Mileage-linked MoT tests examined

The UK is resisting pressure to reduce the annual frequency of MoT tests, but could introduce mileage-linked examinations instead, Government minister Mike Penning has said.

Speaking at the Retail Motor Industry Federation's annual dinner, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State said he would resist pressure to adopt the European Union's minimum bi-annual intervals for MoTs. What Car? has also opposed this structure.

Instead, Mr Penning said the Government was looking at how the test could be linked to the amount of miles that vehicles cover. 'What we want to look at is how we get safe cars on the road depending on what they've done on the road,' he said.

In this way, cars would have variable MoT intervals in the same way many already have variable service intervals.

Dartford toll to increase
The minister also discussed plans to increase the charge for using the Dartford Crossing. Under this week's spending review plans, the charge could increase from 1.50 to 2 next year and then 2.50 in 2012.

Mr Penning said automatic charges would do away with the need for barriers, improving traffic flow and reducing emissions as a result.

'Motorists will be able to get through a major crossing without having to worry about having 50p in their pocket.'

Originally, the crossing was to have become toll-free once the costs of building the Queen Elizabeth II bridge had been recouped. That point was reached in 2003, but the DfT has blamed increased operating costs for the continuation and increases in toll charges since that date.