For many years mobile plant which also carries goods used in connection with the plant have been exempt from the requirement to hold a goods vehicle operator’s licence. The Regulations which granted this exemption are due to change on 1st September 18.

Currently any vehicle which is fitted with a machine, appliance, apparatus or other contrivance which is a permanent or essentially permanent fixture, provided that the only goods carried on the vehicle are required for use in connection with the machine, appliance, apparatus or contrivance or the running of the vehicle. From 1 September 18 the exemption will only apply to vehicles fitted with a machine, appliance, apparatus or other contrivance which is a permanent or essentially permanent fixture provide the only goods carried are water, fuel, accumulators or other equipment used for the purpose of propulsion or the running of the vehicle, loose tools and loose equipment.

The removal of the exemption and substitution with amended wording followed a wide consultation exercise. The government felt that there was no good ground for keeping the exemption, particularly as many of the vehicles which were subject to the exemption were in direct competition with other vehicles which were specified on operator licences. This was particularly the case with mobile concrete batching plant but the removal of the exemption could affect other types of plant.