Record numbers rush to book MOTs as England enters lockdown

A record number of motorists have rushed to secure a MOT test for their car as England enters a second lockdown.

Data from garage comparison site Book My Garage, showed record-breaking numbers of drivers booking tests last week following the announcement of a second lockdown.

The new restrictions on businesses and movement came into force on Thursday November 5 but garages have been given an exemption to allow them to remain open as an “essential service”.

That means drivers can still take their vehicle to be MOT’d, prompting a surge in bookings through the website. However garages have already seen a massive rise in demand for test appointments as they deal with the backlog caused by the MOT extension scheme introduced during the first lockdown.

Garages are still open for MOTs, servicing and repairs (Photo: Shutterstock)

That scheme granted an automatic six-month extension to MOTs that expired between the end of March and July 31. As a result, an extra five million vehicles are expected to be presented for an MOT between October and December, on top of the 6.5m already due their test in the last quarter of 2020.