Q As a medium-size haulage company we would like to buy
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our own "wrecker," but we understand that only motor traders or vehicle repairers can obtain trade plates for use on breakdown vehicles. If we have to pay the full road fund licence for a breakdown vehicle used only occasionally this would be too great an expense. Is it impossible for a company such as ours to obtain trade plates? A The issue of trade licences is governed by the provisions of Section 16 of the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971. Subsection (1) lays down that a motor trader or a vehicle tester are those who are entitled to apply for the issue of such licences.
Subsection (8) defines both these activities. A motor trader means "a manufacturer, or repairer of, or dealer in, mechanically propelled vehicles. . . ." Thus, an operator who does in fact repair his own vehicles can be considered to be "a motor trader."
In that case as a motor 'trader an operator may be issued with a trade licence for a recovery vehicle kept by him for the purpose of dealing with disabled vehicles in the course of that business.