Motorway

Car MOT failure rates have fallen (rather than risen) since new tougher, more stringent MOT rules came into force on 20th May 2018 to curb dangerous cars being driven on UK roads.

This unexpected finding was revealed on analysis of DVLA data obtained by Motorway, through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

The request, submitted to the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in October 2018, asked for the total number of MOT tests, fail and pass rates, every month since January 2017.

The data was obtained to see if more stringent rules had increased MOT test failure rates, but the data revealed the opposite.

The data showed that across June, July and August 2018 – the months following the shake-up in MOT rules – the average failure rate was 34.1%, compared to 34.5% between January 2017 and April 2018 – preceding the changes.

The average fail rate across June, July and August 2017 was 35%, almost 1% higher than the corresponding months this year.

August 2018 saw the second lowest monthly fail rate this year and the fourth lowest since the start of 2017, with just 33.4% of cars failing their MOT. With all cars on the road requiring MOT after three years, this lower monthly fail rate could be put down to a higher % of newer cars being on the road that were purchased 2014-15 who required an MOT for the first time (reaching three years of age).

However, this drop off in MOT failure rates could also suggest that garages operating on tight profit margins for MOTs may not be adhering to the new rules on every car. If they are having to spend more time on all vehicles, they may be under pressure to hit targets and could be rushing through tests or just ticking boxes and not performing them at all.

The DVLA figures also revealed that the failure rate from 1st to 19th May 2018 was 35%, but increased to 35.5% from 20th to 31st May 2018, suggesting that more car owners were caught out by the new rules.

Although, looking at actual test numbers, there were 1,679,965 MOT tests from 1st to 19th May and 986,178 tests over the rest of the month, which indicates that car owners were keen to get their cars tested before the new rules came into force on the 20th May.

The new MOT rules include changes to how defects are categorised, stricter rules around diesel car emissions and additional items checked during the MOT such as whether tyres are under-inflated or any signs of brake fluid contamination or leakage.

Alex Buttle, director, car buying comparison website Motorway.co.uk comments:

“It’s surprising to see MOT fail rates drop since the more comprehensive tests came into force, when logically you’d expect them to rise.

“Other than 2014 and 2015 being very strong years for new car sales and these new cars needing an MOT for the first time, there’s no clear evidence to explain why rates have fallen in 2018 and it might just be a coincidence. However, it could also reveal a lot about the time most garages allocate for tests and the tight profit margins they are are operating under.

“The tests are now more stringent and time consuming – especially for diesels, yet there has been no tangible increase in MOT prices across the UK since May 2018.

“The maximum fee garages can legally charge for an MOT test is £54.85 and many charge less than that to attract customers. A longer list of things to check on each car equals longer tests and that could be putting pressure on the bottom line.

“It’s very hard to pin the reasons for the MOT failure rate fall on any particular thing, but if a garage spends more time on some cars, they may need to make up the time by ‘waving through’ other cars with issues that under the previous rules might have failed. Time is money and tougher tests mean less time for everything on the longer list. There were always going to be knock on effects.”

More than one million cars registered to drive on UK roads have failed MOT tests this year because of defects considered so dangerous under new, more stringent MOT rules, that they pose an ‘immediate risk to road safety and/ or serious impact on the environment’.

This worrying finding was revealed on analysis of DVSA data on MOT tests obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by Motorway in November 2018.

The data reveals that since 20th May 2018 when new MOT rules came into force, 1,131,376 cars have failed their MOTs because of dangerous defects. In October, almost 9% of cars failed their MOT because of a dangerous defect. On average since May, MOT testers failed almost a third (32%) of cars because of a dangerous fault.

Under new MOT rules, defects are categorised as either: dangerous, major or minor, and a vehicle will fail if it has a dangerous or major fault. With the old MOT your vehicle either passed, passed with advisory faults or failed.

According to the DVSA website, a dangerous defect ‘has a direct and immediate risk to road safety or has a serious impact on the environment, and the vehicle cannot be driven again until the defect has been repaired.’

There are many things that can be considered ‘dangerous defects’. Here is a few examples:

• Leaking hydraulic fluid – leaks from a brake value such that brake functionality is affected
• Brake problems – brake disc or drum missing and/ or the brake lining or pad is missing or incorrectly mounted
• Dangerous wheels – a wheel with more than one loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud or the wheel is distorted or worn to the extent it is likely to become detached

A vehicle will be recorded as “no longer road legal” if it fails due to a dangerous fault. If you do drive the car, you could be fined £2,500, be banned from driving and incur three points on your licence.

If a car fails because of a major defect, the repair needs to be made as soon as possible. However, the car may be driven if it is still roadworthy and the MOT is valid.

Alex Buttle, director of car buying comparison website Motorway.co.uk comments:

“Looking at this data from the DVSA, we were really surprised by the high number of cars registered to drive on UK roads that are considered ‘dangerous’. And these are just the vehicles that have been tested since the new rules came into play in May 2018.

“New car sales are currently falling at a dramatic rate, but the number of licensed cars on the road is remaining comparatively stable at around 38 million. This suggests owners are hanging onto cars for longer – and because of that, the UK’s used car stock will get older year on year unless that trend is reversed. That means more dangerous cars, requiring frequent safety checks.

“We could be heading towards becoming a ‘country of clunkers’. Only an uptick in sales of new cars will cause a higher % of older cars to start exiting our roads. Until then, highways will likely become even more full of older, more dangerous vehicles which should be getting fixed by a mechanic or headed for the scrap heap.”

More than 2.5 million UK motorists have at least three points on their driving licenses

• 6.8% of Bristol population have at least three penalty points on their driving licence
• More than 5,500 drivers in BS16 postcode have incurred at least three penalty points
• Currently, just over 11,000 UK drivers have at least 12 penalty points (automatic ban) on their license
• Almost 80,000 drivers currently have nine penalty points on their licenses, and are only one more offence away from an automatic ban

Bristol officially has the worst drivers in England and Wales, with 6.8% of the population having at least three penalty points on their current driving licences, according to research by car selling comparison website Motorway.co.uk.

More than 60,000 drivers, registered in the BS postcode area, which is made up of 47 postcode districts covering Bristol and surrounding areas, still have points on their licence having committed at least one recent motoring offence. Over 14,279  are multiple offenders, with at least six points on their licences.

These figures are supported by speed camera data obtained from local police forces, which shows that the two most active speed cameras in the UK, are on the M32 to Bristol and between Bristol Junction 19 and 20 on the M4. While, twice as many drivers were caught speeding in the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, which covers the Bristol area, than in any other constabulary, between June 2016 and May 2018*.

The SL postcode area, which covers Slough and surrounding areas, has the next highest number of car drivers with at least three penalty points on their licence as a percentage of population, with 6.4%. Slough is close to the M4 which is used frequently by commuters to and from London.

Across the UK, almost 2.7 million drivers currently have at least three points on their licences, and 11,090 have at least 12 points and are likely serving an automatic ban. Almost 80,000 drivers have nine penalty points on their licenses, which means 79,463 drivers are one more motoring offence away from receiving an automatic ban.

Motorway.co.uk obtained the most up-to-date data on penalty points by postcode across England & Wales from the Driving Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made in February 2019. The courts endorse your driving licence with penalty points if you’re convicted of a motoring offence. Drivers are disqualified if there are 12 or more points on their driving license.

The following table shows postcode areas ranked in order of highest number of drivers who have at least three penalty points on their driving licence as a percentage of population.

Postcodes	Town/City	Population	No. of drivers with at least 3 points on licence	No. of drivers with at least 3 points on licence as % of population
BS	Bristol	940,241	63,747	6.78%
SL	Slough	373,607	24,017	6.43%
HX	Halifax	160,378	10,209	6.37%
HG	Harrogate	138,343	8,709	6.30%
HD	Huddersfield	262,814	16,294	6.20%
TA	Taunton	322,197	19,720	6.12%
BH	Bournemouth	551,987	33765	6.12%
LU	Luton	335,950	20,360	6.06%
HP	Hemel Hempstead	488,351	29,126	5.96%
WR	Worcester	287,414	16,988	5.91%
NN	Northampton	653,215	38,330	5.87%
BD	Bradford	578336	33,487	5.79%
DN	Doncaster	755,713	43,718	5.79%
BA	Bath	434,166	24,309	5.60%
WF	Wakefield	512,657	28,613	5.58%
WD	Watford	255,988	14,177	5.54%
DT	Dorchester	213,203	11,577	5.43%
CM	Chelmsford	653,492	35,026	5.36%
YO	York	562,439	30,082	5.35%
SS	Southend-on-Sea	518,677	27,660	5.33%

Postcode districts

The most prolific postcode district for penalty points is Bristol postcode BS16. Over 5,000 drivers in BS16 currently have at least three points on their licences, more than any other postcode district in England and Wales.

The following table shows postcode districts ranked in order of highest number of drivers who have at least three penalty points on their current driving licences.

Postcode	Town/City	Number of drivers with 3 points on licence	Number of drivers with 9 points on licence	Total number of drivers with at least 3 points on their license
BS16	Bristol	4,124	220	5,530
CR0	Croydon	2,945	143	4,688
NN3	Northampton	3,245	144	4,454
SL6	Maidenhead	3,431	110	4,452
LE2	Leicester	3,039	142	4,227
LE3	Leicester	2,880	156	4,146
NG5	Nottingham	2,894	154	3,966
BH23	Christchurch	3,117	91	3,922
LU7	Leighton Buzzard	2,866	128	3,809
NG16	Nottingham	2,935	113	3,803
SL1	Slough	2,562	141	3,799
BA2	Bath	2,827	71	3,506
PR2	Preston	2,556	125	3,502
SL3	Slough	2,415	129	3,437
CF14	Cardiff	2,600	86	3,390
BS4	Bristol	2,504	130	3,367
NG8	Nottingham	2,386	111	3,333
PR4	Preston	2,538	104	3,315
GL2	Gloucester	2,523	102	3,298
CV6	Coventry	2,178	105	3,286

Alex Buttle, director of car buying comparison website Motorway.co.uk comments:

“Almost two million people currently have at least three points on their driving licence. That’s not just a staggering number of people who have committed a motoring offence, it’s also a nice little cash generator for the Government in the form of fines. A large number of these fines will have been incurred for speeding, and in particular speeding on motorways.

“But while the stats suggest otherwise, are Bristol and Slough drivers really more dangerous than drivers from elsewhere? Rather than being ‘boy racer’ districts, one has to ask if the prevalence of a high number of main roads and speed cameras in these areas is a main contributing factor to the higher number of offences seen.

“It was perhaps not surprising to see most Greater London areas at the very bottom of the list for motoring offences as anyone who has spent time on main roads in the capital will understand the opportunity to break the speed limit is minimal with most main roads highly congested during peak hours.”  

• Sevenoaks is the UK’s worst railway station for vehicle thefts – 14 stolen between 1st April 2018 and 31st March 2019
• Commuter towns: ten worst stations for vehicle thefts are all within an hour of London
• St Albans Station: vehicle thefts have dropped 77% in the past 12 months 
• More than a third (39%) of thefts from stations were scooters, mopeds or motorbikes

The number of vehicles stolen from railway station car parks has almost trebled in five years, according to official British Transport Police data analysed by Motorway.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by Motorway.co.uk, reveals that the number of vehicles (cars, scooters, mopeds and motorbikes) stolen from train station car parks has increased by 198% since 2014/15. 

The latest figures from the British Transport Police reveal that 414 vehicles were stolen from train station car parks between 1st April 2018 and 31st March 2019. This compares to just 139 thefts between 1st  April 2014 and 31st March 2015.

The most popular vehicle brands targeted by thieves were; Honda (67), Ford (47), Yamaha (46), Piaggio (32), Land Rover (18), Vespa (17), BMW (15), Range Rover (12) and Audi (11).  More than a third (39%) of vehicles stolen were scooters, mopeds or motorbikes. 

The figures also reveal that London commuter stations have the worst record for vehicle thefts. The top ten stations for thefts were all within an hour of the capital.

Sevenoaks is the worst UK train station for thefts, with 14 vehicles stolen from the car park between April 2018 and March 2019. Brighton recorded 10 thefts during the same period.

In the previous 12-months, St Albans City was officially the worst station, with 22 recorded vehicle thefts. But numbers have fallen dramatically in the past year, down by more than three-quarters (77%) according to the latest crime figures.

Network Rail owns and operates the railway infrastructure in England, Scotland and Wales including 20 of the largest stations. The other train stations, of which there are more than 2,500, are managed by the train operating companies.

The following table shows which UK train stations have recorded the highest number of vehicle thefts between the start of April 2018  and end of March 2019.

Railway station	County	Fastest Time/Distance to London	Number of thefts
Sevenoaks	Kent	32 mins/21 miles	14
Brighton	Sussex	52 mins/47 miles	10
Ebbsfleet International	Kent	18 mins/20 miles	8
Haslemere	Surrey	48 mins/39 miles	8
Godalming	Surrey	43 mins/31 miles	7
Hildenborough	Kent	27 mins/25 miles	7
Beaconsfield	Buckinghamshire	20 mins/22 miles	6
Cambridge	Cambridgeshire	47 mins/47 miles	5
Farnborough	Hampshire	34 mins/31 miles	5
Harlow Town	Essex	29 mins/20 miles	5

Alex Buttle, director of Motorway comments:

“These figures make depressing reading for commuters who split their journey into work across road and train. The rise in railways station thefts has been turbo-charged by the growth in popularity of scooters and mopeds, which are an easy target for thieves. 

“Although most, if not all, stations car parks will have CCTV cameras, that doesn’t mean your vehicle won’t be targeted. Seasoned criminals know how to quickly gain access to cars, and many aren’t bothered by on-site security. 

“Motorbikes, mopeds and scooters are particularly vulnerable, so ensure you have multiple security measures in place; such as wheel locks and clamps plus heavy-duty chain link or brake disc locks to make your vehicle less appealing to opportunistic criminals.”

• An FOI request reveals that Westminster has the highest concentration of EV charging points with 1.47 per 1000 population
• Bexley is the only London borough with no public charging points
• Milton Keynes has the highest concentration of EV charging points of any other UK town/city (excluding London), with 0.83 per 1000 population 
• Hull, Northampton, Mansfield and Swansea have no public charging points
• Note: Charging points on private land weren’t considered for this research

The London borough of Westminster has 375 public electric vehicle (EV) charging points, more than anywhere else in the country, according to research by Motorway.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all London boroughs and major UK town and city councils, made by Motorway, reveals that Westminster, one of the wealthiest areas in the country, also has the highest concentration of EV charging points with 1.47 per 1000 population. The council say they plan to have 468 public charging points installed by the end of the year.

Three other boroughs – Richmond upon Thames, Hammersmith & Fulham and Wandsworth – each have more than 200 public electric vehicle charging points. While, Bexley is the only borough which hasn’t installed any public charging points to date, although the council plans to have 13 points operational by the end of the year.

Outside London, Milton Keynes, with a population of 230,000, has the highest concentration of EV charging points, with 0.83 per 1000 population, and 192 points across the town. Nottingham with 215 charging points has more than any other UK town/city.

Kingston Upon Hull, Mansfield, Northampton and Swansea currently have no public electric vehicle charging points. These are all major towns with more than 150,000 population.

The government recently announced a £400 million investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with half funded by private sector partners. It hopes to have 5,000 rapid charging points operational by 2024.

The following table shows the UK towns/cities (excluding London) with the highest and lowest concentration of public EV charging points.

Town/City	Population	Number of EV charging  points – current	EV charging points per 1000 population
Milton  Keynes	229,941	192	0.83
Aberdeen	196,904	100	0.51
Newcastle upon Tyne	192,382	75	0.39
Coventry	185,426	122	0.34
Nottingham	326,474	215	0.29
Edinburgh	239,142	130	0.28
Mansfield	171,958	0	0.00
Northampton	215,963	0	0.00
Swansea	300,352	0	0.00
Kingston upon Hull	314,018	0	0.00

The following table shows London boroughs with the highest concentration of EV charging points.

London Borough	Population	Number of EV charging  points – current	EV charging points per 1000 population
Westminster (City of)	255,324	375	1.47
Richmond upon Thames	196,904	265	1.35
Hammersmith & Fulham	185,426	216	1.16
Wandsworth	326,474	250	0.77
Islington	239,142	166	0.69

N.B. Boroughs of Brent and Hillingdon did not provide figures 

The following table shows London boroughs with the lowest concentration of EV charging points.

London Borough	Population	Number of EV charging  points – current	EV charging points per 1000 population
Bexley	247,258	0	0.00
Enfield	333,869	9	0.03
Harrow	250,149	7	0.03
Newham	352,005	10	0.03
Redbridge	303,858	11	0.04

The London borough of Westminster has 375 public electric vehicle (EV) charging points, more than anywhere else in the country, according to research by Motorway.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all London boroughs and major UK town and city councils, made by Motorway, reveals that Westminster, one of the wealthiest areas in the country, also has the highest concentration of EV charging points with 1.47 per 1000 population. The council say they plan to have 468 public charging points installed by the end of the year.

Three other boroughs – Richmond upon Thames, Hammersmith & Fulham and Wandsworth – each have more than 200 public electric vehicle charging points. While, Bexley is the only borough which hasn’t installed any public charging points to date, although the council plans to have 13 points operational by the end of the year.

Outside London, Milton Keynes, with a population of 230,000, has the highest concentration of EV charging points, with 0.83 per 1000 population, and 192 points across the town. Nottingham with 215 charging points has more than any other UK town/city.

Kingston Upon Hull, Mansfield, Northampton and Swansea currently have no public electric vehicle charging points. These are all major towns with more than 150,000 population.

The government recently announced a £400 million investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with half funded by private sector partners. It hopes to have 5,000 rapid charging points operational by 2024.

The following table shows the UK towns/cities (excluding London) with the highest and lowest concentration of public EV charging points.

Town/City	Population	Number of EV charging  points – current	EV charging points per 1000 population
Milton  Keynes	229,941	192	0.83
Aberdeen	196,904	100	0.51
Newcastle upon Tyne	192,382	75	0.39
Coventry	185,426	122	0.34
Nottingham	326,474	215	0.29
Edinburgh	239,142	130	0.28
Mansfield	171,958	0	0.00
Northampton	215,963	0	0.00
Swansea	300,352	0	0.00
Kingston upon Hull	314,018	0	0.00

The following table shows London boroughs with the highest concentration of EV charging points.

London Borough	Population	Number of EV charging  points – current	EV charging points per 1000 population
Westminster (City of)	255,324	375	1.47
Richmond upon Thames	196,904	265	1.35
Hammersmith & Fulham	185,426	216	1.16
Wandsworth	326,474	250	0.77
Islington	239,142	166	0.69

N.B. Boroughs of Brent and Hillingdon did not provide figures 

The following table shows London boroughs with the lowest concentration of EV charging points.

London Borough	Population	Number of EV charging  points – current	EV charging points per 1000 population
Bexley	247,258	0	0.00
Enfield	333,869	9	0.03
Harrow	250,149	7	0.03
Newham	352,005	10	0.03
Redbridge	303,858	11	0.04

N.B. Boroughs of Brent and Hillingdon did not provide figures

Alex Buttle, director of car selling comparison website Motorway said: 

“UK government has a mammoth task on its hands to create an EV charging infrastructure that can cope with the expected growth in electric car ownership over the next 20 years. In fact its own 2040 switchover target from fossil fuels depends on it. 

“Although we only looked at public, not private charging points (and home charging will make up a significant number of points), there will still be a huge reliance on public charging infrastructure. And it’s severely lacking at present.

“Figures supplied by local councils suggest a worrying disparity between towns and cities with the highest and lowest concentrations of charging points. While some areas have made significant progress in building a capable charging infrastructure, other areas appear to be well behind the curve. The ramifications on local economies of a substandard charging infrastructure could be severe.

“There is also a more pressing issue. The government is trying to encourage people to switch to electric cars, but many vehicle owners are reluctant to do so until they are confident that the  infrastructure is fit for purpose. 

“We carried out a survey of UK drivers recently and an inadequate charging infrastructure was the most common reason cited by respondents as to why they wouldn’t consider switching to an electric car over the next five years. 

“Brexit is understandably at the top of the government’s agenda at the moment, but it’s in danger of taking its eyes off this huge infrastructure challenge, and a public that has no faith in the charging programme,  is unlikely to buy into the idea of early switching.”

• FOI request reveals more than 2,000,000 drivers have paid the ULEZ charge
• Over 30,000 drivers have received more than one PCN for non-payment of the ULEZ charge
• Worst offending driver has received 81 PCNs for non-payment of the ULEZ daily charge

More than 2,000,000 drivers have paid the ULEZ daily charge, and over 250,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been handed out to drivers for non-payment of the charge, since it was launched in London in April, according to research by Motorway.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge is paid by drivers whose vehicles fail the tough new exhaust emissions standards introduced in central London, to help improve air quality.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by Motorway.co.uk in September to Transport for London (TfL), revealed that 223,952 penalty notices were handed out between May 11 and August 31, to drivers of high polluting vehicles who failed to pay the central London toxic air levy.

Almost 32,000 drivers (31,783) have received more than one penalty ticket since ULEZ was launched and the worst offender has amassed a staggering 81 penalty notices between May 11 and August 31, which could mean she has had to pay fines up to £13,000. 

Car, motorcycle and van drivers who fail to pay the daily charge of £12,50, face a £160 fine, or £80 if paid within a fortnight. While, HGV and coach drivers, who have to pay a higher daily charge of £100, face a £1000 fine, or £500 if paid within 14  days.

Transport for London confirmed that until 10 May they issued warning notices rather than PCNs, because the ULEZ scheme was new.

Motorway.co.uk research found that over two million vehicles (2,124,404) have paid the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge between launch and August 31, generating almost £31 million for TfL. Of this, £25.9 million was paid by car, motorcycle and van drivers (ULEZ Low charge of £12.50) and £4.8 million by HGV and coach drivers (ULEZ High charge of £100). 

The following table shows the number of charges purchased per month between 8 April and 31 August 2019, broken down by high (HGVs and coaches) and low (cars, motorcycles and vans) ULEZ categories:

Month	ULEZ High	ULEZ Low	Total
April	8,301	337,812	346,113
May	11,864	484,843	496,707
June	10,195	459,572	469,767
July	10,504	453,973	464,477
August	7,236	340,104	347,340
Total	48,100	2,076,304	2,124,404

The following table lists the total revenue raised per month from charges purchased between 8 April and 31 August 2019, broken down by high and low categories.

Month	ULEZ High	ULEZ Low	Total
Apr	£ 830,100.00	£ 4,222,650.00	£ 5,052,750.00
May	£ 1,186,400.00	£ 6,060,537.50	£ 7,246,937.50
Jun	£ 1,019,500.00	£ 5,744,650.00	£ 6,764,150.00
Jul	£ 1,050,400.00	£ 5,674,662.50	£ 6,725,062.50
Aug	£ 723,600.00	£ 4,251,300.00	£ 4,974,900.00
Total	£ 4,810,000.00	£ 25,953,800.00	£ 30,763,800.00

The table provided here shows how many PCNs we issued per month for non-payment of the ULEZ daily charge between 11 May and 31 August.

Month	PCN
May	41,008
June	74,630
July	67,386
August	40,928
Total	223,952

The table below shows the total revenue raised per month from PCNs issued between 11 May and 31 August 2019 broken down by high and low categories.

These figures do not take account of the costs of running the scheme and therefore show revenue raised rather than net income.

Month	Sum of Amount Paid
May	£ 2,509,618.50
June	£ 3,896,540.50
July	£ 3,067,243.49
August	£ 1,148,599.50
Total	£ 10,622,001.99

Alex Buttle, director of Motorway comments: 

“Judging by the drop in polluting cars being driven in central London since ULEZ was launched in April and a general fall in traffic, it feels like the scheme is doing its job.

“Something had to be done with London facing a public health crisis. The electric car switch-over can’t come quick enough, but until it does, ULEZ shows there is a genuine commitment to tackle London’s toxic air. And that commitment is proving successful.

“While ULEZ was not about generating money for councils, it has nevertheless brought in more than £40m in charges and penalty notices in the six months since launch. 

“Schemes like ULEZ should always be about the health and well-being of people living in major urban areas.”

“Although pollution levels are still unacceptably high in the capital, the success of ULEZ proves that similar clean air zones can and should be urgently rolled out across the country.”

Almost three-quarters of a million MOT tests* were still carried out in April 2020, despite the government giving motorists a six-month MOT holiday from 30th March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

An FOI request made by Motorway to the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency), revealed that 746,157 MOTs took place across the UK in April.  

The number of tests were down 80% on the previous month – with 3,723,524 motorists taking their vehicles in for an MOT in March. Just over 3.5 million MOTs were carried out in April 2019. 

Perth in Central Scotland saw the biggest drop in MOTs last month, with tests down 85.7% compared to March. Inverness saw 85.6% fewer MOTs in April vs March.

More than 20,000 motorists in the Birmingham area (21,324) took their vehicles in for an MOT in April, and 18,170 tests were carried out by garages in the ‘S’ postcode area (Sheffield) last month.

Despite testing falling significantly in April, it’s surprising there were still almost 750,000 inspections carried out last month, after the government announced an MOT holiday.

Any motorists with an MOT due from 30th March have automatically been given a six-month extension. However, vehicles still have to be kept in a roadworthy condition, with garages remaining open for essential repair works.

The following table shows postcode areas with the largest drop in MOTs in April vs March 2020

Postcode	Postcode Area	MOTs – March 2020	MOTs – April 2020	% drop in test numbers
PH	Perth	11,535	1,654	85.7%
IV	Inverness	16,419	2,369	85.6%
CA	Carlisle	22,317	3,456	84.5%
LD	Llandrindod Wells	3,370	529	84.3%
PA	Paisley	17,542	2,765	84.2%
CH	Chester	42,734	7,005	83.6%
SA	Swansea	49,074	8,229	83.2%
SY	Shrewsbury	25,495	4,304	83.1%
UB	Southall	17,717	2,996	83.1%
BR	Bromley	13,846	2,343	83.1%

The following table shows postcode areas where the most MOTs were carried out in April 2020

Postcode	Postcode Area	MOTs – April 2020
B	Birmingham	21,324
S	Sheffield	18,170
NG	Nottingham	15,115
BS	Bristol	14,246
PE	Peterborough	12,988

Alex Buttle, director of Motorway comments: 

“These figures from the DVSA show that despite motorists having the opportunity to postpone their MOT test, many have chosen not to do so. There could be a number of reasons why; with general car maintenance, ongoing value and safety issues likely at the forefront of many drivers’ minds.

“Saying that, the number of MOTs in April was still substantially lower than March figures, and we expect to see a similar low level of testing in May, as lockdown restrictions have only been eased slightly this month.

“From a cost point of view, cash strapped car owners might consider delaying their MOT for the full six months, but the reality is that the cost of a test is small compared to the human cost if you’re driving a car that has a serious fault or defect.

“Motorists will often have their vehicle serviced at the same time as the MOT, and delaying the test could also mean delaying the annual service, which could flag up mechanical and safety issues that need to be addressed urgently.

“Many garages are still open for MOTs, and anyone driving an older vehicle, which tend to be more susceptible to problems due to wear and tear, might be wise to take their car in close to the original MOT date to give it a full check and service. It will give them the peace of mind that it’s in good condition and mechanically sound at the present time.

”And if owners are looking to protect the value of their car for selling in the future, then a heavily-delayed MOT may be an issue for some buyers. 

“To boost your offer when you sell to a dealer on our website at Motorway.co.uk, we recommend main-dealer servicing and regular MOTs. 

“Even if you can delay, it may be more cost efficient to get the MOT done sooner rather than later to protect your car’s ongoing value.”

Updated 12/11/2020: We are open for business during the current lockdown. All transactions are completed contact-free.

This post outlines how our service is affected by the current COVID-19 situation and lockdown restrictions in England due to end on Wednesday 2nd December, and what you can expect if you sign up to compare prices on our website at this time.

Motorway works with thousands of dealerships and instant buyers around the UK to provide a range of offers for your car with a single search – helping you find your best deal as quickly as possible.

We will do all we can to secure you the best price possible at the present time, but some final offers may be lower than in normal conditions. Please note that you are under no obligation to accept any offer provided.

To keep you safe, buyers and dealers are purchasing vehicles following social distancing guidelines. All buyers on Motorway buy and collect cars in a contact-free manner.

Please continue to sign up on Motorway, or you can get in touch with questions at any time. You can email us at hello@motorway.co.uk or call our team on 0203 988 2266 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5.30pm). We are always here to help.

Thank you for your patience. We will update this page as further info becomes available.