Van and passenger transport operators in Ashford can now get their vehicles MoT tested outside normal working hours following the launch of a new service by Mercedes-Benz dealer Sparshatts of Kent.

The company has opened a dedicated MoT lane at its dealership on the town’s Brookfield Industrial Estate. The move means that customers no longer have to take their vehicles off the road to get them tested during the day, when they could be out earning.

Sparshatts has invested £35,000 on the MoT lane, training technicians to carry out tests, and installing new equipment, including a vehicle lift, a brake tester, headlight beam setter and exhaust gas analyser. The Dealer has also upgraded its customer waiting area.

The Ashford workshop is open from 7am until 9pm on weekdays and also on Saturday mornings. It offers MoTs on vehicles of all marques in the Class 4 (cars, vans and small minibuses up to 3.0 tonnes gross weight), Class 5 (buses with up to 15 passenger seats, as well as ambulances), and Class 7 (vans up to 3.5 tonnes gross weight) categories.

Ashford Depot Manager Neil Busbridge said: “The introduction of our new MoT service underlines once again, Sparshatts’ commitment to providing our customers with a service that is responsive, flexible and cost-effective.

“The opportunity to have their vehicles tested late into the evening is already proving very popular with customers. But even those who still prefer to get their MoTs done during the day are benefiting – the fact that the technician preparing the vehicle also carries out the test means they invariably get their vehicles back more quickly than was previously the case.”