ITV prices falling but still vary by area

THE price of obligatory ITV vehicle inspections (MOTs) in Spain can differ by up to 82.2 per cent for diesel cars or 170.2 per cent for motorcycles depending on the region, Facua consumers’ association has reported.
Facua spokesman Ruben Sanchez explained that all Spanish regions apart from Madrid set maximum fees which private and public inspection centres must stay under, to which the traffic authority charges of €3.90 must be added.
Madrid is the most expensive region for inspections with an average fee of €53.30 for cars, and the cheapest is Extremadura at €29.25.
Sanchez informed that Castilla y Leon has reduced car inspection fees by 20 per cent and said he hoped other regions would follow suit: “to guarantee a reasonable price for consumers.”
Other regions which have reduced fees, although to a lower extent, are Andalucia (0.2 per cent), Mallorca (0.3 per cent), Cantabria (0.1 per cent), Galicia (1.6 per cent), La Rioja (0.7 per cent), Basque Country (0.1 per cent) and Ceuta and Melilla (0.1 per cent).
Meanwhile Madrid increased average fees by 2.5 per cent for petrol cars and 2.3 per cent for diesel and Murcia increased them by an average of 1.6 per cent.
ITV prices for motorcycles have also been reduced in Andalucia (0.2 per cent), Mallorca (0.3 per cent), Cantabria (0.1 per cent), Castilla y Leon (60 per cent), Galicia (1.6 per cent), La Rioja (0.7 per cent), Basque Country (0.1 per cent) and Ceuta (0.1 per cent).
Facua has warned of the negative consequences that could arise if ITV services are privatised and has demanded that the public service is maintained to guarantee road safety.