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Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, has refused to rule out an MOT test frequency change in a transport committee meeting last week.

Shapps told the committee that while he wouldn’t divulge details of any cabinet meeting, he was always looking at things that assist in the cost of living and wouldn’t rule anything out.

“Cars have clearly become a lot more reliable…. and it’s always right to keep these things under review,” he said.

MP for Lincoln, Karl McCartney, offered Shapps the opportunity to join others and call the idea of moving to a two year frequency “a crass idea”.

Shapps responded by saying that there were many different ways to look at the MOT while McCartney called any such a saving a “drop in the ocean”.

“Is it not common sense with more vehicles on the road to keep the MOT annual?” McCartney said, while Shapps added that he wanted to “look at all of the evidence.”

McCartney later tweeted:

“We need to make sure that any ideas for reducing costs (c.£45) do not compromise safety. I think MOTs should be annually required for all vehicles over 3 years old.”

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