School buses and trucks could pose safety risk

1.00pm

Seventy school buses are among more than 800 heavy vehicles whose hubs pose a safety risk, according to the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA).

The LTSA issued an urgent warning today that owners of vehicles manufactured by the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation need an immediate safety inspection.

The call follows a recall of more than 100,000 vehicles by the company in Japan, because of a design flaw found in the wheel hubs.

LTSA safety director David Wright said it was "a serious public safety issue".

"The fact that these defective hubs are on more than 800 registered heavy vehicles in New Zealand, including 70 school buses, makes us extremely concerned," he said in a statement.

Owners should not drive the vehicles until inspected to see if the hubs needed replacing.

Affected vehicles were Mitsubishi trucks and buses imported independently -- not by Mitsubishi Motors -- between 1983 and 1998.

Any which had not been confirmed as inspected by July 2 would have their Certificate of Fitness revoked, meaning they could not be driven, he said.

The flaw could cause hubs and wheels to come off the vehicle. The fault caused a fatal accident in Japan.

Earlier this week, Mitsubishi assured New Zealand car owners thay need not worry about a global recall of about 347,000 vehicles . Most of the cars affected by the recall notice were not on New Zealand roads, a spokesman said.

- NZPA