XN000022-1985-07-18 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1985

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CAR CHECKS BY PRIVATE GARAGES PROPOSED

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A BILL PROPOSING TO AUTHORISE PRIVATE GARAGES TO UNDERTAKE THE ANNUAL EXAMINATION OF PRIVATE CARS WILL BE GAZETTED TOMORROW (FRIDAY).

UNDER THE SCHEME, WHICH IS PROVIDED FOR IN THE ROAD TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985, A PRIVATE CAR MORE THAN SIX YEARS OLD WOULD HAVE TO PASS AN EXAMINATION AT A GOVERNMENT-APPROVED CAR TESTING CENTRE BEFORE IT COULD BE RE-LICENSED FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

THE PRIVATISATION PLAN, DRAWN UP IN CONSULTATION WITH THE MOTOR TRADERS ASSOCIATION (MTA) AND THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, WAS ENDORSED BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. BARRING UNFORESEEN DELAYS, THE SCHEME COULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY DECEMBER THIS YEAR.

EXPLAINING THE SCHEME, A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE OBJECTIVE OF EXAMINING ANNUALLY PRIVATE CARS OVER SIX YEARS OLD WAS SET OUT IN THE 1979 WHITE PAPER ON INTERNAL TRANSPORT. THE AIM OF THE SCHEME WAS TO IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY BY REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACCIDENTS.

THE ANNUAL EXAMINATION OF CARS OVER SIX YEARS OLD WOULD MEAN ABOUT 60 000 INSPECTIONS IN 1986, GRADUALLY RISING TO 100 000 IN 1988.

+AT PRESENT THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ABLE TO CONDUCT ANY ANNUAL INSPECTION ON PRIVATE CARS BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO GIVE PRIORITY TO THE EXAMINATION OF PASSENGER SERVICE VEHICLES AND OLDER GOODS VEHICLES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+AND IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS TO EXAMINE CARS OVER SIX YEARS OLD, IT WILL NEED TO BUILD TWO NEW VEHICLE EXAMINATION CENTRES IN ADDITION TO FOUR CENTRES WHICH ARE ALREADY UNDER PLANNING.+

+THE PRIVATISATION SCHEME WILL THEREFORE ALLOW THE OBJECTIVE OF ANNUAL CAR INSPECTIONS OF OVER SIX YEARS OLD CARS TO BE MET MUCH EARLIER THAN WOULD OTHERWISE BE POSSIBLE AND WILL ALSO ENABLE FUTURE EXAMINATION CENTRES TO CONCENTRATE ON THE EXPANDING FLEET OF PASSENGER SERVICE VEHICLES AND GOODS VEHICLES,+ HE CONTINUED.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT AT LEAST 12 GARAGES WOULD BE DESIGNATED AS CAR TESTING CENTRES AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SCHEME. THESE GARAGES, BEING LOCATED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TERRITORY AND WITH SOME OF THEM OFFERING WEEKEND CHECKS AS WELL, WOULD GIVE CAR OWNERS A WIDER CHOICE OF EXAMINATION CENTRES THAN THE GOVERNMENT COULD ITSELF PROVIDE.

THE SPOKESMAN