NZTA on 'witch hunt' - heavy vehicle engineer

A heavy vehicle engineer says the Transport Agency is engaged in a witch hunt against him. Dick Joyce of Wellington is subject of a safety alert and investigation into almost 500 heavy vehicle towing connections. Documents released to RNZ under the Official Information Act show he was also investigated, and suspended for three months, after a truck trailer snapped off and rolled backwards near Taupo in 2007. At the time, the agency said Mr Joyce knew about his flawed trailer designs in 2005, and modified them from that point on - but told no one so nothing was done about at least 10 trucks that had the design. The agency said he failed to stake steps to safeguard the 'health and safety of the public'. The engineers institute IPENZ ruled against him as well. Mr Joyce disputes all of it - the cause of the 2007 trailer failure, and the current investigation as well.