New WoF system will save Kiwis time and money
Hon Simon Bridges
Associate Minister of Transport
27 January 2013
Media Statement
New WoF system will save Kiwis
time and money
Changes to New Zealand’s
warrant of fitness system, which will see annual inspections
for cars registered after 2000, will save motorists time and
money and will also focus on road safety, says Associate
Transport Minister Simon Bridges.
The key changes
to the warrant of fitness system (WoF) include:
An
initial inspection for new cars, followed by annual
inspections once vehicles are three years old
Annual
inspections for vehicles three years and older and first
registered on or after 1 January 2000
Six-monthly
inspections for vehicles first registered before 1 January
2000
Information and education to increase people’s
awareness of regular vehicle maintenance
Extra Police
enforcement activities.
“Regular inspections will
continue to play a vital role in vehicle safety. The new
inspection frequency regime recognises concerns about older
vehicles by making sure vehicles registered before 1 January
2000 remain on six-monthly inspections.
“The new
regime also recognises that the quality of vehicles and
their safety features and performance are improving over
time,” says Mr Bridges.
Ministry of Transport
research shows that the package of changes will benefit
motorists and businesses by $159 million a year, and by at
least $1.8 billion over 30 years. This includes savings in
inspection and compliance costs, justice and enforcement
costs, and time spent by motorists getting their WoF.
Mr Bridges says these savings will have a flow-on
benefit for the wider economy.
“Decisions have
come after a great deal of work, including public
consultation that canvassed a range of possible options.
While many submitters wanted reform, others expressed
concern about change.
“We took these concerns
into account in designing a WoF package that backs up the
changed inspection frequency over time with other measures,
such as information and education campaigns and more funding
for Police enforcement.”
Options relating to
information and education campaigns and Police enforcement
activities, including funding details, will be worked
through by the relevant Government agencies in the coming
months.
“These changes bring us more into line
with other countries. New Zealand currently has one of the
highest inspection frequencies in the
world.
Changes to the WoF system will be made
through the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards
Compliance 2002 and are expected to be in place by July 2014
or earlier.
The Vehicle Licensing Reform project
and consultation also looked at ways to refine the
certificate of fitness, annual vehicle licensing and
transport services licensing systems.
More details
about Vehicle Licensing Reform can be found here: http://www.transport.govt.nz/ourwork/Land/Pages/vehiclelicensingreformconsultation.aspx
ENDS