Q As haulage contractors we wish to know under what circumstances
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we may use trade plates. Could we. for instance, transport a trailer or tank from London to one of our depots in the North with a delicensed tractor (this would lie an articulated unit of 32 tons) using trade plates? Also could we transport a delicensed tractor to any place if it were new and required to be painted by some persons outside or to have pumping gear fitted or any other work done to it before it has been taxed?
ARegulation 39 of the Road Vehicles
(Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1964 states that a trade licence may be used for proceeding to or returning from a workshop in which a body or special type of equipment or accessory is to be or has been fitted to it or in which it is to be or has been painted or repaired. This seems to cover the use of your vehicles travelling under trade plates to and from a workshop for pumping gear to be fitted or for painting.
If when you transport trailers to and from your northern depot it is so that they can be painted or repaired, then this would also fall within the permitted use of trade plates: otherwise it does not appear that these journeys can be legally undertaken with the tractor unlicensed and using trade plates.