Classic Thinking on MoTs
Could MoTs be a thing of the past for pre-1960s vehicles?
Classic cars and motorbikes – in fact any private vehicles manufactured before 1960 – could be exempted from the MoT test under proposals published for consultation by Roads Minister Mike Penning.
The Minister makes a spirited case. As he puts it, why not reduce ‘regulation which places a financial burden on motorists without providing significant overall benefits’?
First, the current requirement for these vehicles to undergo an MoT test goes over and above the obligations set out in European legislation. Secondly, classic and historic vehicles are often very well maintained by their owners and have a much lower accident and MoT failure rate than newer cars. The Department for Transport’s own figures show that pre-1960 vehicles account for about 0.6 per cent of the licensed vehicles on British roads, but only 0.03 per cent of road casualties and accidents.
‘Owners of classic cars and motorbikes are enthusiasts who maintain their vehicles well – they don’t need to be told to look after them because they’re out there every weekend checking the condition of the engine, tyres and bodywork,’ Mr Penning points out. And thirdly, many of the features of the modern MoT test make no sense for vehicles built 50 years ago.
But this won’t be carte blanche for the irresponsible: owners of classic vehicles will still be legally required to ensure that their cars are ‘safe and in a proper condition to be on the road’ as the DfT puts it.
The consultation opened on 3 November and closes on 26 January 2012 – you can find the consultation document at dft.gov.uk/consultations.
