More photos to be taken of cars at MOT to stop fraud
Government to step up campaign to prevent rise of "ghost MOTs"
The government is stepping up its trial of a scheme that will see cars needing to be photographed in order to pass an MOT.
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The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will progress its plans to crackdown on so-called ‘ghost MOTs,’ where fraudsters illegally mock up fake pass certificates.
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A DVSA spokesperson told LBC: “While only a small number of testers and garages are involved in MOT fraud, it does happen and puts our roads at risk.
“DVSA wants to create a level playing field for all and we’ve taken action, helping to reassure drivers that their vehicle’s MOT will be conducted to the correct standard.
“Alongside investigation of potential instances of MOT fraud our recent photos of vehicles at the MOT trial have shown real promise so far and we're excited to roll it out further.”
The DVSA said a successful first phase of its trial was carried out, with 450-500 photos uploaded each weekday during the period to its database.
By the end, more than 13,000 photos from the 62 garages taking part in the trial had been submitted.
A second phase of the trial is now underway.
“The success means DVSA will be widening the trial with more garages after we’ve collated all of the feedback from the garages who took part in the first trial,” a statement added.
“The second phase of the trial will focus on testing the system at scale to ensure it’s ready for a phased rollout.”
What is a ghost MOT?
A ghost MOT is when a pass certificate is generated for a vehicle that has never actually been tested, and is an illegal practice.
“Unroadworthy vehicles are more likely to cause accidents or delays on roads, threatening the safety of all road users,” the DVSA said,
“To help combat this, alongside investigation of reports of ghost MOTs DVSA is running the Photos of Vehicles at MOT trial, where testers photograph the vehicle as it is being tested, proving that it is in the garage.”