‘Bikers are worst tax and MoT dodgers’

Motorcyclists are the worst offenders at failing to tax and MoT their vehicles, according to new Department for Transport figures.  

The proportion of motorcycles in traffic with no MoT last year was higher than that of any other vehicle type according to the report.

It puts the rate of non-compliance for bikes at an estimated 4.7% compared to 2.9% for all vehicles.

In 2007 the rate for bikes was 8.5% compared to 3.1% for all vehicles, the report says.

Separate new DfT figures suggest we’re also most likely to evade road tax, with 3.2% of motorcycles in traffic untaxed in 2009 compared to 0.5% of all vehicles.

Last year the DfT was forced to admit it had published “erroneously inflated” claims over the proportion of untaxed motorcycles after its official figure dropped from 38% to 6.5% in a year.

The department blamed the discrepancy on mistakes by researchers while writing number plates down at the roadside.