New research reveals extent of MOT crisis in Great Britain
Data crunched by motor factor delivery partner Gophr, has revealed the true extent of the MOT crisis in Great Britain, as garages struggle to get cars back on the road. A lack of MOT-authorised garages, increasing numbers of cars on the road combined with vital parts becoming harder to source quickly, means that mechanics face a pile-up of vehicles awaiting tests to prove that they are road-worthy.
Gophr’s ‘Pressure for Parts’ research, has shown that the number of MOT-authorised vehicle testing stations (VTSs) in Great Britain that can carry out class 4 MOTs (the standard MOT test for most cars or vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats ) has dropped by 167 in the past 12 months to 22,962 vs 23,129 in 2023. As a consequence nominated testers (NTs) are overstretched and struggling to meet demand in these areas, while drivers are also being forced to travel far out of their local area just to get an MOT test.
Adding to this pressure on test centres, is the 11.31% increase in passenger vehicles over the last ten years, with 32,694,800 cars on the road in 2024.
Gophr’s data crunching also revealed that ‘MOT Deserts,’ outside of London, are most prevalent in Milton Keynes, with 3,621.59 cars per VTS with Swindon (2,753.68 cars per VTS) and Brighton (2,434.21 cars per VTS) rounding off “The Top Three”. The “Top Ten ‘MOT Deserts’ (GB excluding London) are:
Milton Keynes: 3,621.59 cars per VTS / 318,700 cars – 88 VTSs
Swindon: 2,753.68 cars per VTS / 261,600 cars – 95 VTSs
Brighton: 2,434.21 cars per VTS / 92,500 cars – 38 VTSs
Leeds: 2,034.42 cars per VTS / 437,400 cars – 215 VTSs
Sunderland: 1,911.29 cars per VTS / 118,500 cars – 62 VTSs
Portsmouth: 1,707.35 cars per VTS / 116,100 cars – 68 VTSs
Edinburgh: 1,455.65 cars per VTS / 180,500 cars – 124 VTSs
Luton: 1,379.55 cars per VTS / 91,100 cars – 66 VTSs
Birmingham: 1,370.09 cars per VTS / 426,300 cars – 311 VTSs
Coventry: 1,228.33 cars per VTS / 147,400 cars – 120 VTSs
Meanwhile, the story in London makes for worse reading for those hoping for a quick MOT turnaround, especially if you live in Westminster, where there are 12,500 cars per VTS, or Islington where only 4 VTSs service the 33,600 cars in the borough. Kensington & Chelsea “come third” with 4,762.5 cars per VTS – still more than Milton Keynes.
Gophr’s Top Ten MOT Deserts across all London Boroughs are:
Westminster – 12,500 cars per VTS / 62,500 Cars – 5 VTS
Islington – 8,400 cars per VTS / 33,600 cars – 4 VTS
Kensington & Chelsea – 4,762.5 cars per VTS / 38,100 cars – 8 VTS
Lambeth – 3,163 cars per VTS / 60,100 cars – 19 VTS
Sutton – 2,906.9 cars per VTS / 84,300 cars – 29 VTS
Southwark – 2,750 cars per VTS / 55,00 Cars – 20 VTS
Bromley – 2,640.7 cars per VTS / 142,600 cars – 54 VTS
Hackney – 2,531.3 cars per VTS / 40,500 Cars – 16 VTS
Redbridge – 2,438.1 cars per VTS / 102,400 cars – 42 VTS
Hammersmith & Fulham – 2,405.3 cars per VTS / 45,700 Cars – 19 VTS
Drivers in London also run the risk of paying the ULEZ charge twice if their vehicle has to be kept overnight – all inner and outer London boroughs sit within the ULEZ Charging Zone – further increasing the need for centres to clear backlogs quicker.
Adding to MOT pressures – garages are also increasingly finding it difficult to source vital parts for non-MOT related problems, with their mechanics struggling to get hold of radiator hoses, dashboard panels and steering shafts leading to “jams” in getting cars back on the road. Additionally, the industry is facing a significant skills shortage, leading to garage owners increasingly calling in contractors to cover the excessive workload.
Graham Smith, strategic account director at Gophr, commented: “Our “Pressure for Parts” research shows that MOT test stations across the UK are under increasing pressure for the second successive year. Not only are we seeing fewer garages that can facilitate such testing, but those same garages are struggling to get the parts they need to get cars back on the road. It’s causing quite the traffic jam!
“In addition, the full impact of the ULEZ charge in all London boroughs is being felt as those drivers with a non compliant ULEZ car they drive only occasionally, may find themselves spending £25 on ULEZ payments (2 x £12.50) in addition to the standard £54.85 MOT charge, because their cars are having to wait in garages overnight for parts, therefore adding almost 50% more to the total cost.
“Efficient and fast delivery of specific car parts is a non negotiable when it comes to completing work quickly, and on-demand delivery from an outside partner can help to alleviate the mounting pressure on garages and motor factors, especially within these MOT deserts.”
The full list of the UK towns and cities with the most to least concentration of cars per MOT testing stations can be found here.
Data crunched by motor factor delivery partner Gophr, has revealed the true extent of the MOT crisis in Great Britain, as garages struggle to get cars back on the road. A lack of MOT-authorised garages, increasing numbers of cars on the road combined with vital parts becoming harder to source quickly, means that mechanics face a pile-up of vehicles awaiting tests to prove that they are road-worthy.
Gophr’s ‘Pressure for Parts’ research, has shown that the number of MOT-authorised vehicle testing stations (VTSs) in Great Britain that can carry out class 4 MOTs (the standard MOT test for most cars or vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats ) has dropped by 167 in the past 12 months to 22,962 vs 23,129 in 2023. As a consequence nominated testers (NTs) are overstretched and struggling to meet demand in these areas, while drivers are also being forced to travel far out of their local area just to get an MOT test.
Adding to this pressure on test centres, is the 11.31% increase in passenger vehicles over the last ten years, with 32,694,800 cars on the road in 2024.
Gophr’s data crunching also revealed that ‘MOT Deserts,’ outside of London, are most prevalent in Milton Keynes, with 3,621.59 cars per VTS with Swindon (2,753.68 cars per VTS) and Brighton (2,434.21 cars per VTS) rounding off “The Top Three”. The “Top Ten ‘MOT Deserts’ (GB excluding London) are:
Milton Keynes: 3,621.59 cars per VTS / 318,700 cars – 88 VTSs
Swindon: 2,753.68 cars per VTS / 261,600 cars – 95 VTSs
Brighton: 2,434.21 cars per VTS / 92,500 cars – 38 VTSs
Leeds: 2,034.42 cars per VTS / 437,400 cars – 215 VTSs
Sunderland: 1,911.29 cars per VTS / 118,500 cars – 62 VTSs
Portsmouth: 1,707.35 cars per VTS / 116,100 cars – 68 VTSs
Edinburgh: 1,455.65 cars per VTS / 180,500 cars – 124 VTSs
Luton: 1,379.55 cars per VTS / 91,100 cars – 66 VTSs
Birmingham: 1,370.09 cars per VTS / 426,300 cars – 311 VTSs
Coventry: 1,228.33 cars per VTS / 147,400 cars – 120 VTSs
Meanwhile, the story in London makes for worse reading for those hoping for a quick MOT turnaround, especially if you live in Westminster, where there are 12,500 cars per VTS, or Islington where only 4 VTSs service the 33,600 cars in the borough. Kensington & Chelsea “come third” with 4,762.5 cars per VTS – still more than Milton Keynes.
Gophr’s Top Ten MOT Deserts across all London Boroughs are:
Westminster – 12,500 cars per VTS / 62,500 Cars – 5 VTS
Islington – 8,400 cars per VTS / 33,600 cars – 4 VTS
Kensington & Chelsea – 4,762.5 cars per VTS / 38,100 cars – 8 VTS
Lambeth – 3,163 cars per VTS / 60,100 cars – 19 VTS
Sutton – 2,906.9 cars per VTS / 84,300 cars – 29 VTS
Southwark – 2,750 cars per VTS / 55,00 Cars – 20 VTS
Bromley – 2,640.7 cars per VTS / 142,600 cars – 54 VTS
Hackney – 2,531.3 cars per VTS / 40,500 Cars – 16 VTS
Redbridge – 2,438.1 cars per VTS / 102,400 cars – 42 VTS
Hammersmith & Fulham – 2,405.3 cars per VTS / 45,700 Cars – 19 VTS
Drivers in London also run the risk of paying the ULEZ charge twice if their vehicle has to be kept overnight – all inner and outer London boroughs sit within the ULEZ Charging Zone – further increasing the need for centres to clear backlogs quicker.
Adding to MOT pressures – garages are also increasingly finding it difficult to source vital parts for non-MOT related problems, with their mechanics struggling to get hold of radiator hoses, dashboard panels and steering shafts leading to “jams” in getting cars back on the road. Additionally, the industry is facing a significant skills shortage, leading to garage owners increasingly calling in contractors to cover the excessive workload.
Graham added: “Our “Pressure for Parts” research shows that MOT test stations across the UK are under increasing pressure for the second successive year. Not only are we seeing fewer garages that can facilitate such testing, but those same garages are struggling to get the parts they need to get cars back on the road. It’s causing quite the traffic jam!
“In addition, the full impact of the ULEZ charge in all London boroughs is being felt as those drivers with a non compliant ULEZ car they drive only occasionally, may find themselves spending £25 on ULEZ payments (2 x £12.50) in addition to the standard £54.85 MOT charge, because their cars are having to wait in garages overnight for parts, therefore adding almost 50% more to the total cost.
“Efficient and fast delivery of specific car parts is a non negotiable when it comes to completing work quickly, and on-demand delivery from an outside partner can help to alleviate the mounting pressure on garages and motor factors, especially within these MOT deserts.”
The full list of the UK towns and cities with the most to least concentration of cars per MOT testing stations can be found here.
