I haven't scrutinised this yet but it would appear VOSA are tightening the screw on vehicles who say one thing and do another. However the optimum word is enforcement and VOSA already has a dismal track record of actively prosecuting unlicensed vehicle owners and their drivers who break the law and even those who are licensed but consistently break the conditions of their "operators license".
Those people licensing limos as minibuses are going to have to state that the vehicles are not being used for hire or reward. Therefore when they get prosecuted for operating a vehicle for hire or reward they won't have a legal leg to stand on. They will also have to be very careful of how they advertise their self drive product.
The complete press release of these new measures can be found here.
http://www.nlca.co.uk/doft.php
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New ‘Private Buses’ (including minibuses and limousines) to be inspected by VOSA from summer 2008
This note describes changes to the procedures for registering ‘private buses’ with DVLA, in other words vehicles with more than 8 passenger seats (including minibuses and stretched limousines)
which are not intended to be used commercially for carrying paying passengers.
The changes are planned for introduction in summer 2008, and are described below, but in summary,
new private buses will have to be inspected by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) before they can be registered with DVLA. The current intention is for this to take effect on 1 June 2008 and it will apply to all applications to register a ‘private bus’ made after that date. Vehicles that are already registered with DVLA on that date will not be affected.
The reason for introducing the new inspection is because the DfT has become aware that vehicles being submitted for registration are not in compliance with the relevant requirements of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, and the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989, both as amended. This inspection aims to improve road safety by ensuring that vehicles which have not been subjected to type approval comply with certain key requirements.
On the introduction of this inspection in June, the current option of an SVA test for vehicles with more than 8 passenger seating positions, on the basis of a declaration that the vehicle is never used to carry more than 8 passengers, will no longer be available.
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