New-style tax discs for LGIls
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by Juliet Morrison • The Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority plans to introduce more detailed tax discs for goods vehicles this year in its latest move against road tax dodgers.
It is considering a system in which vehicles entitled to be taxed at the private light goods rate—including training vehicles and trucks used solely for the traction of empty trailers— will display discs overstamped with the letter H. Such a move, it is hoped, would make it easier for enforcement authorities to ensure that vehicles taxed at the PLG rate of £135 are not being used to haul goods. Trade associations have welcomed the plan, which is designed to reduce the estimated £23m lost to goods vehicle tax evasion last year (CM 1622 February). But the Road Haulage Association also wants truck tax discs to be marked with a stripe to show that operators have paid an LGV rate of tax. It is disappointed that the DVLA has rejected a proposal for square tax discs for trucks.
RHA director of operations Tim Inman says: "It is a great pity; such a distinctive shape is really the answer."
This autumn the DVLA also plans to start wheel clamping vehicles with invalid tax discs (CM 22 Dec 1994-4 Jan 1995).