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Why are some businesses more equal than others?

19th September 2013
Page 13
Page 13, 19th September 2013 — Why are some businesses more equal than others?
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

"ALL ANIMALS are equal, but some are more equal than others" is a well-known phrase from George Orwell's Animal Farm, in which animals chase a farmer away and the pigs assume command of the farm. It could apply to what Vosa and HMRC are allowing farmers to get away with.

I am tempted to write to Vosa and ask if it would be OK to sell my low-loader and tractor unit, which is regulated by an 0-licence covering many requirements, not least of which are competence and professionalism, and buy a £100,000 John Deere and a £20,000 25-tonne trailer and use red diesel instead. If it replied "absolutely not", I would reply: "Why let others do it? Are we not all equal?"

Farmers work hard, they are subsidised. Hauliers work hard, they are penalised. Recently I was in a recovery yard where a tractor had been stopped more than 60 miles from its base overweight (26 tonnes) and running red diesel. The police stopped the tractor and impounded it. Unfortunately, that's the end of the story. The tractor was handed back because Vosa couldn't be bothered

to come out and inspect it. I fear HMRC and Vosa have decided to be more lax on farmers; every time huge tractors go out on our roads to haul goods they put the livelihoods of legitimate hauliers at stake. What would our farming friends do if we started growing corn on their doorstep?

All businesses are equal, but some are more equal than others. Dave James Shropshire

Vosa replies: Vosa does not have any policy or agreement to treat any form of transport more leniently than any other. We target according to risk, and inspect and issue sanctions to all types of vehicles in a fair and equitable manner. The majority of agricultural vehicles are operated on the rural road network, which is not where Vosa conducts the majority of its checks. We do organise specific checks to target these vehicles and deal with them according to the regulations that apply in every individual circumstance, issuing prohibitions where relevant.


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