asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of any complaints in relation to commercial vehicles having to be reweighed at a charge prior to owners being able to retax such vehicles; and if he will comment on the matter.
Written Answers. - Reweighing of Commercial Vehicles.
66.
I have not received any complaints on this issue. It is not customary for licensing authorities to require certificates of unladen weight of goods vehicles on renewal of road tax unless there is reason to believe a vehicle has been modified to such extent as to affect the unladen weight on which the tax is chargeable.
Following the transfer of ownership of a goods vehicle, certain licensing authorities require the new owner to present the vehicle for reweighing prior to relicensing the vehicle in the name of the new owner. My Department proposes to ask licensing authorities generally to limit this practice to cases where the licensing authority have reason to believe that the new owner has modified the vehicle in such a way as to affect the unladen weight of the vehicle involved. When a vehicle is presented for weighing for licensing purposes a relatively small fee is charged for the use of the appointed weighbridge involved. Inquiries made by my Department of a sample number of licensing authorities indicated that the fees generally do not exceed £5.