CPA slams removal of excepted status

The CPA is stepping up its campaign against the proposed removal of excepted vehicles status and urging those in the industry to write to their MP.
Removing excepted status from mobile cranes, mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), road construction vehicles, concrete pumps, gritters and snow clearing vehicles would mean they would not be able to use red diesel when travelling on the road.
In its submission, the association argues that the basis on which the original concessions were granted have not changed since the regulations were agreed in 1979.
"Mobile cranes, MEWPs and concrete pumps are all used 'incidentally' on the highway to get to and from the workplace," said CPA senior manager John Varcoe.
With road construction, snow clearing and gritting vehicles, it proposes that only vehicles permanently equipped for these tasks should continue to run on red diesel. And while the CPA concedes that red diesel is currently less clean than white, it argues that there is no reason why this should be so.
If crane hirers are forced to use white diesel, their hire rates are likely to increase by an average of 15%. The CPA also predicts problems if cranes refuel on normal garage forecourts and an increase in theft (as well as space constraints) if plant hirers are forced to bunker white diesel in addition to red.