New lockdown measures have come into force, in an attempt to bring down rising coronavirus cases across England.
The new measures have severely restricted people's ability to go about their daily lives, with many businesses and venues forced to close.
All hospitality, non-essential shops and gyms have been forced to shut up shop until December 2, when the lockdown is expected to be lifted.
Schools and colleges are staying open through the lockdown and the rules differ slightly to the first national lockdown back in March.
The rules around MOTs and services are affected by the lockdown and our colleagues at Hull Live took a look at the changes that have been put in place.
My MOT is due after the lockdown, can I still get it done?
The good news is that yes, even after lockdown measures come into force, MOT testing centres are allowed to stay open.
It means that if you rely on your vehicle to get around and it needs an MOT, then you’ll still be able to get your car booked in and tested.
It comes at the same time as the MOT extension from the previous lockdown ends, so ensure that you leave plenty of time to book your car in before the MOT expires as many garages are experiencing increased demand.
Are servicing departments of dealerships staying open too?
Going off what happened in the previous lockdown, it seems the servicing department of car dealerships will stay open, despite the dealership itself being closed.
It means that if your car is due a service, you should still be able to book it in at your nearest dealer.
Call ahead beforehand, however, and double-check that this is still the case with the dealer you’re using.
As dealerships are being forced to close, it could be that many choose to shut their doors during the lockdown period entirely – including those for the servicing department.
Should I put off getting my car serviced and MOT’d?
Absolutely not. By law, your car requires a valid MOT, and since no extension to MOT rules look likely for this secondary lockdown, you need to make sure your car gets tested and certified.
If not, you face fines and penalty points on your licence if you’re found to be driving a car with an expired MOT certificate.
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Also, if your car is coming up for a routine service, it’s best to get it booked in. Garages across the country have learnt from the previous lockdown and introduced strict health and safety measures in order to keep going, so many will be operating just as they have been for several months during the second lockdown period.
Joel Combes, director of motor trade legal experts Lawgistics, told Car Dealer Magazine: “As far as we can assume, the rules are likely to be the same as the first lockdown.
“Garages are essential businesses and the rules state that essential businesses can stay open. We are assuming that the rules will be the same as those earlier in the year.”
