KEY POINTS:
New measures to tighten emission standards for imported vehicles will not work as most people cannot afford the approved cars, the Motor Trade Association says.
The Government wants to update existing standards for new vehicle imports, tighten standards for used imports and to test used vehicles when added to the national fleet.
The new standards would not affect vehicles already registered.
But MTA communications manager Andy Cuming said the proposal would not achieve what the Government wanted.
"Simply put, most of the people looking to update their older cars could not afford the cars being allowed in. There is an enormous number of vehicles that must be replaced so that our national fleet is at what is now deemed to be the acceptable standard.
"This is the result of close to 20 years of a virtually total deregulated vehicle importing environment. There are 2.6 million vehicles registered, and their average age is 12 years."
Mr Cuming said the MTA would propose an alternative to the Government's plan.
But environmentally friendly business leaders have welcomed the proposal and want it to go even further.
New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development chief executive Peter Neilson said buyers of newly registered, low-emission vehicles should be paid up to $3000.
Offering cash incentives could help speed the clean-up of one of the oldest and dirtiest car fleets in the world.
"Perhaps it's best to just get on with a nationwide cash scrappage fee scheme. It could possibly start with the highest-mileage vehicles first," he said.
A business council poll showed 84 per cent of people would support incentives being paid to buyers of fuel-efficient, low-emission cars, that is cars that use eight litres of fuel or less per 100km and meet European standards.
Associate Transport Minister Judith Tizard and Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven said people would be asked for their views on the new measures.
The changes would:
* Update existing minimum standards for new imports.
* Tighten emissions standards for used vehicles imports.
* Propose emissions testing of used vehicles at entry to the vehicle fleet.
* Clarify that vehicles must be fitted with on-board diagnostic equipment if required by the emissions standard to which they have been manufactured.
* Prohibit removal of, or tampering with, a vehicle's emissions control equipment if such an action would adversely affect the vehicle's emissions.
* Provide for certain vehicles that do not have to comply with the rule.
The ministers said a Ministry of Transport report in 2002 found about 400 people died prematurely each year from the effects of vehicle-exhaust emissions.
- NZPA
