Heritage bus operators have hit out at owners of preserved buses illegally using them for hire and reward. [wlm_nonmember][…]
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“There is always competition including owners of preserved vehicles hiring buses for weddings without an O-Licence,” said Roy Gould of Kent-based ByeWays Vintage Bus Hire. “It’s a problem over much of the country I think, and it is time there was a crackdown.
Authorities are quick to crackdown on legitimate operators, but they don’t seem to notice what’s going on with what is basically illegally hiring vehicles out.
“There was a vehicle in Kent used for years on weddings and advertised through wedding car websites. I even approached the driver one day when I saw the bus parked up at a seaside location. It had no O-Licence, historic bus ‘tax’ and no tacho fitted! On another occasion I witnessed money changing hands on a wedding job from a ‘satisfied customer’ to a driver of a preserved double-decker which I know does not have a Class VI test certificate or O-Licence!”
Added Roy: “There are several historic operators in this area who have witnessed such events and they too want the illegal operators to get legal or get off the road. The drivers may not have the correct licence, the insurance will almost certainly be invalid, and the vehicles will not have undergone the Certificate of Initial fitness for further use as a public service vehicle.
“We also don’t know whether these buses have been regularly safety checked like PSVs have to be. The terminology ‘use for hire and reward’ was an old legal term which has been superseded by various legal cases and is now ‘for any fiscal activity, regardless of the status of the operator. If passengers or anyone else is paying by any means to travel, it’s ‘for fiscal activity.’
“I don’t think many of us object to historic buses taking a few mates to a bus rally, being used on a running day where no payment is made or a mate’s wedding. But when they are openly used every weekend and are advertised for hire, then that is a different matter.
Steve Newman at Ensignbus agreed. “We do see this,” he said. “We want people to be enjoying their preserved vehicles, but there are cases of owners who are basically taking advantage of the concessions given for vehicles in preservation not used commercially – and using those vehicles commercially.”
Do you have any views on this issue? CBW would like to hear them!
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