Proposal to scrap aged vehicles

VEHICLES with registrations starting with A, B, C, D, E and F could be the first to be given an “end of life” and be scrapped.

This is stated in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report which reviewed the Auditor-General’s report on the Performance Audit on Management of Traffic Congestion that was tabled in Parliament early this week.

The report stated a vehicle scrapping policy was still in its draft stages.

“The Vehicle Scraping Policy is a strategy that is aimed at discarding aged or inoperative vehicles in the country.

“The Department of Transport had described that one way the scrapping of vehicles can take place is through setting a vehicle quota and phasing out the vehicles with the registrations A, B, C, D, E and F.”

The PAC was informed by the the Land Transport Authority (LTA) that before an age restriction could be introduced in Fiji, “there is an absolute prerequisite to have a mandated ‘end of life’ arrangement introduced by the Ministry of Environment”.

“In not having this in place for the environmentally-friendly mechanisms for the disposal and recycling of life-expired vehicles will result in the Fijian countryside being turned into an informal scrap yard.”

The Department of Transport informed the PAC the ministry had a draft scrapping policy and that there needed to be consultation with the LTA.

“The combined consultation on the policy and the Act will ensure that deregistration of motor vehicles and the need to accredit agencies to process and export the scrap metal is adequately captured in the policy and the Land Transport Act.

“The department will coordinate with the Department of Environment and all other relevant stakeholders on the implementation of scrapping of motor vehicles in Fiji.”