Vehicle safety inspection procedure simplified

Chinese authorities have stipulated that private vehicles have to pass a safety inspection every six years starting from September 1, 2014, and vehicle owners will be able to go to any inspection station across the country, Chinanews.com reported Friday.

At present, owners must take their motors for safety inspection to the place where they purchased the vehicles every two years, and wait in long queues while their cars are being serviced. The new policy comes as a result of the surge in car ownership over the past decade, rising from 24 million in 2003 to 137 million last year.

The Ministry of Public Security and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said related departments and staff should not be in charge of or work at the inspection stations.

The new policy is meant to increase the amount of focus on the safety checks for large and medium sized coaches and vans, as they do not fall under the remit of the new policy and will continue to require yearly safety inspections. Private sedans with seven or more seats are not included in the new policy.