Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 (Repealed 1.9.1994)

15(1)In this Schedule, unless the context otherwise requires—

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• “axle”includes—

  (i)

  two or more stub axles which are fitted on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so as to form—

  (a)

  a pair in the case of two stub axles, and

  (b)

  pairs in the case of more than two stub axles,

  (ii)

  a single stub axle which is not one of a pair; and

  (iii)

  a retractable axle;

• “basic rate of duty”has the meaning given by paragraph 1(2);

• “business”includes the performance by a local or public authority of its functions;

• [F2“design weight”means the weight which a vehicle is designed or adapted not to exceed when in normal use and travelling on a road laden;]

• “farmer’s goods vehicle”means, subject to paragraph 10(2) above, a goods vehicle registered under this Act in the name of a person engaged in agriculture and used on public roads solely by him for the purpose of the conveyance of the produce of, or of articles required for the purposes of, the agricultural land which he occupies, and for no other purposes;

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• “goods vehicle”means [F3subject to sub-paragraph (1A) below] a mechanically propelled vehicle (including a tricycle as defined in Schedule 1 to this Act and weighting more than 425 kilograms unladen) constructed or adapted for use and used for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description, whether in the course of trade or otherwise;

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• “rigid goods vehicle”means a goods vehicle which is not a tractor unit;

• “showman’s goods vehicle”means a showman’s vehicle which is a goods vehicle and is permanently fitted with a living van or some other special type of body or superstructure, forming part of the equipment of the show of the person in whose name the vehicle is registered under this Act;

• “showman’s vehicle”has the same meaning as in Schedule 3 to this Act;

• “stub axle”means an axle on which only one wheel is mounted;

• “tower wagon”means a goods vehicle—

(a)into which there is built, as part of the vehicle, any expanding or extensible contrivance designed for facilitating the erection, inspection, repair or maintenance of overhead structures or equipment; and

(b)which is neither constructed not adapted for use nor used for the conveyance of any load, except such a contrivance and articles used in connection therewith;

• “tractor unit”means a goods vehicle to which a semi-trailer may be so attached that part of the semi-trailer is super-imposed on part of the goods vehicle and that when the semi-trailer is uniformly loaded not less than 20 per cent. of the weight of its load is borne by the goods vehicle;

• “trailer”shall be construed in accordance with sub-paragraph (2) below;

• “unladen weight”has the same meaning as it has for the purposes of [F5the Road Traffic Act 1988 by virtue of section 190 of that Act]; . . . F6

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[F7(1A)In this Schedule “goods vehicle” does not include a vehicle to which Schedule 4A to this Act applies.]

(2)In this Schedule “trailer” does not include—

(a)an appliance constructed and used solely for the purpose of distributing on the road loose gritting material;

(b)a snow plough;

(c)a road construction vehicle as defined in section 4(2) of this Act;

(d)a farming implement not constructed or adapted for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description, when drawn by a farmer’s goods vehicle;

(e)a trailer used solely for the carriage of a container for holding gas for the propulsion of the vehicle by which it is drawn, or plant and materials for producing such gas.