Government decides on emission tests for warrants

11.45am

Cars will have to pass emission tests to get warrants of fitness from 2006, the Government announced today.

Associate Transport Minister Judith Tizard said with the support of the Greens new transport rules will bring in exhaust testing as part of car inspections.

Pre-used imported vehicles will also have to pass emissions standards as part of pre-registration tests.

Ms Tizard said the details on what standards would be applied had yet to be decided.

"We have been encouraged by the feedback from those consulted in policy preparation to date and moving forward we will be listening to local authorities, political partners and others who are concerned about improving local air quality," Ms Tizard said.

Since the idea of emissions tests was first floated some have complained that cars already purchased in good faith would be written off the road.

Garage owners have also warned that the cost of getting a warrant of fitness will have to rise so they could buy emission testing equipment.

Ms Tizard said the Government was committed to tackling air pollution as it caused serious health problems and damaged the environment.

A report last year estimated that 400 people each year died prematurely due to vehicle emissions, Ms Tizard said.

The new tests for warrants of fitness and certificates of fitness for vehicles would come into force in mid to late 2006.

"It is vital that all vehicle owners and operators take responsibility to fix and regularly tune their vehicles and that they have the necessary information to do so. The benefits of regular maintenance include savings in the long term on fuel and maintenance costs and knowing that they and their neighbours will breather easier," Ms Tizard said.

The new testing regime would add to previous decisions to change fuel standards and ensuring cars brought into New Zealand from 2004 are built to an emission standard.

Government agencies were looking at seeing they purchased their vehicle fleets with a preference for low emission engines "where this is reasonably practical and within operational requirements," Ms Tizard said.

She hoped private sector fleet operators would follow the Government's lead.

- NZPA