RHA: no mods fo downplated truc
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by Karen Miles • A push to end the modification of goods vehicles, legally required when replating, begins this month. The Road Haulage Association is meeting the Department of Transport to argue that such changes are "unnecessary".
The modifications issue is a long-running irritant to hauliers, but the RHA believes it has finally gathered ammunition to make the Government move. At the meeting the RHA's engineering committee will argue that as long as a new plated weight is kept within the vehicle's design weight, the Government should drop the requirement to modify the vehicle. The issue is being raised again because of a taxation anomaly introduced at the beginning of the year which the RHA says "highlights the stupidity of the sy,,,tem". Since January operato ing to benefit from an inc maximum permitted wei) an associated change i rates have been forced tc their vehicles. Some ar needlessly weakened wlare up-plated, says the RI
In a letter to the DOT, t ciation also questions the behind weakening any vi order to let it operate at GVW".
The problem is most ac downplated 32-tonne e gers, but the RHA say; affects four-axle artics ar axle rigids—because of VED penalty above 31 many operators prefer to the 31-tonne limit.
The DOT says this tn■ vehicle must be modifiet ting lower-rated tyres or propshaft, so that it is in ti the lower tonnage.