A friend has recently purchased a 14 ton lorry for the purpose of using it as a mobile PA unit (I believe it is an ex radio vehicle with a 30mtr retractable mast.
He has made some enquirerys and believes it qualifies as a showmans vehicle since there is no goods being carried, just the built in radio/PA system
He is trying to get the weight down by stripping all excess crap but still thinks it is going to be over 7.5tons (won’t know till it arrives and gets on a weighbridge.
The question is…If it is still over 7.5ton will he need a hgv licence (LGV cat C for the pedants on here) or is there an exemption for showmans vehicles?
He does have access to a LGV driver if need be
Any links to official documents would be appreciated
Semtex:
He has made some enquirerys and believes it qualifies as a showmans vehicle since there is no goods being carried, just the built in radio/PA system
I’m not sure that a mobile PA system qualifies as a showman’s vehicle by those definitions, they all seem to centre around you having some kind of act. Maybe if he used the PA system to do some kind of stand up routine it might count…
Specifically this paragraph is probably relevant:
Similarly, a company which specialised in providing portable toilets for travelling showmen was held not to be itself a travelling showman. In that case the vehicle operator was convicted of using a vehicle without an Operator’s Licence and also for under payment of Vehicle Excise Duty.
If a portable toilet doesn’t count as a showman’s vehicle then I wouldn’t think a portable PA system would either.
I believe this is the exemption being used, the radio equipment is inbuilt and it is fitted with a retractable 30 mtr mast for transmitting. It may or may not have living quarters (2 or 3 day shows?)
A rigid lorry used for the transport of dismantled equipment and constructed with a special frame or a generator or other works making it a specialist or dedicated Showman’s Vehicle
That is down to him, the question is can he drive it on an ordinary (pre 97) car licence if he can’t get the weight downplated, or would he require a HGV C licence (or driver…in other words…me )
i belive that to register a lorrry as showmans ect you have to be in that business as your main job
Showman’s Vehicle which is: (a) Registered under the Act in the name of the person following the business of a travelling showman; and (b) Used solely by him for the purposes of his business and for no other purpose
chris_g:
i belive that to register a lorrry as showmans ect you have to be in that business as your main job
Showman’s Vehicle which is: (a) Registered under the Act in the name of the person following the business of a travelling showman; and (b) Used solely by him for the purposes of his business and for no other purpose
He’s retired so that business would be his main job
chris_g:
i belive that to register a lorrry as showmans ect you have to be in that business as your main job
Showman’s Vehicle which is: (a) Registered under the Act in the name of the person following the business of a travelling showman; and (b) Used solely by him for the purposes of his business and for no other purpose
He’s retired so that business would be his main job
when they say fairground they do mean fairground
a showman i know vey well got done as he was on his way back from a market with his lorry and sweet kiosk and as it was not a fairground he was leaving or going to they done him for having a wrong tax disc ,no tacho and a few other charges
TBH, the licencing and taxation of the lorry is his business. He believes he can register it as such (considering his background and the people he has known and worked with) If he believes it can be done then he’s researched it.
My main question (still unanswered) is Would he still need a HGV C licence to drive it or are there showmans exemptions from having said licence (ie just a pre97 car licence)
If he can great, if he can,t its a few quid in my pocket to drive it for him
The vehicle in question is an ex BBC OB unit (outside broadcast) hence all the equipment.
It is also fitted with an inbuilt Genny to run all the electrical equipment.
DVLA actually suggested registering it as a showmans vehicle.
Back to the original question
As a showmans vehicle, is he still required to have a HGV licence or is there a showmans exemption on that as well.
I recall something I read years ago about 16 year olds driving double artic on the fairgrounds
“ii. articles required for the purposes of display or of an exhibition, and the primary purpose of which is used as a recreational, educational or instructional facility when stationary”.
