n The feature "Know the law: mobile
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cranes," by Mr Les Oldridge, which appeared in the January 1 edition of CM, was most enlightening on some matters, but, personally. I do not think it answered the subject of the hgv licence correctly.
Mobile cranes are normally classified as a) Motor tractors; b) Locomotives; and also, as Mr Oldridge omitted to state, c) Engineering plant. To elaborate further, engineering plant is the term used for a vehicle which consists of movable plant or equipment is not constructed to carry a load, and which does not comply with standard Construction and Use Regulations.
C and U Regulations state that all vehicles and trailers are required to have "suitable and sufficient springs" between each wheel and the vehicle frame. However, listed in the principal exceptions to the regulations are mobile cranes. It must surely follow, therefore, that if a mobile crane is fitted with rocker beams and not springs, as initial equipment by the manufacturer, it must fall into the category of engineering plant. If such is the case, an hgv licence is not required.
Am I wrong in my assumptions?
AMr Oldridge was correct in stating that drivers of mobile cranes which are based on normal-type vehicle chassis lie within the
C and U Regulations) do require hgv driving licences of the appropriate class.
The only mobile cranes exempt from this requirement are as follows: 1) Those which are exempt from Excise duty under the Vehicles Excise Act 1962 section 6(6). This section applies to vehicles used on the road for less than six miles in a week; 2) those that exceed the C and U limits of width and length.
It does not follow that mobile cranes fitted with rocker beams instead of springs fall into the category of engineering plant. Paragraph 10 of the C and U Regulations 1969 exempts mobile cranes from the need to be fitted with "suitable and sufficient springs between each wheel and the frame of the vehicle" and in doing so enables them to still fall within the scope of the C and U Regulations in other respects. Consequently, they still come within the hgv driving licence system.
In other words, the fact that mobile cranes are exempt from this particular section of the C and U Regulations does not make them exempt from the remainder and automatically change them into engineering plant.
If, however, by reason of their width or length they exceed the c and U limits then they may be classed as engineering plant in which case hgv driving licences are not required,