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The UK MOT Test
What is an MOT Test?
The MOT is a regular examination of the condition of
cars and light commercial vehicles in mainland Britain. It is required annually
on all vehicles over three years old with one or two very minor exceptions – small
‘breakdown’ trucks is one example.
History – and why it’s called
the ‘MOT’
Following the second world war and into the late 1950s most people purchased second
hand cars and light vans, many of which were originally manufactured before 1940
and vast numbers of which were not in ‘tip top’ condition, nor were they regularly
serviced. As a result there were numerous vehicles being used on the road which
were potentially dangerous. In particular they often had defective brakes, lights
and/or steering.
As a result of this, in 1960 the
then Ministry of Transport under the direction of the Minister of Transport Mr Ernest
Marples decided that all vehicles over ten years old should have their brakes, lights
and steering checked every year. This became known as the “ten year Test”, or alternatively
the Ministry Of Transport Test – which became shortened to ‘MOT’. The Testable age
was progressively reduced to 3 years by April 1967.
Over the years the MOT Test has
been extended and expanded to the comprehensive examination which is today’s MOT
Test. And the Test is developing all the time. Significantly since the 1990s has
been the development of highly sophisticated emissions Testing for vehicles with
catalytic converters fitted.
A significant development of the
MOT has resulted from Britain being members of the European Union. All vehicle Testing
is now decided by EU Directives which set minimum standards for vehicle Testing
in member states. Each state can, however, decide to install more stringent vehicle
Testing regulations in their own domestic regulations under the EU principle of
subsidiarity. In many EU countries, for example, Testing is carried out every two
years – the basic EU minimum, whereas in Britain it is on an annual basis.
There are now over 19,000 Testing
Stations in Britain and 50,000 MOT Testers.
Who’s in charge of the MOT?
The Government. From the start the British Government decided that the annual vehicle check should
be carried out by locally situated repair and service garages thus ensuring that
any motorist would have a local ‘MOT Testing Station’ who could provide a convenient
service. On the other hand the Ministry of Transport were very keen to make sure
that there was a uniform set of MOT Testing standards throughout the country and
so they insisted that if a garage wished to become a Testing Station that they used
only approved equipment and also carried out the Tests to a set of standards laid
down by the Department of Transport.
This system remains to this day,
with the Government in overall charge of MOT Testing, but now through an Executive
Agency called VOSA (Vehicle & Operator Services Agency) whose Chief Executive,
currently Mr Maurice Newey, is responsible directly to Parliament, and also to the
the Secretary of State for Transport.
The Testing Garage. The local MOT garage does, however, carry responsibility for the quality of day
to day Testing at that Testing Station. The garage, either through the individual,
the company or the partnership if that is how it is set up, becomes what is known
as the Authorised Examiner (AE), having been authorised by the Vehicle Inspectorate
to carry out MOT Tests on their behalf. So generally, but not necessarily the AE
is the owner of the business or the business itself.
In turn the AE has the power to nominate specially trained individuals to carry
out MOT Testing on customers’ cars. So the official name for an MOT Tester is Nominated
Tester (NT) because he or she has been nominated by the AE. It should be noted that
this is why it is impossible for aspiring young MOT Testers to go to college and
learn the profession – they have first to be trained at a Testing Garage and then
nominated by the AE.
An aspiring Tester also has to have either a certain minimum formal qualification
or sit a special examination set by the VI before then going on a two day course
set up by VOSA to, as they say “calibrate his or her skills”.
(Despite being ultimately fully responsible for all MOT Testing, VOSA have never
published either a complete training programme or an approved syllabus to train
MOT Testers).
So your local Testing station is
in charge of the Tests they do, but the Government, through VOSA is responsible
overall for the general quality of MOT Testing. To do this they have about 100 experts
called Vehicle Examiners who spend much of their time monitoring the performance
of NTs and AEs – but they also have other jobs as well. Not many people to keep
an eye on nearly 20,000 Testing Stations and 50,000 Testers!
It’s the Government’s MOT
So the next time one of those newspaper articles or perhaps a sensational TV programme
appears about poor quality MOT Testing, just remember that it’s as much the Government’s
fault through providing insufficient Tester Training and inadequate resources to
properly manage and control the MOT Scheme for which VOSA is responsible!
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