There has been recent correspondence about towing trailers recently, particularly with regard to the new (1997) requirements to take a further test.
Ifor Williams have a really useful website not only detailing their products comprehensively, but also giving useful trailer related info.
Included is this bit about the regulations.........
There was a change on 1 January 1997 to the category of licence issued to a driver on passing the car driving test. Previously, categories B, B+E and C1+E were granted automatically, but Since that date it has become necessary for further tests to be passed. This does not apply to holders of licences issued before 1 January 1997, where "grandfather rights" apply. In other words, the additional categories are not removed. The exceptions to this are where a driver loses his licence as a result of a prosecution. In some circumstances the new licence will only give entitlement to Category B and test will have to be passed to gain the further entitlements.
The Category B licence is very restrictive for towing. The driver may not drive a vehicle with a maximum gross weight (Maximum Authorised Mass or MAM in EU terminology!!) of over 3500kg. Trailers up to 750kg MAM may be towed, and larger trailers provided that the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle AND the MAM of the trailer added to the MAM of the towing vehicle does not exceed 3500kg.
In practice, a towing vehicle meeting these weight criteria would tend to be too small to tow msot of our trailers legally as the manufacturer's
maximum towing weight would be exceeded. Therefore, there is no alternative for drivers with category B licences but to pass the additional test (B+E).
If you have a licence including category B+E you can tow any trailer up to 3500kg MAM provided that you don't exceed the towing vehicle's towing limit. Whereas in the above case it is the weight shown on the trailer plate that is taken into account (the potential maximum), in the case of a B+E licence it is what you are actually towing. In other words, if the trailer plate shows a figure higher than the car's maximum towing limit it is OK provided that you are actually towing a lower weight.
The BV85G box van trailer for instance has a maximum gross weight of 2584kg which would require a 4x4 to tow, but if you were carrying a light load it would be OK to tow it with a light car. The trailer itself weighs approximately 595kg and most medium sized cars can tow between 1200kg and 1600kg.
If you have a licence including category B+E you can tow any trailer up to 3500kg MAM provided that you don't exceed the towing vehicle's towing limit. Whereas in the above case it is the weight shown on the trailer plate that is taken into account (the potential maximum), in the case of a B+E licence it is what you are actually towing. In other words, if the trailer plate shows a figure higher than the car's maximum towing limit it is OK provided that you are actually towing a lower weight.
The BV85G for instance has a maximum gross weight of 2584kg which would require a 4x4 to tow, but if you were carrying a light load it would be OK to tow it with a light car. The trailer itself weighs approximately 595kg and most medium sized cars can tow between 1200kg and 1600kg.
KB.
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Spot of duplication towards the end - blame them not me - although I should have noticed it before posting......sorry.
KB.
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And if none of that makes sense - try ....... www.learners.co.uk/towing
A bit more basic and of interest to caravanners.
KB.
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This regulation is almost unknown in the real world and I can see a lot of people falling foul of it.
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Does all this mean that Caravans are going to be
a) a dying breed? OR
b) towed by people who have SOME idea?
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There appears to be conflicting advice here between the two sites - or I'm not reading it properly.
One seems to say you can tow up to 3.5tonnes provided you don't exceed the vehicle towing weight, the other says you must have a second test for anything over 750kg.
Am I missing something? I think I'll look at the driving standards agency site for a third opinion.
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Yes Terry B, it does look confusing. Do as you suggest and it begins to look clearer.
KB.
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