The Government has unveiled plans to overhaul the vehicle licensing and registration system, launching a reform project to cut “regulatory burdens”.
Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges says the overhaul aims to save millions for the Government, households and businesses.
“Around $245 million each year is paid in inspection fees and the time spent getting a WoF is estimated as worth $100 million, but it is unclear whether this results in fewer crashes caused by vehicle faults,” he says.
The areas being probed for reform are:
- Warrant of fitness and certificate of fitness
- Annual vehicle licensing (commonly known as registration)
- Transport services licensing.
Mr Bridges also says the plan aims to stop a Warrant of Fitness check being used as a form of vehicle maintenance. He says no changes are set in stone yet.
The reform project has been criticised by both the Motor Trade Association (MTA) and Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ).
VTNZ chief executive Mike Walsh says changes to the system could keep dangerous cars on the road for longer and see an increase in the number of road accidents.
“Efficiency gains and short-term cost reductions need to be weighed up against the potential impact on safety,” he says.
Mr Walsh says New Zealand has some of the world’s toughest roads and even new cars are not immune to brake and tyre wear.
“On the face of it, the potential risks are too high and could lead to a significant increase in road accidents.”
MTA’s Ian Stronach is also worried about the changes increasing crash rates.
“This is overly optimistic and represents a considerable risk to all road users if those assumptions prove ill-founded,” he says.
“We think all motorists want to have confidence that every vehicle on the road is safe, not just theirs. Regular and comprehensive inspections are a good value for money way to achieve this.”
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