Licence change-over ‘a shambles’

Press, 11 July 1988, Page 3

Licence change-over ‘a shambles’

PA Wellington The Insurance Council has labelled the Ministry of Transport’s changeover to lifetime drivers’ licences “a shambles.” The council’s executives, Mr Trevor Roberts, said the whole procedure had not been well publicised and there was “a great deal of public confusion” about the new licences. He said the number of people who now had invalid licences showed how badly organised the change to lifetime licences had been. It should have been “widely publicised, widely

advertised and clearly explained.” But the acting director of the Ministry of Transport Road Transport Division, Mr Geoff Henry, said that 450,000 new licences had been issued and the 15 per cent of drivers who did not renew their licences when required were a minority. The Ministry was pleased with the numbers which had responded, he said.

“But 15 per cent who haven’t have got to be made aware that they are starting to stack up problems for themselves if

they don’t come in smartly.” Drivers must apply for a lifetime licence during the month of their birthday, or the next month. The licence expires at the end of the month after the birthday, irrespective of the date on the fee coupon already in the licence. Drivers with birthdays in June or July should be renewing their licences now. There was nothing to stop drivers with birthdays at other times of the year asking for a lifetime licence now, Mr Henry said.