Huge changes are being made to MOT rules - making it harder for some vehicles to pass

New MOT rules will be introduced 20th May 2018 making it harder for diesel cars to pass.

The vehicles are to be put through tougher emissions tests and faults rated in three defect categories -

• Dangerous - immediate risk to road safety / impact on environment
• Major - vehicle less safe, impacts environment, puts other road users at risk.
• Minor -  no significant effect on safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment.

Any car that has been fitted with a diesel particulate filter that give out "visible smoke of any colour" during tests will get a Major fault and also automatically fail. If the filter looks as if it's been removed or tampered (unless it can be proved it has been done so for filter cleaning) the car will also fail.

Neil Barlow, head of MOT policy for the Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency told Auto Express the new rules will "help motorists do the right thing".

He added: "We're changing the wording on the certificate. We've done a lot of research with motorists to find out what sort of information helps."

Steering is also to be looked at in the DVSA's new criteria.

A steering box leaking oil would get a Minor fault but if the oil was dripping badly it would be pushed up to Major and fail.

Reverse lights will be checked and brake discs also inspected to see if they are "significantly or obviously worn".

An RAC spokesman said they fear the changes could end up confusing motorists.

He said: "Rather than MOT failures simply being black and white, the new system creates the potential for confusion as testers will have to make a judgement as to whether faults are Dangerous, Major or Minor.

Call for drink-drive limit to be cut

councils and fire authorities have urged that the legal drink-drive limit should be lowered in England and Wales in order to cut alcohol-related accidents. A lower limit would also save £300 million a year by reducing the number of 999 responses and hospital admissions


The request is for the current limit of 80mg to be lowered to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
The Scottish Government reduced its legal limit for drivers to 50mg in December 2014 and Northern Ireland will also soon drop its limit to the same level, and even lower for professional and learner drivers.

The LGA said it was estimated that lowering the limit in England and Wales could save up to 170 lives in the first year, rising to more than 300 lives in the sixth year.

New provisional government figures show that reported "serious" drink-drive accidents between 2014 and 2015 in Great Britain had risen from 880 to 980, an increase of 11 per cent, while total reported drink-drive accidents had increased by 2 per cent from 5,620 to 5,740.

The same figures showed the number of people seriously injured in reported drink-drive accidents between 2014 and 2015 had risen from 1,070 to 1,170, an increase of 9 per cent, while the total number of drink-drive casualties had increased by 3 per cent from 8,210 to 8,480.

The organisations said England and Wales had one of the highest drink-drive limits in the world and the highest in Europe, with the exception of Malta, which has also announced plans to lower its limit to 50mg.

Simon Blackburn, chairman of the LGA's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: "England and Wales will soon have the highest drink-drive limit in Europe, which is not sending the right message to motorists and safety campaigners.

"Latest figures show that alcohol has contributed to a rise in both the number of road accidents and those injured in the UK.

"The Government should be leading by example by toughening up drink-drive laws in line with other European countries which will make roads safer and save lives. In Scotland alone, adopting a lower alcohol limit has led to a significant fall in fatal road accidents.

"A lower alcohol limit would help to deter motorists from drinking at all before getting behind the wheel and encourage them to have 'none for the road'."

 Source http://www.independent.co.uk

How Do I Renew My Car Tax Disc Using DVLA's New System 2014

Are you one of those who are currently looking to renew your car tax disc and a little confused now that there is no paper Disc involved? 

The last thing you want is to get a hefty fine because you didnt comply!

There are a few options for getting your car tax renewed under the new system:

• Online
• Phone
• In person

OnlineThe new GOV.UK renewal service is now live, though officially still in beta.

Phone0300 123 4321.  charges may apply.

In personRenew at the local Post Office. Take your completed V11 reminder (or your V5C), an MOT test certificate if required (must be valid when the tax starts), and the payment shown on the reminder

Rumour as it that the website and phone lines are struggling with a surge or eager beavers so unusually you may actually find that doing it in person is quickest! Have you already applied? what was your experience?