EXPENSIVE MOT TRIPS I hope you can help me. I
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am the owner of a small family garage that specialises in the repair of HGV vehicles and trailers. I run trailers from my garage to the test station for MoTs on the trailers, approximately a 20mile round trip. The unit I have carries no loaded trailers, and all it does is run from my garage to the test station.
I have my unit taxed at 2150 as laid down in the Vehicle and Registration Act 1995. Part IV of Schedule 1 states that for a vehicle designed or adapted for the use of a semi-trailer, as long as it is not used for the conveyance of goods, or burden of any description, the rate of duty is 2150 a year. Now I have been stopped by the police, and told I must have a normal tax for the vehicle (£4,000-25,000, or whatever it is). I don't know as I just own a garage, I'm not a haulier, and take up sometimes as few as two trailers a week for MoT although in August and September I'm very busy, with perhaps 10 trailers per week.
Please help!
I cannot afford thousands in tax for a vehicle that sometimes does only 40-50 miles a week, sometimes nothing.
I would like to have the law clarified as everyone I ask tells me something different.
Steve Thomas, ST Fleet Services, Brgworth, Northants.
• We'll be looking at just this in CM, October 7-13.