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Trade plates save money

23rd April 1976, Page 57
23rd April 1976
Page 57
Page 57, 23rd April 1976 — Trade plates save money
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

by Les Oldridge, TEng (CEI), MIMI, AM1RTE

Wreckers 3

ANY fleet operator who has a workshop should consider applying for a trade licence for use on a breakdown lorry. The annual rate for such a licence is only £20 and even if the "plates" are used only on the breakdown truck—one of the permitted uses —it is a big economy. The ordinary duty payable on a vehicle capable of dealing with a broken down artic is well over £300.

Trade plates are issued to "motor" traders under Section 16 of the Vehicle (Excise) Act 1971. The term "motor trader" has a far wider meaning in the Act than in its everyday use because the definition includes "a repairer of" mechanically propelled vehicles. It matters not whether the vehicles are his own or someone else's.

To use trade plates on breakdown work the vehicle used must comply with this definition in the Excise Act: "Recovery vehicle means a vehicle on which there is mounted, or which is drawing, or which is carrying as part of its equipment, apparatus designed for raising a disabled vehicle wholly or partly from the ground or for drawing a disabled vehicle when so raised, and which is not used for the conveyance of goods other than a disabled vehicle wholly raised by that apparatus, and which carries no other load other than articles required for the • operation of, or in connection with, that apparatus or otherwise for dealing with disabled vehicles."

This definition allows several different types of vehicles to be used for recovery work with trade plates. The orthodox breakdown lorry with a crane for use with a suspended tow clearly falls within the definition. An ordinary lorry carrying or tow.ing an ambulance or towboy described in last week's article is also a "recovery vehicle" according to the definition. A truck carrying jacks and a drawbar could, it would seem, also be classed as "carrying as part of its equipment apparatus designed for raising a disabled vehicle from the ground."

This view is taken particularly in view of E. Pearson and Sons (Tees-side) Ltd v Richardson 1972 1 WLR 1152, where it was held that the definition of a recovery vehicle includes not only a vehicle equipped to draw but also a vehicle equipped to raise a disabled vehicle and a vehicle equipped to raise but not towing a disabled vehicle comes within the definition. In Scott v Gutteridge Plant Hire Ltd, 1974, RTR 292, it was held that the breakdown vehicle or the apparatus on it must raise the disabled vehicle; it is not a recovery vehicle if the disabled vehicle climbs on to a low loader under its own power.

Returning

A breakdown lorry with trade plates may be used to travel to or return from a place where assistance is to be or has been rendered to a disabled vehicle or where it has been held available for rendering assistance. This last provision caters for the case where a breakdown vehicle is sent to an incident in response to a call but on arrival it iS found that it is not required.

It may be used with trade plates for carrying a disabled vehicle or towing one from the place where it has broken down or from such other place where it is subsequently situated to a place for repair or storag or breaking up. The disabled vehicle may be towed or carried on a trailer which is being towed. (Regulation 39 of the Road Vehicle (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1964.) The holder of a trade licence and his employees may be carried on a vehicle operated under the licence if their presence is necessary for the purpose for which the vehicle is being used. Persons may also be carried in a disabled vehicle being towed.

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