MOT interval madness as the business faces 1 million more tests in 2022

OTR tyres, seasonal tyres (such as winter and all-season products) and the tyre retail business are our key features this month. As important as the development of the OTR and seasonal tyre segments undoubtedly is, the combination of tectonic shifts in the UK tyre retail landscape and transport secretary Grant Shapps’ decision to once again suggest changing MOT frequency have stolen my column’s attention this month. On the latter point, NTDA chief executive Stefan Hay was understandably riled to learn that Shapps is retreading the meddling-with-the-MOT path (something readers can read more about in the UK section of May’s magazine). Either way, renewed focus on MOT protocol is firmly connected with the ongoing development of the tyre retail business.

With faulty lifts causing an MOT crisis in Northern Ireland, followed by the pandemic-related MOT amnesty after it, you can be forgiven for thinking we had seen everything. In many ways we have because Shapps’ wrong-headed suggestion of tinkering with MOT intervals as a method of helping consumers with the cost-of-living crisis is very much old news. I won’t go through the solid evidence against such a policy here (I’ll save that for our coverage in the UK section). Rather, we should all be focusing on the opportunity to raise road safety and vehicle maintenance standards that the renewed focus on the MOT provides.

Here are a few facts and figures to start things off: In 2019 30.2 million MOTs were completed. That figure increased to 31.3 million in 2021 and it is expected to grow again in 2022. Specifically, over a million more MOTs are expected to be conducted this year compared to 2019, according to SecretService. But in light of the current new car production dearth, that 1 million MOT figure is a double-edged sword. The 1 million-MOT demand increase insight actually came from information targeted at increasing business in the vehicle main dealer segment. But since 7 per cent of MOTs result in tyre replacement and another 7 per cent in brake replacement alone, this data is arguably more suited to tyre and fast-fit specialists than main dealers.

Vehicle main dealers targeting MOT business

Another helpful insight is the observation that the steady return of the aftersales workforce since the ending of the furlough scheme, vaccination roll-out and lifting of restrictions, means many main dealers have returned to full operating capacity and therefore have a void to fill with additional workload. To put it crudely, vehicle main dealers are now increasingly targeting the same customers as tyre specialists and fast-fits. Previously they prioritised servicing the newest vehicles.

Why? Because due to the estimated loss of 1.6 million new car sales over the last two years, mostly caused by COVID-19 lockdowns and the semiconductor chip crisis, franchised dealers are now faced with a significant reduction in workshop traffic from segment 1 vehicles aged one to three years old. With no end in sight for the semiconductor chip crisis and the war in Ukraine now impeding parts supply to many vehicle factories, the loss of new car sales is set to continue for much of 2022.

In this context, politically-driven suggestions related to MOT frequency are even more unhelpful for tyre and fast fit businesses because longer intervals mean fewer checks in an increasingly competitive space. The result will inevitably put pressure on prices that the macro-economic situation continues to force upwards. And that makes it difficult for the whole supply chain and consumers alike.

As sane as such concerns are, the focus must remain on safety. Experts on all sides are clear that increased MOT frequency improves road safety, so widening intervals is madness. Here’s how suggestions about changing MOT frequency line up with the real-life experience of one independent aftermarket practitioner. Liam Hardy of independent garage Hardy Bros Cars, based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland described the situation like this: “Looking at the vehicles we see in our workshop every day, an increase in MOT test frequency would result in even more vehicles failing the safety inspection, posing a significant threat to road safety and the general public.

Of course, Northern Ireland has its own particular set of MOT circumstances (for example, the Northern Ireland MOT crisis of 2020 is still alive in people’s memories; and the debate about centralised MOT testing via the DVA is ongoing). But Liam Hardy’s points focus on discussion relating to testing intervals, something that is equally relevant across the UK.

Regarding the MOT system, it ain’t broke so don’t “fix” it. Regarding the cars on the road, many are sub-standard and do need fixing. So, government should leave that to the professionals.