The government is said to debating whether to scrap the need for annual MOT checks in order to help ease the cost of living.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a cabinet meeting on Tuesday where he was said to have asked his team to come up with some “innovative” ideas to ease the pressure on household finances amid the rising cost of living crisis that do not require government spending, and it is understood that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps posed idea of moving from an annual vehicle check to every two years, reports The Telegraph and Sky News.
The proposed change to move to biennial MOTs could save motorists up to £55 annually, according to reports.
MOT checks can often cost up to £54.85, with necessary repair bills on top.
When asked about the annual cost of an MOT during the Transport Select Committee meeting at the House of Commons, Mr Shapps refused to rule out a move to two-year checks, but did say that any changes would need to meet a “very rigorous safety standard”.
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He continued: “I don’t rule anything out.
The proposed change to move to biennial MOTs could save motorists up to £55 annually / Credit: Flickr
“If you look at things like MOTs, cars have clearly become a lot more reliable than when the MOT, named after the Ministry of Transport, was put in place [and while] I think it’s always right to keep these things under review, there’s a lot of road to cover before we get to that point.”
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Mr Shapps added: “I’m always looking at things that can assist, but I’m certainly not in a position to make specific announcements about those things.”
Following the cabinet meeting, it is understood that not all ministers supported the idea of moving to biennial MOT checks, with Transport Select Committee member, Karl McCartney, telling Mr Shapps he thought it was “an absolutely crap idea”.
On top of that, some industry experts – most-notablly including motoring body, the AA – have also issued warnings that a move to two-year checks could lead to higher repair bills for drivers who do not catch problems early enough.
MOT checks can often cost up to £54.85, with necessary repair bills on top / Credit: Jimmy Nilsson Masth (via Unsplash)
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson has confirmed that ministers talked through “a number of ideas” to ease the pressure on household finances during the cabinet meeting earlier this week.
These ideas will now “feed in to a more formal process”.
This comes after Number 10 announced that the Prime Minister will chair a committee with the aim of tackling the cost of living crisis “in the next couple of weeks”, as millions of people in Britain are facing an increase in energy bills, council tax, National Insurance, and are feeling the effects of inflation having hit a 30-year-high of 7% earlier this month.
First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home
Thomas Melia
Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.
Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.
You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.
There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.
Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.
Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.
There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?
Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).
And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.
Drivers warned of ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.
Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year – but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don’t really how to use their fog lights correctly.
According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what’s more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.
48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it’s dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
The RAC says these stats reveal a ‘worrying trend’ among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn’t bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either – with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they’ve never checked them before.
Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights ‘too bright’ are actually driving less as a result.
“Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival – that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort,” explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.
“While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.
“At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th April 2022 
