WORCESTER motorists are being encouraged to plan ahead of an anticipated rush for MOTs later this year.

During the first Covid-19 lockdown, vehicles due for an MOT between March 30 and July 31 2020 were given a six-month extension while being able to stay on the road.

The knock-on effect was a surge of people seeking tests in September, October and November which then reset the annual date those vehicles were due to be tested on.

Data from the country’s biggest MOT tester Kwik Fit shows that nine per cent of motorists who booked an MOT in the past six months waited more than three weeks after their existing MOT had expired.

This compares with just three per cent for the same period of the previous year.

Karl Stout, manager of ETB on Hylton Road, Worcester, said business had not been dramatically affected last year but revealed there had been larger uptake once the grace period came to an end.

It is something he expects to have a knock-on effect this year, costing ETB some business through having to turn away bookings.

“It has not made us busy now because we are now in that six-month period from last year,” he said.

“Some of those cars that would normally have needed MOTs got given extensions but in September we will be busy again.

“In general, our business has not changed. The only effect it will have is that we can only put so many cars through an MOT at one time.

“We might lose some customers if they can’t get in when they want to around that time. Normally they would be coming in June, July or August, now they are coming in September, October, November.

“Rather than having a steady flow all through the summer, we will be a bit down on MOTs before it goes mad in autumn.

“It won’t balance out because we can only do so many MOTs in a day, there will be customers who cannot come to us because they are due to expire. It will affect us in that respect.

“The best thing to do is to book early, especially with a lot of bookings coming in.”