Stop bigger trucks on roads

The Government must stop plans to put heavier and bigger trucks on New Zealand roads following the "heavy truck licences for cash" scandal, says Labour's Transport Spokesperson Sue Moroney.

"The Minister must act urgently to stop all fraudulent drivers for the safety of all people on our roads.

“Fraudulent truck and bus drivers pose the worst risk with one truckie describing his job as “carrying a nearly 50 tonne bomb on the road fully loaded.”

"Our road toll has risen in the last two years against a trend of decreasing over decades and now we discover that there are an unknown number of people who have been issued with driver's licences without sitting the correct tests.

“And this all comes at a time when the Government is encouraging more of these 50 tonne loaded bombs on the road with the review of its vehicle dimensions and mass rule.

“Heavy vehicles are already involved in 18% of road deaths when they make up around 6% of all road travel.

"The Government must come clean and get the larger trucks off our roads now with a focus on those fraudulent drivers with bogus overseas heavy traffic licences that allow them to drive while putting people at risk, says Sue Moroney.

ENDS