Scheduled vehicle servicing permitted in Melbourne

The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) says Stage 4 restrictions pertaining to logbook and scheduled vehicle servicing in Melbourne have been eased, after discussion between VACC and the Victorian Government.

According to the chamber, any vehicle can now have a routine service or scheduled service performed.

This advice is confirmed on the Business Victoria website, under Frequently Asked Questions:

• routine maintenance (ie logbook or scheduled maintenance) is permitted as a standalone service for safety purposes only, including for repairs and product recalls. Under the current guidance, automotive, machinery and equipment repair and maintenance are permitted to operate
• where service providers are providing support to a permitted service or industry
• where it is required to maintain the health and safety of Victorians at home or at work (eg routine maintenance, vehicle repairs and critical maintenance including disinfection).

“VACC has been in constant dialogue with the Victorian Government and is pleased that the government has listened to our reasoned arguments and put the safety of motorists first,” said VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym.

Previously under Stage 4 conditions, motorists living in the metro Melbourne area were not permitted to book routine servicing for their vehicles as a standalone service. Additional service work to a vehicle was only lawful when urgent vehicle repairs were undertaken. In those cases, maintenance and servicing could be completed at the same time, to keep the vehicle roadworthy.

“VACC research indicates that Victorian new car dealers saw an 81.1 per cent drop in vehicles presented for service between June and August. This, when factoring in motorcycles and trucks, could have led to half a million vehicles missing their regular service ‘window’ by December – if the government had not listened to industry feedback and insight. Critical repairs may have been missed. This is not only dangerous but would have produced a backlog that was unlikely to be cleared in time for the end-of-year holiday period,” said Gwilym.