PHASING OUT OF OLD GOODS VEHICLES

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The following Question stood in the name of Mr Hwang Soo Jin -

Mr Hwang Soo Jin: To ask the Minister for Communications if he will inform the House the manner in which it is proposed to phase out goods-carrying vehicles more than 15 years old and whether he will assure the House that in phasing out such vehicles sufficient notice will be given to individual owners so as to minimise hardships and to ensure adequate lorry services to users.

Mr Ong Teng Cheong rose -

Mr Speaker: Mr Ong Teng Cheong.

Mr Ong Teng Cheong (Kim Keat): Question No. 1, Sir.

The Minister for Communications (Mr Yong Nyuk Lin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Registry of Vehicles (ROV) records show that there are about 9,500 goods vehicles which are over 15 years old. Of this figure, about 2,400 are over 26 years old, and another 1,300 between 22 and 26 years.

As goods vehicles generate a large amount of economic activity, it would not be advisable to take them off the roads suddenly but to have them phased out gradually. Accordingly, the mechanically unfit or oldest vehicles will have to go off the roads first. To ensure that there is no disruption to the services provided by the goods vehicles, as well as to give the owners sufficient time to replace the scrapped vehicles, a grace period of six months to two years, depending on the mechanical condition of the over-aged vehicles, would be given. Under the phase out programme, the ROV will send notices to owners of over-aged vehicles, notifying them of the dates to bring their vehicles for mechanical inspection. These over-aged vehicles, if found mechanically unfit on inspection, would be given 14 days to rectify the faults. If, after repairs are carried out, these vehicles pass the re-inspection, they would be given 12 months extension. Such extension would be renewable subject to satisfying the annual inspection up to 31st December, 1974, thus giving them a grace period up to two years. However, vehicles that fail the re-inspection after repairs would be given six months' notice to replace. The insurance company would be notified also by copy of letter to them.

It should be stated that a large number of goods vehicles' owners have voluntarily, or at ROV's recommendation, scrapped their over-aged and unroadworthy vehicles ever since the White Paper on the Reorganisation of the Motor Transport Service of Singapore (Paper Command 21 of 1970) was published in July 1970. Up to September 1972 about 2,500 over-aged and unroadworthy goods vehicles had been scrapped and replaced by new vehicles.