Auckland vehicle inspector suspended over dodgy WOFs
Tuesday, 4 December 2018
The NZ Transport Agency has suspended another vehicle inspector over dodgy Warrant of Fitness tests, the fourth in less than two weeks since launching a major internal review.
Auckland repair shop El's Auto Services and its owner Elia Sipaia failed to identify issues with brakes, seatbelts, and corrosion, and regularly rushed inspections as part of a 'long history of non-compliance,' an investigation found.
Nearly 3000 vehicles currently on the road were seen by El's Auto Services, and there was a possibility some may have been incorrectly passed, NZTA said.
It said all owners would be contacted and given vouchers for retesting.
**READ MORE:
* A lax NZTA culture has allowed dangerous practices to flourish
* Number of vehicles needing WOF retests nears 15,000
* WOF failings show NZTA has become a soft touch**
Fellow Auckland vehicle inspectors Westland Automotive and Tyre, Orient Motors, and Jet Tyres and Wheel Alignment, as well inspector Susantha Ranatunga of Church Street Motors and Tyres, have already been suspended
Nationally more than 17,400 vehicles now need retesting as a result of NZTA taking a tougher line on inspection standards.
In January, 65-year-old William Ball was killed when the car he was a passenger in veered off the road and into a ditch near Dargaville. His seatbelt was found to be frayed and should not have passed inspection.
Law firm Meredith Collins is leading an internal review into the backlog of 850 NZTA regulatory compliance cases concerning vehicle certifiers, training course providers, licensing agents, road transport operators and drivers.
The firm confirmed last week that it completed its review into the 150 most urgent open files, with another 700 remaining.
'The Transport Agency is stepping up enforcement action for non-compliance across all regulatory areas for which it has responsibility,' managing partner Steve Haszard said.
'This review is prioritising safety for vehicle owners and road users. The Transport Agency is working hard to put things right.'
* An earlier version of this story quoted incorrect recall figures supplied by NZTA.