Four year MOT exemption for new cars proposed

The amount of time that new cars are allowed on Britain's roads before requiring an MOT could rise from three to four years, under government proposals. The change could be in effect from 2018 after a public consultation.
Northern Ireland and many European nations already have such an exemption. The Department for Transport said safer technology and improved manufacturing means new vehicles stay roadworthy for longer.

It cites figures showing the annual number of three and four-year-old cars involved in accidents where a vehicle defect was said to be a contributory factor has fallen from 155 in 2006 to 57 in 2015.

MOTs were first introduced in 1960 for vehicles more than 10 years old, with the exemption period dropping just 7 years later to three years.

Vehicles must currently undergo the test on the third anniversary of their registration and every 12 months once more than three-years-old. This requirement excludes cars and motorcycles made before 1960, goods vehicles powered by electricity and tractors.

A number of parts are checked during the MOT test to ensure vehicles meet legal standards, including lights, seatbelts, tyres and brakes, and emission levels are also examined.

More than 2.2 million cars each year require a first test, at a maximum cost of £54.85, with motorists facing a fine of up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.

Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: "We have some of the safest roads in the world and MOT tests play an important role in ensuring the standard of vehicles on our roads.

"New vehicles are much safer than they were 50 years ago and so it is only right we bring the MOT test up to date to help save motorists money where we can."
In November, a poll for the AA of more than 19,000 drivers suggested 44% were in favour of MOTs after four years, while 26% were opposed, and a third did not have a view either way.

Commenting on the proposals, AA president Edmund King said: "The benefits are that there will be cost and time savings for drivers, whilst the downside is that we are likely to see some more cars with faulty tyres and lights slipping through the net."

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Man jailed for changing number plates after speeding

Kyle Nixon who changed the appearance of his number plates after he was caught speeding on the A1 has been jailed for three months

Mr Nixon was clocked by a static speed camera doing 87mph in a 70 mph limit on the A1 at Great Ponton, near Grantham, on October 2.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Nixon, from Kent, was sent a notice of intended prosecution by Lincolnshire Police as he was the registered keeper of the vehicle caught speeding, a Vauxhall Zafira.

After receiving the speeding notice Nixon telephoned the ticket office and claimed he could not be the driver as he had not been in Lincolnshire for two weeks and asked if there was any pictures of the vehicle and was told to email the ticket office images of his own car.

Mr Bishop said when the ticket office received three images of Nixon's car on October 29 it was clear the appearance of the number plates had changed but not the registration.

Nixon sent the ticket office further close up images of his number plates on November 11 but finally admitted he was the driver three days later.

Siward James-Moore, mitigating, told the court Nixon initially did not realise that his journey had taken him through Lincolnshire.

Mr James-Moore said when Nixon finally realised he was the driver he tried to "wriggle off the hook." Mr James-Moore added: "He was in a hole and kept on digging when he should have put his hands up."

Nixon pleaded guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice between October 9 and November 14 last year and speeding on October 2.

He was jailed for three months and also received three penalty points on his driving licence.

Passing sentence Recorder Ciaran Rankin told Nixon his actions struck at the heart of the criminal justice system.

Recorder Rankin told him: "Having been caught, what followed was a series of acts of the upmost stupidity."