Some eighteen months after the Government announced that it would review the MOT System and following the RMI’s numerous meetings with Ministers and officials the government has finally now acknowledged industry advice and accepted that frequency should remain unchanged.
Pro-MOTe, the lobby group set up to campaign to keep annual MOTs, has welcomed news that ministers have dropped plans to reduce testing frequency to 4-2-2.
In a written ministerial statement this morning, Transport secretary Justine Greening announced: “Having listened closely to the very many views put forward and considered the available evidence, I have decided that I am not going to carry out further work in relation to relaxing the first test date or the frequency of testing.”
Government proposals to end annual MOTs would put at risk up to 50,000 jobs in the retail motor trade disproportionately hitting apprenticeships, young employees and independent businesses, according to new research by Pro-MOTe.
Despite being the subject of widespread discussion both inside and outside the industry, the much debated MOT proposals are missing from the latest government plans issued as a result of the Road Transport Red Tape Challenge. The lack of further details updating the public and trade of what is happening with the consultation and proposed legislation had particularly annoyed trade bodies such as the IAAF.
A controversial plan to introduce a levy on new tyres to pay for the recycling and collection of used rubber has been halted by the South African government. The Recycling and Economic Development Initiative (REDISA) Waste Tyre Management Plan, which would mean a 2.3 rand (19p) per kilogramme charge on new tyres, had been approved and was open for registration by the end of January.
According to Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries estimates, in 2012 China will produce some 750,000 tonnes of natural rubber, an increase of around six per cent on last year. Yet during the same period the country is expected to consume 3,610,000 tonnes of the commodity. To help meet this huge demand for imported natural rubber, China’s Hainan Natural Rubber Industry Group has signed an agreement with Sierra Leone, a deal expected to be the largest agricultural investment in the West African country’s history.
HiQ has announced a marketing campaign designed to help educate motorists about multiple changes to the MOT test brought into effect from 1 January, including checks of dashboard warning lights. The fast fit network wants to encourage motorists to speak to their nearest centre manager about the changes when booking their test. Fast fit manager Stuart Carr said that some problems previously deemed “advisory” will now fail the standard MOT test and he wants as many motorists as possible to know more about the changes.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has released its annual report; 2011 figures show that the UK’s car manufacturing sector rose 5.8 per cent on 2010’s full year. Meanwhile commercial vehicle manufacturing fell by 1.4 per cent to 121,312 in 2011. In December figures, car output rose 1.6 per cent, which CV figures were down 2.7 per cent. UK engine production rose by 4.9 per cent to 2,504,054 in 2011, despite a 1.3 per cent decline in December.
MPs from the Transport select committee today heard of the overwhelming opposition to Government plans to reduce the frequency of MOTs. Bill Duffy, co-ordinator of the Pro-MOTe campaign, supported by a range of motoring organisation, road safety campaigners and industry bodies said scrapping annual testing would be "dangerous, expensive and unwanted".
On 17 January Cooper Tire & Rubber completed its acquisition of the former Trayal manufacturing plant assets in Kruševac, Serbia. A formal signing ceremony was held to mark the official start of Cooper Tire Serbia; this was attended by Serbian President Boris Tadić, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, US Ambassador Mary Warlick, along with Roy Armes, Chairman, President and CEO of Cooper Tire. During the ceremony Armes stated that Cooper elected to invest in Serbia not only because of its significant economic potential, but also for its quality workforce, geographical advantages and Serbian government support.
A report in the UK press says that there are more charging points for electric cars in the UK than there are actual vehicles on the road.
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reveal that, in 2011, there were 260,153 registrations of vans up to 3.5 tonnes; 16.7 per cent up on 2010.
Truck registrations were boosted by a buoyant sales month in December, with registrations for the month up 45 per cent year on year. For two-axle rigid vehicles above 6 tonnes, growth rates ranged from 30 to 90 per cent across the various weight segments. Previously, these sectors had lagged behind artic and multi-axle sales. Taking the year as a whole, truck registrations rose by 24.6 per cent.
The latest figures for sales of new motorcycle and scooter show an overall drop of 2.2% in 2011 compared to 2010. Overall the market has moved away from large motorcycles towards smaller motorcycles and scooters, often used for commuting. This trend is reflected with the biggest sales growth of the year coming from the 51-125cc sector.
The car industry reported that new car registrations fell 4.4 per cent in 2011, with new car demand totalling 1,941,253 units in 2011. That said the total was ahead of the 1.92 million forecast. The SMMT, which collates national registration statistics projected that 2012 will be “broadly flat.” Nevertheless a firmer recovery expected in 2013.
Roadside service provider Mondial Assistance shares that cost is a major factor putting UK motorists off purchasing winter tyres. In a recent 200-person survey it conducted, just under two thirds of respondents said they do not intend to fit winter tyres to their vehicles; from this group, 46 per cent said they won’t fit winter tyres as they cost too much money.
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