South East Farmers can use Red Diesel.. say HMRC

• Guest 640

  • Registered: 21 Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7,819
  10 February 2012     16:58152681
  #1      
  South East farmers can use red diesel to help out during extreme weather snap.
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  HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) confirmed today that during extreme weather farmers in the South East can use red diesel in their tractors to help grit and clear snow from public roads.
  
  Under normal rules any vehicle that is being used to clear snow from public roads using a snow plough or similar device is entitled to use red diesel. However, only vehicles that are constructed or adapted and used solely for spreading material on roads to deal with frost, ice and snow can undertake gritting work while using red diesel.
  
  HMRC recognises the vital role played by farmers in helping to keep rural roads clear. So during this period of extreme weather, HMRC will adopt a pragmatic approach to the rules. This means that agricultural tractors on public roads clearing snow or gritting to provide access to schools, hospitals, a remote dwelling, or communities cut off by ice and snow can continue to use red diesel.
  
  More details can be obtained by calling the Excise and Customs Helpline on 0845 010 9000.
  email: dover7@msn.com
• Guest 640

  • Registered: 21 Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7,819
  10 February 2012     17:03152682
  #2      
  What is Red Diesel?
  
  Here we are....
  
  "
  Not all diesel fuels have the same destination. Home heating oil, for example, is designated to be pumped into above-ground storage tanks and used as a source of heat. The diesel fuel in a home heating unit is atomized and then ignited to provide warmth. Diesel fuel for automobiles contains more sulfur than home heating oil, and is designed strictly for use in diesel engines. Automotive diesel fuel is also subject to taxes not levied on home heating oil. In order to tell the two fuels apart, a special red dye is added to home heating oil to create red diesel.
  
  Red diesel fuel is only slightly different chemically from regular automotive diesel fuel, but there can be a significant difference in cost. The cheaper red diesel fuel could conceivably work in place of the more expensive automotive diesel fuel, but that would defeat the purpose of a fuel tax. In order to ensure that home heating oil, which is minimally taxed, is not used as diesel fuel, which can be heavily taxed, revenue agents require home heating oil to receive a special red dye. This liquid red dye can be detected in even the smallest samples taken for examination.
  
  "
  
  So there....in case you didnt know.
  email: dover7@msn.com
• Guest 698

  • Registered: 28 May 2010
  • Posts: 8,664
  10 February 2012     17:33152687
  #3      
  And the red dye permanently colours all parts of the vehicle's fuel system so if red has ever been used it will be detected.
  I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
• Guest 703

  • Registered: 30 Jul 2010
  • Posts: 2,096
  10 February 2012     17:46152693
  #4      
  If I've read that right, it's OK to use red diesel if using a tractor just to snowplough or just to grit, but not to do both at the same time, and someone at HMRC has spotted this and thought it's worth a press release to tell the world their regulations are ridiculous!
• howard mcsweeney1

  • Location: Dover
  • Registered: 12 Mar 2008
  • Posts: 62,352
  10 February 2012     18:19152696
  #5      
  just badly phrased ray, i took it to mean both.
  
  certainly worth getting clarified though.
• Guest 640

  • Registered: 21 Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7,819
  11 February 2012     08:32152772
  #6      
  In the current spell thay are relaxing the rules clearly as councils etc are overtaxed trying to clear rural roads or roads generally..normally the HMRC are very strict about this as their is no tax at all on red diesel as I understand it..it being primarily a heating fuel, so they dont want the government cheated out of their normal duty... Its a bit confusing above but I think it means than any agricultural vehicle shown to be clearing snow is exempt as a temporary measure.
  email: dover7@msn.com