Plating regulations this week
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by lain Sherriff
• Mr. Richard Marsh, Minister of Transport. was expected this week to lay before Parliament regulations which bring into force the scheme for the plating and testing of goods vehicles under the Road Safety Act 1967.
Draft regulations appeared in CM on December 29 and January 5. The dates then shown should be put back by three months for England and Wales, and by five months for Scotland. This applies to all groups of vehicles. Tests will be completed by March 1970.
Unregistered vehicles of the same classes used on the roads under trade plates will also be brought within the scheme.
I understand that regulations will be made later this year to cover vehicles first registered on or after January 1968 as well as for trailers manufactured on or after that date.
For vehicles which fail to pass the official test, the regulations provide that, by arrangement with the station manager, a re-test may be given free of charge on the same day or on the next day when the station is open. This is designed to assist operators in the early stages of the scheme, but will be subject to review later.
I understand that the Ministry is to make available within the next few weeks to operators of goods vehicles a guide to the plating and testing scheme. This will give full particulars about arrangements for booking test appointments, together with the remaining parts of the Ministry's Motor Vehicle and Trailer Standard Lists and a substantive edition of the Goods Vehicle Testers' Manual. This will replace the draft edition published in November 1967.