0-licences will become 'continuous'
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e continuous licence is here. The Deregulation Bill dealing with continu
ous licences recently received royal assent; now a new fee structure is being proposed. The new licence fee structure is expected to come into effect within the next 12 months; probably this time next year. Suggestions have been made that the Fees should be structured on the basis of a new non-refundable application charge of 250. It seems that the hauliers who will be hardest hit will be those operating fewer than four vehicles—those operating 100 or more could be paying less. The scenario which has been put forward is that owner-drivers will pay 13% more per year; three-vehicle operators will pay 0.75% more; and the 100-vehicle operator will pay 11.9% less. Operators may take comfort in the fact that they have got a licence for life but enforcement will still take place and licences could still be revoked, suspended or curtailed. The Licensing Authorities will lose the option to prematurely terminate a licence but this means they will have to take more draconian action against operators called to a Public Inquiry.