Garages are charging up to 60% more in certain parts of the UK for basic MOT and servicing work, according to a new study by Bookmygarage.com.

The data found that garages in Newham, London are charging the most, with the average cost of MOT and servicing totalling of £232.92, while those in Penzance, Cornwall are charging just £138.93 – a difference of £93.99.

Bookmygarage.com analysed the costs for thousands of MOT and servicing jobs on four year old vehicles across England and Wales to identify the “postcode lottery”.

Douglas Rotberg, the chief executive of BookMyGarage.com, said: “Our research shows that unsurprisingly, prices tend to be higher in wealthier parts of the country.

"There is certainly a link between price and the number of garages in a town - competition drives down prices.”

He advises motorists to shop around to find the cheapest garage in their area.

Top five most expensive areas for MOT and servicing costs in England and Wales:

Town/City	Average Cost of MOT & Servicing
Newham, London	£232.92
Camden, London	£228.17
Braintree, Essex	£225.23
Horsham, Surrey	£216.39
Tower Hamlets, South East London	£216.24

 

Top five cheapest areas for MOT and servicing costs in England and Wales:

Town/City	Average Cost of MOT & Servicing
Penzance, Cornwall	£138.93
Caernafon, Wales	£141.91
Bilston, West Midlands	£145.05
Saint Austell, Cornwall	£145.50
Diss, Norfolk	£148.17

 

Bookmygarage.com is a platform where motorists can compare like-for-like servicing and MOT prices. 

Customers can enter their car registration and their location and within seconds receive a list of local garages that can work on their vehicle, showing prices, availability, location and reviews.