B licence towing, new rules Jan 2013?

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New B licence towing rules being introduced from January 2013 state that you will be entitled to tow a trailer of up to 750kg, or heavier as long as trailer + towing vehicle do no exceed 3.5 tonnes, and towing vehicle is heavier than the trailer.

So... as I passed my test in June 2005, come January will I still have to abide by the MAM rules etc for B licence towing, as we do now? Or do the new rules apply to all B licence holders, not just those passing their driving test after January?
If it applies to all, I can completely sidestep having to take my B+E test, as our trailer weighs 742kg, horse weighs approx 500kg, leaving me free to buy a towing vehicle with a kerb weight between 1250kg and 2 tonnes
Is anyone any the wiser than myself? :confused:
 
My guess is that it would be for people who pass their tests after jan 2013 but i could be wrong.
 
Laura-C said:
New B licence towing rules being introduced from January 2013 state that you will be entitled to tow a trailer of up to 750kg, or heavier as long as trailer + towing vehicle do no exceed 3.5 tonnes, and towing vehicle is heavier than the trailer.

So... as I passed my test in June 2005, come January will I still have to abide by the MAM rules etc for B licence towing, as we do now? Or do the new rules apply to all B licence holders, not just those passing their driving test after January?
If it applies to all, I can completely sidestep having to take my B+E test, as our trailer weighs 742kg, horse weighs approx 500kg, leaving me free to buy a towing vehicle with a kerb weight between 1250kg and 2 tonnes
Is anyone any the wiser than myself? :confused:
Click to expand...

Ummm sadly I dont think you will be able to benefit.......

see this link
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DG_201206
Although at first sight it appears as though B is being extended as you describe above....but then if you look at the double asterisk/star next to it and read the footnote it states
"**New element of category B (UK will not be taking this up. To drive vehicles within this definition, entitlement B+E will be needed)."

:-(((
So, sounds like as usual we gold plate EU regs.....seems like UK are opting out of allowing this.

Sorry to be bearer of bad news.....
 
jesstickle said:
I'd ask ROG :)
Click to expand...
Good idea :)

There are some new laws which get put onto the statute in December this year and come into force in Jan next year

The DVLA decided to tell us about them but they cocked up the whole thing and released a very very poorly worded overview which has now confused many people

The LGV & PCV changes in that report make virtually no sense at all

The B & B+E licence changes don't make much sense either but there is one thing that will happen ......

Any NEW driver after Jan 2013 will not be able to tow a trailer of more than 3500 kgs MAM with a B category vehicle - they will need C1+E

Errr...... how many know of a trailer towed by a B vehicle that is over 3500 kgs MAM? - not me !!

PLEASE IGNORE THIS RELEASE FROM THE DVLA AND WAIT FOR THE ACTUAL CHANGES IN THE LAW
 
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To be honest i would you do the test, Its not difficult and i passed with a couple of days training.
 
ROG said:
Good idea :)

Any NEW driver after Jan 2013 will not be able to tow a trailer of more than 3500 kgs MAM with a B category vehicle - they will need C1+E

Errr...... how many know of a trailer towed by a B vehicle that is over 3500 kgs MAM? - not me !!
Click to expand...

Bless 'em. :D
 
ROG said:
Good idea :)

There are some new laws which get put onto the statute in December this year and come into force in Jan next year

The DVLA decided to tell us about them but they cocked up the whole thing and released a very very poorly worded overview which has now confused many people

The LGV & PCV changes in that report make virtually no sense at all

The B & B+E licence changes don't make much sense either but there is one thing that will happen ......

Any NEW driver after Jan 2013 will not be able to tow a trailer of more than 3500 kgs MAM with a B category vehicle - they will need C1+E

Errr...... how many know of a trailer towed by a B vehicle that is over 3500 kgs MAM? - not me !!

PLEASE IGNORE THIS RELEASE FROM THE DVLA AND WAIT FOR THE ACTUAL CHANGES IN THE LAW
Click to expand...


ROG

What are the LGV changes? Is that the one about new drivers taking the test under the age of 21 having to do the CPC? Son will be 18 in November and wants to sit his then so I'm interested to know if there is a benefit to sitting the test quickly after his birthday and before the end of the year, or if any changes will affect him come 1 January 2013 anyway.

Thanks - once again!
 
Laura-C said:
New B licence towing rules being introduced from January 2013 state that you will be entitled to tow a trailer of up to 750kg, or heavier as long as trailer + towing vehicle do no exceed 3.5 tonnes, and towing vehicle is heavier than the trailer.

So... as I passed my test in June 2005, come January will I still have to abide by the MAM rules etc for B licence towing, as we do now? Or do the new rules apply to all B licence holders, not just those passing their driving test after January?
If it applies to all, I can completely sidestep having to take my B+E test, as our trailer weighs 742kg, horse weighs approx 500kg, leaving me free to buy a towing vehicle with a kerb weight between 1250kg and 2 tonnes
Is anyone any the wiser than myself? :confused:
Click to expand...

AFAIA, OP, you can do this now.

However, I think it's best for anyone wanting to tow to take the test as soon as they can, before they move the goal posts again!

To quote Rog, "Any NEW driver after Jan 2013 will not be able to tow a trailer of more than 3500 kgs MAM with a B category vehicle - they will need C1+E"


There are very few B vehicles with a towing cap of 3.5t (we looked into this 'cause we tow tractors on trailers) so this new rule seems rather pointless :confused:
 
measles said:
ROG

What are the LGV changes? Is that the one about new drivers taking the test under the age of 21 having to do the CPC? Son will be 18 in November and wants to sit his then so I'm interested to know if there is a benefit to sitting the test quickly after his birthday and before the end of the year, or if any changes will affect him come 1 January 2013 anyway.

Thanks - once again!
Click to expand...
Thats the point - none of us, not even DVLA, know exactly what changes will come into force until they go into law this December

At the moment anyone under age 21 intending to drive LGVs over 7.5 tonnes whether privately or commercially must pass the initial LGV driver cpc

Under 21s can pass the LGV test in a C but if only driving C1s whilst under age 21 then they do not need initial driver cpc

What I can GUESS MIGHT HAPPEN is this -
All those getting their first LGV or PCV licence might be made to pass the initial driver cpc regardless of age etc BUT THAT IS A GUESS
 
Its not the taking of the test that worries me too much F_b, I'm pretty nifty at reversing it and I think I'm a decent driver, its finding the spare cash to take the test! I'm just trying to find a way around it really, but should probably resign myself to the fact I need to take the test, and get saving!
Its a shame, as I would only ever want to take 1 horse if I were towing, for example I hunt but my mum doesn't. If we were taking 2 horses out to the beach or DR, then she could tow (she passed pre-1997). Hence why I don't really want the trailer down-plating, as we still want to use it for 2 horses sometimes.
These new rules are a bit baffling though!
 
Laura-C said:
Its not the taking of the test that worries me too much F_b, I'm pretty nifty at reversing it and I think I'm a decent driver, its finding the spare cash to take the test! I'm just trying to find a way around it really, but should probably resign myself to the fact I need to take the test, and get saving!
Its a shame, as I would only ever want to take 1 horse if I were towing, for example I hunt but my mum doesn't. If we were taking 2 horses out to the beach or DR, then she could tow (she passed pre-1997). Hence why I don't really want the trailer down-plating, as we still want to use it for 2 horses sometimes.
These new rules are a bit baffling though!
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Forget those so called new rules and stick to the present ones - you are already a driver so those new rules, whatever they might be, do not affect you

Now your situation ...
Any two horse trailer is going to be under B+E rules which includes B+E learner rules so you can drive a B+E set up with MUM sat next to you

Unless you use two different trailers, one double & one single, then there is no way you are going to be able to take out your one horse on your own.
 
THE EU DRIVING LICENCE DIRECTIVE
Directive means it MUST get put into law but what exactly goes in that law is up to individual member states as long as the directive is complied with

Had it been EU legislation and not a directive then what is written in that link would be EU law and member states would have no options available but that is not the case here

Wait and see what gets put into UK law
 
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