Haulage barred in new trade licence regs
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• Carrying a load on a "trade plate" vehicle, other than for test purposes or during vehicle recovery, will be barred under the new regulations for trade plates which take effect on January 1 next year.
Changes made under the Finance Act 1969 have already been referred to in CM; now the Ministry of Transport has made regulations setting out the details. They are the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 1969, SI 1589; price is 3d from booksellers or HMSO. The new rules supersede part V of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1964.
From January 1 there will be only one type of trade licence. It can be applied for by the same people as the former types of licence and application methods will be unchanged; the new licence will cost £15 a calendar year or ,E4 2s for three months.
The primary intention of the new legislation is to return the licence to its original purpose of trade use. A motor trader may in future use the new trade licence on any purpose-built or specially adapted recovery vehicle which he uses, but otherwise only on vehicles passing through his hands in the course of trade. A vehicle tester may use such a licence only on any vehicle submitted to him for tests. It will no longer be possible for a trade-licensed vehicle to be used generally for any purpose connected with the holder's business as a motor trader, or for incidental uses.
There will be fewer limitations on the carriage of passengers under the new licence, and there will be no need to keep
records of journeys made for trade licence purposes. But penalties for abuse will be severe. Misuse of a trade licence will become an "Act" offence rather than a regulatory one, thus attracting the same penalties as for unlicensed use of a motor vehicle—a fine equal to five times the full annual duty or 150 whichever is the greater.
Anyone other than the licence holder, or someone with his consent, using a trade licensed vehicle will commit a regulatory offence; for example, by altering, defacing or using altered or defaced plates. But fraudulent alteration or use becomes an "Act" offence.