Down-lic offer
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OPERATORS have been given a "take it or leave it" offer to negotiate a more restricted form of down-licensing than they first wanted.
Transport Secretary Nicholas Ridley this week rejected as unenforceable the Freight Transport Association's request for full-scale down-licensing — permitting lorries to be taxed at their maximum operating weight, rather than their gross plated weight -but offered a chance of a compromise.
He is prepared to discuss an option of permitting two-axle lorries which are operated permanently with two-axle semi-trailers and which always carry light loads like potato crisps and light electronics goods to be taxed at a lower rate.
The FTA, which would have preferred a less restrictive concession, is prepared to discuss the matter with the Department of Transport.
But Mr Ridley has agreed to an industry request to drop the proposal of including public accident costs in lorries' road track cost calculations for vehicle excise duty, and has widened the categories of road to be used for traffic counts to separate motorways, trunk roads, principal roads and other roads.
Tax bands, which will incorporate the new track costs formula, will be widened to two tonnes for ved purposes, and new rates will apply after next month's Budget.