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RiE" Tax and test: two weeks

5th March 1998, Page 16
5th March 1998
Page 16
Page 16, 5th March 1998 — RiE" Tax and test: two weeks
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Keywords : Finance, Public Finance, Tax

• An Essex international haulier admitted not taxing his vehicle because he felt that the taxation system was unfair as his vehicle was only in this country about 30 days a year. However, he was told that if he felt foreign operators had an advantage he could always surrender his 0-licence in the UK and obtain one abroad.

Geoffrey Harrington, trading as G&C Harrington, of Tiptree, appeared before Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Brigadier Michael Turner at a Cambridge disciplinary inquiry.

Traffic examiner Ernest Watson said that in March 1997 he had seen an artic operated by Harrington with no excise licence displayed. Enquiries revealed the vehicle had not been taxed since March 1994 and its test certificate had expired in May 1994. Harrington explained that the vehicle was hardly ever in the country making it difficult to arrange test dates. Because there was no test certificate it was impossible to tax the vehicle.

In January Harrington was seen operating a different vehicle which had not been taxed since June 1997. Harrington told him that it had now been taxed at the private rate of £160.

Vehicle examiner Paul Wiggins said the current vehicle had not been tested between 13 November last year and 12 January. Harrington said his vehicle was always in exemplary condition and he also paid road tax wherever he went. He felt it was unfair he should have to pay ,E3,400 when he only operated 2,000 miles a year in this country. He could buy a day's road tax for the Benelux countries in Dover; why couldn't he do the same for this country?

Pointing out that he could always surrender his licence, Turner said he had to pay the proper rate of tax. If he did not, he broke the law and gained an unfair advantage over intern& tional operators who taxed their vehicles properly. He took account of the fact that it appeared to be an otherwise good operation and concluded that Harrington had not lost his repute.

Turner gave him 14 days in which to get the taxation and test situation sorted out.


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