Pollution tests ‘need good will’

Press, 16 July 1977, Page 4

Pollution tests ‘need good will’

i Christchurch vehicle-pollu-j’tion tests, which will start I in September, “will need .(quite a lot of good will and ■ 'operation,” a Health Departement officer said yesterday. r | Drivers would not be compelled to take corrective action on their car exhausts,! .and cars would not be turned away without a war-; "rant of fitness simply be-1 cause of random test results,! said the regional air-pollu-1 tion control officer (Mr D. ’ R. Pullen). A similar survey a few; years ago on 1100 Christ- ( ; I church cars showed that; J more than half of them were; . running “grossly rich,” and! (misfiring. Part of the new! .’survey will determine! ,;whether the pattern is the! same. . I All tests will be volun- I ’,'tary, but officials do not; i!want motorists to seek them, II out, for that would cast; Jsoihe doubt on the fairness of a random sample, Mr' ■ Pullen said. Many tests will be carried ■lout in Ministry of Trans-1 port-run testing stations, but! ; some might also be done on . the roadside in conjunction I with traffic officer surveys ■ of drivers’ licences, he said. Mr Pullen said that the I most difficult part of the | special committee’s' task .would be (B determine the J benefits of fixing sampled

exhausts to over-all city air jpollution, and the amount of I fuel that might be saved [through properly tuned i engines. Overseas studies indicate ‘that the savings might be from 1 per cent to 5 per ;cent but that could depend ■ on driving patterns, he said. The survey would also (provide information on the ! costs of correcting faults (that cause high emissions. 1 The manpower, time, and; (money costs of the tests will; (also be studied by the new; [Exhaust Emission In-1 Ivestigative Committee.! (which includes representa-' itives from the Automobile; (Association, Motor Trades; (Association, and Clean Ain (Council. The Canterbury, (Regional Planning Authority and Christchurch City, Counicil- are connected with the (survey.