Towing Regulations.

Right, seeing as alot of our members passed there test after 1 January 1997, there are a few things you should be made away off regarding the law when towing.

To Tow anything with a car you must hold a full category B* (car) driving licence before towing any trailer or caravan etc.

Thoughout this thread reference us made to the maxiumum authorised mass (MAM) of vehicles & trailers. This should, in all cases, be taken to mean the permissible maximum weight, also known as the gross vehicle weight. You may not be planning to drive a vehicle, or a vehicle towing a trailer, at these maximum weights, but these are key factors that determine driver licensing requirements.

If you passed your test before 1 January1997
You are generally allowed to drive a vehicle & trailer combination upto 8.25 tonnes.

If you passed your test on or after 1 January 1997
You may tow a trailer behind a catergory B* vehicle without taking a further test if the trailer doesn't exceed 750kg.

If the trailer you wish to tow exceeds 750kg you may tow it behind a category B* vehicle provided that the vehicle & trailer combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and the MAM of the trailer doesn't exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle. If you wish to drive a Category B* vehicle towing a trailer which exceeds that listed above, you will have to pass a practical category B+E test.

If you wish to drive a vehicle with MAM exceeding 3.5 tonnes, for example a motorhome or recreational vehicle, you will need pass a catergory C or C1 test.

Catergory B+E Test

Details about this test are available from the DVLA Factsheet (INF30 - Towing Trailers in Great Britain)
This also includes infomation about towing whilst driving a larger vehicle, DVLA fact sheets are available from its website at http://www.dvla.org.uk or free of charge from 01792 792 792

Usefull infomation on towing can also be found on The National Trailer & Towing Association Ltd http://www.ntta.co.uk

Please Note
* A catergory B vehicle is a four-wheeled vehicle with a MAM not exceeding 3.5 tonnes which has not more than 8 passanger seats (in addition to that of the driver)

A-Frame's

The law regards this as an unbraked trailer and you are allowed to tow up to 750 kg Gross Trailer Weight, not a car’s kerb weight. The figure you have to use is the car’s Gross Vehicle Weight or Maximum Permitted Weight. This is usually at least 300 - 400 kg more than the kerb weight. We have no knowledge of any car sold in the UK that has a GVW under 750 kg. The only vehicle we know that is completely legal to tow with an A-frame is the French Aixam small "car". This is a full four seater and details can be obtained from Aixam UK on 01926 886100.
An A-frame or dolly can only be used to recover a broken down vehicle to a place of safety. Transporting a car is, therefore, illegal. A-frames may be offered with a braking system that applies the car's brakes. These do not conform to the law as the car then becomes a "braked trailer" and has to conform to European Directives contained within the Construction and Use Regulations. It does not conform to the European Directive 71/320/EEC and amendments regarding braking requirements in any way.

The use of this A-frame for transportation is illegal.

However, it is still OK for use to recover a vehicle to a place of safety.