44-tonne VED fiasco
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• Confusion at the DVLA over re-taxing vehicles has left some hauliers with a choice of running illegally or parking up trailers. Last month several hauliers up-plated their vehicles to take advantage of the 44-tonne weight limit. But those who were given the flexibility to operate at different weights and configurations are now running into problems.
Bob Stacey, at the RHA, explains: "The problems arise as vehicles come up for re-taxing or when registering new ones." Hauliers who had paid £1,875 to run at 38-41 tonnes were automatically allowed to up-plate to 44 tonnes, as VED for 44 tonnes is lower (£1,475).
This meant hauliers could operate in both weight categories with different configurations. However, as vehicles come up for re-taxing, the DVLA says it has no mechanism to deal with this. On presentation of a 44 tonne plating certificate the DVLA can only charge the 44 tonne tax rate—it cannot accept the higher 38-41 tonne tax payment. Stacey adds: "Luckily nobody's been stopped on the roads yet, but clearly it's a question to which we don't have a satisfactory answer."
A Department of Transport spokesman says; "We are looking at this; it's one of the objectives of the consultation on VED structure. We'll be making an announcement shortly."