Featherstone slams DTp
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DEPARTMENT of Transport claims that down-licensing would create enforcement difficulties are "pure fabrication", Freight Transport Association director-general Hugh Featherstone said this week.
Speaking at an FTA press conference in Glasgow, Mr Featherstone welcomed the broad approach of the DTp's consultation document on track cost calculations (CM, November 5), but promised that the FTA would press very strongly for down-licensing to be implemented.
In the document, the DTp effectively left it to the industry to prove that down-licensing matching tax paid to the maximum weight at which each vehicle is permitted to operate rather than to its higher plated weight should be permitted.
It said one major reason why it should be difficult to introduce was that operators of, say, 38tonne plated vehicles downlicensed to 28 tonnes could pay the lower rate and still run at 38 tonnes gross. The DTp said it would need to step up its enforcement effort, and so add to its expenditure.
Mr Featherstone dismissed this argument as "pure fabrication" and added: "I don't believe it would be any more difficult to enforce than the gross vehicle weight system. Let's not exaggerate the problems."
The FTA is finalising its proBudget submission to Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson and down-licensing will form part of its shopping list.
Mr Featherstone added that the implied DTp threat after this year's Budget that there would be another massive leap in the duty rate for four-axle 32.5-tonners has been waived by the consultation document.