The Minister for Infrastructure recently announced proposals to introduce legislation that will ensure Jersey complies with the United Nations Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. See P.109/2018 for more details on the proposals.
The Vienna Convention is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by establishing standard traffic rules among the contracting parties. One of the requirements of the Convention is for Jersey to introduce tests to ensure that vehicles less than 40 years old meet minimum standards of roadworthiness.
The frequency of the tests is being proposed as follows:
Motorcycles/mopeds/scooters: First inspection at 3 years, then every 2 years.
Cars: First inspection at 5 years, then every 3 years.
Although costs have yet to be determined, the Minister has commented that these are expected to be around £40-60 per test.
The proposals, if adopted, are intended to enable Jersey motorists to continue to drive either their own vehicle or a hire vehicle without hindrance in Europe post-Brexit.
The introduction of road worthiness tests will impact on Jersey motorists and the motor industry, which is why The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel is reviewing the proposed legislation and will report back to the States Assembly on their findings before the States debate in November. The Panel's review will consider whether contracting to the Vienna Convention is the best option for Jersey, or if there are alternative options which can be explored.
Key issues
As contingency against a hard Brexit, to safeguard the rights of UK motorists and vehicles to circulate in EU countries post Brexit, the UK ratified the Vienna Convention on 28 March 2018, to come into effect 28 March 2019. The UK has asked Jersey and the other Crown Dependencies whether they would wish Vienna to be extended to them.
At present Jersey vehicles travel to Europe with the GBJ mark on their vehicle which could be considered a subcategory of the GB mark. This would imply that Jersey vehicles are subject to road worthiness testing as they are in the UK (MOT Tests).
With the UK having now ratified the Vienna Convention it has highlighted the issue that Jersey is not yet party to Vienna and does not carry out vehicle road worthiness testing.
It is also a mandatory requirement of the Vienna Convention that vehicle testing must be applied to all registered vehicles within the contracting jurisdiction and not just those which travel to Europe.
Tell us what you think
Are you a motorist? Do you work in the motor vehicle repair industry or hire car industry? Or are you a member of public with views on road safety?
The Panel would like to hear your views so it can understand further any potential impact and implications that the proposed new legislation might have for Jersey.
You can tell us what you think by emailing scrutiny@gov.je or write in to The Scrutiny Office, Morier House, Halkett Place, St. Helier, JE1 1DD.
The deadline for submissions is Friday 12th October 2018 at 5pm.
