Running vehicles on red diesel

[Lee Winger]

so how about a platform on a chasis over 7.5 ton, do you need an o licence or hgv? well seeings as its classed as Plant!

 

I wonder if a 4x4 chip truck, with hi-ab could be classed as forestry plant?

[A_lopa]

Dont know about in the UK but over here you can push and get it registered as plant no problem,no cheap fuel but $100 rego 30 pounds or so !

 

Can you use a jap import tower Rolla?

[Mr Ed]

so how about a platform on a chasis over 7.5 ton, do you need an o licence or hgv? well seeings as its classed as Plant!

 

I wonder if a 4x4 chip truck, with hi-ab could be classed as forestry plant?

 

If its pre registered as HGV, then no you cant.

If however you took an ex MOD truck (non registered) and registered it as a forestry crane, then yes.

[Treefitter]

Can I suggest a small book for you all to read.It might help "Agricultural Vehicles on the road a guide to the legislation. Isbn 0 9533058 7 2. By Andrew McMahon. It's about 7 years old but it will give a lot of good guidance. You might get rid of your mogs once you have read this!

[skyhuck]

You might get rid of your mogs once you have read this!

 

NEVER!

[Buzz]

Ditto and once again i'll make the point that i was stopped, investigated and had to make a case for running my mogs on red which i did and I have a letter from HMRCE saying I can.

[Topcat]

I run a Mog. Just got my dec copy of Foresty and timber news. Article in about "the exempted Vehicles (amendment of schedule 1to the Oil duties act 1979) order 2007 on 01/04/07."

 

You can't use red if you carry any load that is not required for the propulsion or operation of any machine.

 

Anybody else seen it and care to comment on their take.

[madmatt]

Yes I've read bits and bobs on it, I need to sit down and study it when I'm feeling incredibly bored. But, from what I can work out, and I will quite happily be corrected

 

Lets use a mog as an example, if it just runs a chipper and doesn't have a load carrying capacity it can run on red, If it has a chip box and is capable of carrying a load it must run on white, which then means its going down the route of being taxed differently and also possibly needing a HGV licence to drive it, Something the EA have been doing for a while.

 

When I worked in plant hire I knew a bloke that would take his motorbike to site in the front bucket of his 3cx he was stopped and told as he was carrying a load he should be running on white for the journeys to and from site with his bike. Without the bike he was just mobile plant and could run on red.

 

There will allways be forestry use exemptions, but that is down to individual use, and only individual tree surgeons can say how much of their time is spent on genuine forestry use. Running around town working for Mr + Mrs Jones 50 weeks of the year wouldn't meet with forestry exemptions.

 

I need to speak to a mate who's a transport manager as they keep changing the rules

[Mr Ed]

It also depends on what region your in, as various police officials will be more lenient / clueless.

 

VOSA however are far stricter, and I have been told by a senior VOSA chappie that they will prosicute any unimog / fasttrac they find on red whilst carrying a 'load' of any description - silage, hay, woodchips, anything. He also said that unless you could prove that you had just come direct from a legitimate forestry job (planting, harvesting or extraction), that excuse would'nt wash either, as forestry companies cannot use red to haul their products.

I think if your a small operator, you will get away by flying under the radar for a while.

[madmatt]

It also depends on what region your in, as various police officials will be more lenient / clueless.

 

VOSA however are far stricter, and I have been told by a senior VOSA chappie that they will prosicute any unimog / fasttrac they find on red whilst carrying a 'load' of any description - silage, hay, woodchips, anything. He also said that unless you could prove that you had just come direct from a legitimate forestry job (planting, harvesting or extraction), that excuse would'nt wash either, as forestry companies cannot use red to haul their products.

I think if your a small operator, you will get away by flying under the radar for a while.

 

 

My mate fits tacho's for a living and in the last 18 months he's had dozens of fastracs in for the fitting of a tachograph and they are running on white for local plant hire firms. VOSA are definately clamping down around here