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The government is
moving to amend legislation it passed last year that has suspended the
licences of bus and taxi drivers for historic sexual and violent offences. The new regulations,
which came into force in January, are intended to ban people who have
committed serious crimes from holding licenses to carry passengers. Almost
300 drivers were affected. But drivers who have
committed low-level sexual offences, such as having sex with a minor when
they were also very young, have also been affected and the Minister for
Transport Safety Harry Duynhoven has indicated the law would be tweaked. Dunedin bus driver
Lloyd Walsh was one of those affected. He was forced off the
road in January because of the new law and is looking forward to getting back
on board his bus. "I miss my
colleagues at work and the chats we had... and the passengers as well,"
says Walsh. Walsh was convicted for
having a sexual relationship with his teenage girlfriend when he was just 16
himself. Legislation will be
introduced to parliament this week that will allow affected drivers to appeal
the Director of Land Transport to review their cases. Walsh is pleased with
the amendment, but is worried about how much longer he will have to wait
before he can return to work. The Transport Select
Committee will hear submissions on the law change and report back in three
weeks |
