Oldham Council has announced the temporary suspension of all MOT testing for licensed taxi and private hire vehicles at its Moorhey Street testing station amid an internal investigation into operational concerns.
An email sent to all local private hire and Hackney carriage drivers revealed the decision was prompted by complaints raised by members of the taxi trade directly to the Leader of the Council. These concerns relate specifically to the practices within the Council-operated MOT testing service.
The statement from Elise Brophy, Senior Licensing Officer at Oldham Council, read:
“Due to concerns raised by the taxi trade to the Leader of the Council around practices in our MOT testing for licensed vehicles service, we have begun an internal investigation. This means that unfortunately we will temporarily be suspending all MOT testing at Moorhey St.”
The Council confirmed the suspension will remain in place until at least 16 May 2025, during which time all drivers who had MOT tests scheduled between 2 May and 16 May are required to obtain a private MOT instead. To be valid, the MOT certificate must be no more than seven days old and must be emailed to the licensing department at [email protected].
Oldham Council assured license holders that all MOT fees paid as part of pending applications will be refunded to the original payment method, and that every effort will be made to keep vehicles on the road with minimal disruption.
“Keeping your vehicles licensed and on the road is a priority for us. We will endeavour to process all applications and plates as soon as possible,” the message continued.
While the temporary changes apply to all vehicles booked for testing at Moorhey Street through to 16 May, the Council confirmed it would provide further updates should the suspension be extended.
The Council concluded its message with an apology and a reaffirmation of its commitment to high standards and accountability:
“We apologise for the inconvenience and disruption in service. But as a Council, we are proud of the high standards we hold ourselves to – where we fall short, we will always take prompt action to address this.”
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