Trade plate amendments
Page 16
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continued from page 12 definition of a recovery vehicle (now embodied in the 1970 Finance Act) which is based on "construction" is completely artificial. It does not, says the FTA, take adequate account of commercial vehicle operating requirements and practices. Investigations show that some 70 per cent of disabled commercial vehicles are towed to a repair depot and in many cases it would be impracticable and even dangerous to consider any other method.
Such towed recoveries will now be illegal
unless the vehicle is fitted with "costly and maybe unnecessary" equipment, or unless the towing vehicle is taxed at the full rate with the appropriate extension to permit the towing of a trailer. For example, on a vehicle of say, 3.5 tons unladen weight., duty of £164 10s. per annum would have to he paid compared with £15 for a trade licence.
This, maintains the Association, is absolutely exorbitant in the case of a vehicle which might only be used on the road a few times a year.
FTA's investigations show that many companies either keep spare vehicles for recovery purposes or use vehicles which otherwise would only operate on site or within the factory boundaries.