MOT Faversham

The UK MOT test, introduced in 1960, is a compulsory annual vehicle inspection which is designed to ensure that all cars on Britain’s roads meet certain basic criteria in the areas of environmental impact and safety. The test was named after the Ministry Of Transport, which was the government body which introduced the test. The Ministry Of Transport no longer exists, but the test is still referred to by this name in official documents and on the government website. The duties formerly performed by the Ministry Of Transport are largely now the responsibility of the government department known as the Department for Transport (DfT). MOT’s are carried out by accredited testing centres such as MOT’s Only Faversham.

That early test covered only a few basic systems of the vehicle. As long as your headlights and steering worked, and your brakes could bring the car to a complete stop, you were likely to pass with flying colours. Also, cars were exempt from testing until they reached the age of ten years old. As sales of new cars continued to boom, the roads got busier and busier, and accidents became more common and more serious. It was time to step up the requirements of the test, and those conducting MOT’s in Faversham and elsewhere were notified of many changes.

One dangerous trend which had been identified was for motorists to continue to drive cars which had suffered structural damage, or had rusted away to the point where they had become structurally unsound. It may seem hard to believe now, especially walking around the pristine workshop at MOT’s Only Faversham, but many early test centres were back street garages which would allow customers to drive away in almost any vehicle which was capable of moving and stopping under its own power. And since new cars were so expensive, and consumer finance culture was in its infancy, old cars sometimes continued to be driven until they literally fell apart.

More stringent testing was needed. Over the years, test centres like MOT’s Only Faversham have been required to introduce tests for tyres, windscreen wipers, indicators, horns, exhausts, Antilock Braking Systems, seatbelts and electronic systems. As a result, the UK roadworthiness test is now one of the most advanced in the world, and our road network is considered quite safe despite being one of the busiest on the planet. MOT’s Only Faversham and other test centres are on the frontline of maintaining the safety of road users, pedestrians and the general public, so don’t forget to book your car in for an MOT when it comes due.

The latest major changes to the ever evolving MOT test will benefit all of us, whether we are drivers ourselves or not. Every car now has its exhaust gases checked, to determine how much atmospheric pollution it creates. The most polluting cars must be retuned so that they produce less harmful greenhouse gases, and that’s good for everyone. MOT’s Only Faversham have all the latest equipment for emissions testing.