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FTA wants VED band revision
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• The Freight Transport Association is urging the Driver Vehii Licensing Agency to revise its Vehicle Excise Duty banding si! tem amid fears that the current ambiguity could leave operatc open to prosecution.
In 2001 a new system with seven bands of duty w launched to give operators flexibility to plate vehicles at diffE ent weight and axle structures. But the FTA warns that t Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 does not reflect the changes—it still refers to vehicle taxation by the old system weight and axle configurations.
FTA regional manager Sally Thornley says that if this flexibil is not clearly established in law, the Vehicle Inspectorate a DVLA could be swamped with the administrative burdens operators up-plating and downplating vehicles.
A DVLA spokesperson says: "No changes have recently be made to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act. DVLA is awa of a case involving a haufier being prosecuted by the Cro osecution Service for an under-licensing fence; the policy will be reviewed following the icision of the court.'
An FTA spokesman adds that this case hightits confusion between the police and the /LA over what VED should be paid.
Haulier Gil Harding would certainly appreate clarification on VED bandlngs—he faces ,osecution by the Greater Manchester dice for running an artic taxed at the wrong to (CM 22-29 Aug).
Harding, who owns boat transport specialt Gavlyn Marine Services, says Band E should low him to run a two-axle tractor with a hcie trailer up to 38 tonnes. When stopped at roadside check last August he was running a ye-axle tractor with a two-axle trailer sighing less that 34 tonnes, which is also aed under Band E.
However, the police say this is Illegal and ,e now threatening to Prosecute him.
Harding says: "They claim that my vehicle as over 34 tonnes but I was at the end of my liveries and even fully loaded It would have weighed less than 25 tonnes. The police never even bothered to take me to a weighbridge. I will fight all the way to court ill have to.
"I don't see why I should have to defend my reputation. I haven't done anything without advice from the DVLA and was told many times by them that I could change the configuration under my tax band."