New Trailer Towing Regs Jan '13 ??

Fruitcake

Fruitcake

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I am having a (slight) panic about something I heard through a friend of a friend about changes to towing regulations. (It was third hand info so I don't know how accurate it is!) According to him, from next year, you will only be able to tow large trailers (ie horse trailers) with a car with a cc of over 2.5l.

As I passed my test after 1997 and don't have the + E bit on my license, I spent a long time looking into what I could and couldn't tow. At the moment, I have a lightweight Ifor Williams single horse trailer. The MAM of my trailer is less than the kerbweight of my car and, as the total of the two is less than 3.5 tonnes, I can tow it. I checked the weights etc with the DVLA and all was fine. Until now... My car is only 2.2l so if this rumour is correct I'll have a problem. Does anyone know if this is true? I checked on the DVLA website and there is some info about changes to licenses with regards to towing from Jan 2013 but nothing about engine size of cars. I called DVLA and was told that any changes will only affect new peple passing their test and my licence etc stands the way it's always been. Am I having a panic about nothing?

Sorry for the essay!
 
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DG_201202

Existing car or small vehicle drivers

If you already have a licence to drive cars or small vehicles (category B and BE), you'll keep your entitlement to tow trailers. Your entitlement to tow trailers will stay as it was when you passed your driving test.

To tow heavier trailers after 19 January 2013, you'll need to follow the rules for new drivers, below.


New drivers from 19 January 2013

If you pass your test to drive cars or small vehicles up to 3,500 kilograms (kg) (category B) from 19 January 2013, you’ll be able to tow:
•light trailers weighing no more than 750 kg
•trailers weighing more than 750 kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle (car or small vehicle) and the trailer is not more than 3,500 kg

Category BE

If your trailer weighs over 750 kg and the combined trailer and towing vehicle weight is more than 3,500 kg, you’ll need to pass a further test. The trailer you tow must not be heavier than 3,500 kg. This test will be shown on your driving licence as category BE.

Category C1E

To tow a trailer weighing more than 3,500 kg with a car or small vehicle (category B), you’ll need to pass a test for category C1E.

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Ignore the trailers over 3500 as they have different rules anyway

What the new rules do not make clear:-
Is that 3500kgs an ACTUAL or MAM weight ?
Has the other rule where the trailer MAM must not be more than the unladen weight of the car been scrapped?

I have Emailed the DVLA on those points and am awaiting a reply
 
Hi ROG.

Please explain to the thicko in the corner how that differs from the current post 97 rules?

(not that it matter for me as I have a licence and my trailer test booked for 2 weeks time!! eek!)

Just curious :)
 
Thanks ROG! I wasn't sure how the new / 2013 rules were different to the 1997 ones. If anything, it seemed to me that they were more relaxed. (Not mentioning the bit about the MAM being less than the kerbweight of the car).

Also, am I correct in thinking that if they assume the 3.5 tonnes to take into account the actual weight rather than the MAM, that would be much more relaxed as it would mean that someone like me could infact tow a trailer with a larger MAM as long as it wasn't actually loaded to the capacity and it and the car and horse actually WEIGHED less than 3.5 tonnes regardless of the MAM? If this is the case, would that 'relaxed' rule only apply to people passing their test after 2013 too?

Would you mind letting me know the outcome of your reply from the DVLA, please?

Is the bit about the 2.5l car just a rumour then?

So many questions! Sorry!
 
Fiona36 said:
Would you mind letting me know the outcome of your reply from the DVLA, please?

Is the bit about the 2.5l car just a rumour then?

So many questions! Sorry!
Click to expand...
I will post answers on here

2.5l - myth control please step in !!!

I like answering questions and asking DVLA ones they should have made clear in the first place :D
 
dafthoss said:
Another thicko here sorry :o. If I take my trailer test this summer (fingers crossed) how will this affect me?
Click to expand...
It wont

The DSA reversing test area is shrinking from this month so all B+E tests will have a tighter reverse to do but you will get trained for that
 
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