)own-licensing gloom
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HOPES operators might have had of gaining political symy for proposals to down-license lorries running below their imum plated weight have been dashed.
ansport Under Secretary la Chalker has already said no practical system could be (ed out to take into account y variation in the operation leavy lorries, and she 'ears to have all-party )ort.
pposition Transport kesman Bob Hughes told that the Labour Party was In favour of down-licensing. perators should have to pay licence on the basis of their ad weights rather than on loads they carry. He agreed it would be difficult to keep wooer check on whether 'Hers were carrying the ght they claimed if down'sing was introduced.
it the industry should make a big push to encourage the Government to introduce downlicensing, Sandbach Engineering chief engineer Laurie Baker told a London audience last week.
Mrs Baker was participating in an Institute of Road Transport Engineers' open forum on problems associated with the introduction of 38-tonne lorries.
She said that 38 tonnes is too low a weight limit to be of much benefit to operators, and predicted that it will only be an intermediate step to 40 tonnes, and perhaps to 44 tonnes.
Because of this, she said it was better to build vehicles now which will be suitable for operation at 40 tonnes, but the absence of down-licensing meant that operators planning to run at 32.5 tonnes or less with vehicles designed to run at much higher weights would be penalised by being required to pay more tax.
Consequently, she expected they will buy vehicles with less margin for power and safety, and manufacturers will be faced with increased Type Approval work to make vehicles to fit tax breaks.
Mrs Baker was equally critical of the Government for its delay in announcing the tax rates for 38-tonners. These will not be announced until after the Budget on March 15.