The British government has announced that it will not change the current policy of motorcycles having their first MoT test after three years, despite investigating the possibility of extending the first test to four years.
The MoT was first introduced in 1960, when vehicles were required to undergo a check when they were 10 years old. This was changed to three years in 1967 but with recent figures suggesting that around 85% of vehicles pass their first MoT test, the Department of Transport last year commissioned a consultation to look at delaying the first test by a year, a move which would have saved motorists a collective £100 million a year.
Roads Minister Jesse Norman said that most of those who responded to the consultation were opposed to the change on safety grounds, saying that benefits for car drivers and motorcyclists were outweighed by the potential risk to other road users. The findings also concluded that even when vehicles pass the test, the system of ‘advisories’ was useful in highlighting future problems.
The minister said: “We have some of the safest roads in the world, and are always looking at ways of making them safer.
“Although modern cars are better built and safer than when the MoT test was last changed 50 years ago, there has been a clear public concern that any further changes don’t put people’s lives at risk.
“We are looking at further research to ensure the MoT test evolves with the demands of modern motoring.”
This year will see a new rule come in, which means that vehicles over 40 years old do not have to undergo the annual test. This is great news for owners of classic and vintage motorcycles, although it is worth remembering that all vehicles must be roadworthy and able to pass an MoT whenever they are used on public roads.