John Ball has announced his decision to step down as MoT chairman of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) in May.

Ball said: “I have very much enjoyed my time as chairman of RMI MoT and having played a lead role in defeating the frequency challenge, the effort has been more than justified.

“Regrettably I don’t have the time to continue the role, but I hope the MoT industry will continue to focus on dealing with the really big issues, the most critical in my view - fixing the MoT fee.

“I will continue to work with the IGA and look forward to working with them on new projects that will strengthen the position of independent garages throughout the UK.”

Alec Murray, RMI chairman, said: “I would like to thank John for his hard work and commitment to the MoT division over the past 18 months. John was integral in the fight against the potential MoT frequency change. His tireless efforts ensured that frequency of the MoT remained the same, a win for both road safety and the industry. I wish him well in his future activity.”