The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) will be rallying opposition against the Government's plan to lengthen MOT test intervals at the Automotive Trade Show (ATS).

Vehicles currently receive their first MOT test at three years old, and are then re-tested annually. If the plans are enacted, vehicles will not undergo their first MOT test until they are four years old. Thereafter, they will only be checked every two years.

Ray Holloway, director of the RMIF's independent member associations, says this will be disastrous for MOT testing stations as well as motorists: 'Around eight million vehicles fail the test every year. If this were to be changed to the suggested ‘four-two-two’ timescale, serious faults with brakes, tyre wear, lights, and steering will go unchecked longer and could directly contribute to a rise in serious accidents and road deaths.

'Without an annual check-up, around 50% of all vehicles could be unroadworthy. Motorists could also face higher maintenance and insurance costs.

'And with less custom coming through their doors, we will see thousands of MOT testing stations forced to shut down, and many thousands of qualified testers made redundant, perhaps half of all the testers in the UK.'

The RMIF has started a petition against Government plans. It can be signed at its stand at ATS 2007 (stand 1628 in hall one).