Q I have a Land-Rover which is
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under 30 cwt unladen for which I am having a drawbar trailer built. Will the addition of such a vehicle to form a drawbar outfit mean that I shall have to have an operator's licence?
AOperators' licensing is gov erned by the provisions of Part V of the Transport Act 1968. To use a goods vehicle on a road for the carriage of goods a person needs an operator's licence unless the vehicle is a small vehicle or is specifically exempted. The outfit you describe might be classified as a small vehicle if it falls within the description contained in Section 60(4) (b) of the Act.
Here, a small goods vehicle is defined as a goods vehicle which forms part of a, vehicle combination (not being an articulated vehicle) which is such that (i) if all of the vehicles comprised in the combination (or all of them except any small trailer) have relevant plated weights, the aggregate of the relevant plated weights of the vehicles comprised in the combination (exclusive of any such trailer) does not exceed 31/2 tons; (ii) in any other case the aggregate of the unladen weights of those vehicles (exclusive of any such trailer) does not exceed 30 cwt.'
A small trailer is one of which the unladen weight does not exceed one ton.
Your Land-Rover being under 30 cwt unladen with a gross weight of less than 31/2 tons does not have a plated weight and presumably the trailer you contemplate will be less than one ton unladen. Therefore, because. such a trailer can be disregarded, the aggregate of the unladen weight of the combination remains at less than .30 cwt as outlined in (ii). You will not require an operator's licence because your outfit can. be classified as a small goods vehicle.