Q I an a student and I am studi'ing licensing
Page 46
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
requirements but lam puzzled about the different criteria applied to operators' licensing and the heavy goods vehicle driver's licence. Surely, a heavy goods vehicle which is in excess of 30 cwt unladen (if not plated) should require a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence. This is not required, however, unless the vehicle.is in excess of 3 tons unladen. Could you explain?
A In framing operator's licens ing, which has as its principal objective road safety, the Government was anxious to bring within its scope the majority of vehicles used to carry goods for hire and reward. Thus those vehicles which are in excess of 31/2 tons gross plated weight, or if not plated, exceed 30 cwt unladen, require an operator's licence.
However, when considering heavy goods vehicle driver's licensing, it was necessary to bear in mind that the unladen weight many of the larger private motor cars, particularly station wagons, exceeded 30ewt. It would have been anomalous to have required the driver of such a vehicle to hold a heavy goods vehicle driving licence. The criterion applied was, therefore, whether the vehicle was "a motor car" or "a heavy motor car", the latter being a vehicle of which the unladen weight-exceeds 3 tons.