London in MOT crisis

Data crunched by motor factor delivery partner Gophr, has revealed the true extent of the MOT crisis in London, as garages struggle to get cars back on the capital’s road.

With almost 3m cars in London, a lack of MOT-authorised garages, combined with vital parts becoming harder to source quickly, has led to crisis point – with mechanics facing 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 London that can carry out class 4 MOTs (the standard MOT test for most cars or vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats) is 1,362. In 2024, there are 2,601,700 cars on the road in London, meaning each London MOT centre serves an average of 1,910.21 cars (517 more vehicles on average than the rest of Great Britain).

As a consequence nominated testers (NTs) are overstretched and struggling to meet demand across the capital, while drivers are also being forced to travel far out of their borough just to get an MOT test.

Gophr’s data crunching also revealed that ‘MOT Deserts,’ amongst London boroughs, are most prevalent in Westminster (12,500 cars per MOT centre), Islington (8,400 cars) and Kensington & Chelsea (4,762.5 cars). The full “Top Ten ‘MOT Deserts’ in London are:

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.

Further adding to MOT pressures – garages are 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, said, “Our “Pressure for Parts” research shows that MOT test stations across London are under intense pressure to serve more cars than they are built for. On top of this, garages are struggling to get the parts they need to get cars back on the road. It’s causing quite the traffic jam!”

“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.”