Vehicle industry applauds new emissions initiative

Media Release

For Immediate Release
1 October 2003

New vehicle industry applauds new emissions initiatives

The Motor Industry Association has given its full support to the Government’s new policy on vehicle exhaust emissions, which was announced earlier today by the Hon. Judith Tizard, Associate Minister of Transport.

“This has been a long time coming, but the proposed new rules finally bring New Zealand into line with other developed countries in this vitally important area,” said Perry Kerr, CEO of the Motor Industry Association. “In conjunction with the progressive move to low-sulphur fuels, the new requirements will enable the country to look forward to a future in which pollution from vehicle exhausts is far less of a threat to public health than it is at present.”

New passenger cars entering New Zealand have been meeting international emission standards for several years. The majority of used Japanese imported cars also meet emissions standards at the time that they were manufactured.

What the Government has now addressed with this policy statement is to ensure that the emission systems on all vehicles continue to operate correctly by firstly the screening of all used imported vehicles; and secondly by proposing that an emission test becomes part of the standard Warrant of Fitness or Certificate of Fitness check that all vehicles are required to undertake.

“We applaud the Government’s announcement,” said Mr. Kerr. “Although the new regulations won’t be fully effective until 2006 because of the time needed for consultation, training and installation of testing equipment, this is very well-considered policy which will have a beneficial effect on health in the community. In the meantime, we urge motorists and commercial vehicle operators to take heed of the Government’s supporting advice and ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained and kept in a good state of tune in order to minimise exhaust emissions.”

ENDS

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