Fee rise rocks FA
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EXPECTED, heavy goods vehicle plating and testing fees are ng increased by up to 27 per cent from December 1, despite mg protests from the industry. Details of the Regulations are ng changed at the same time.
he fee for a first/annual test a motor vehicle goes up from .50 to £21 (27.3 per cent); for eller from £9 to £11 (22.2 per t); a retest for a motor licle from £8 to £10 (25 per 0; a trailer retest from E5 to (20 per cent); and for an mination for a notifiable alition from £7 to £8.50 (21.4 cent).
loth of the major trade assoions have protested strongly ut the increases, which may I be only a taste of what will ow when the self-financing arrangements are translad to private enterprise, and Freight Transport Associai has lost no time in voicing disappointment that the inase is going ahead.
spokesman told CM that the rease is "totally out of line" h Government strictures to ustry to contain its costs. "This is ahead of the rate of inflation, and puts out of court any possibility of a higher increase," he added.
The fees for first tests were last increased in November 1981, and those for retests and examinations resulting from no tifiable alterations were raised last in June 1980.
The 1982 Goods Vehicle Plating and Testing Regulations also make provision for provision of an official "birthday" for every vehicle for use as its test date, and for an amendment of the term "notifiable alteration".
Foglamps and tachographs have been added to the list of items which may be retested without payment of an additional fee.
There is also a provision for the Transport Secretary to require that a vehicle be re-examined before it is issued with a replacement for a lost or defaced Ministry plate, plating certificate, test certificate or test disc. This will enable the Department of Transport to destroy records which apply to vehicles no longer in existence.
There is an amendment to the provisions regarding the braking force of trailers, and exemption from testing has been extended to vehicles with equipment being used for experimental purposes, and to playbuses.
All playbuses are to be covered by the 1982 Motor Vehicles Tests Amendment (No. 3) Regulations, which places them all in class five of the 1981 Motor Vehicles Test Regulations.