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Forth tolls over-charging --refunds demanded
Page 28
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• Goods vehicles which fall into the light vehicles class and which therefore should pay a 3s toll are being charged 10s for crossing the Forth Road Bridge. This accusation is made in letters from the Freight Transport Association to the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board and the Scottish Development Department.
Many operators of this class of vehicle are having to pay 10s, says the FTA, because the Joint Board in determining a vehicle's weight for toil purposes will recognize an MoT plate but not a manufacturer's plate—despite the fact that since October 1, manufacturers' plates have been legally recognized as denoting the gross vehicle weight for all other legislative purposes including goods vehicle licensing.
The Association also criticizes the Board's ruling that vehicles should carry a photostat copy of the Ministry plate in the cab for identification purposes and contends that, in any event, recognition of such vehicles is only a teething problem and with experience toll collectors will readily distinguish the vast majority of vehicles in the light-vehicle class.
The ETA in its letter asks that: "This blatant error concerning the validity of manufacturers' plates should he rectified forthwith; that the need to carry a photostat copy of the plate be removed; that all operators who have been charged excess should now be given refunds".