I agree in principle with Camel, but but as Clive has pointed out, there considerable challenges to getting a workable system. It would need each trailer to be registered and to carry a visible unique identifier, that would require central Government to set up the services, or at least extend the remit of the DSA or DVLA. In some EU countries this is already the case.
Trailer MOTs would have to be carried out at regulated sites. This could be existing MOT stations, or perhaps at trailer specialists such as caravan service centres. It's important to note that the MOT would only look at the trailers running gear, and general body work, not at habitation or other specifics such as gas electrics water etc. Simple allowing it to be assessed by a service technician with unknown training or ability is not a good way if you are looking for confirmed performance.
You can bet there's some be a charge for this.
Would this prevent RTIs? - no. Would it stop badly matched outfits? - no. Because those are basically down to driver decisions and experience.
As for road fund tax, I am a long term believer that it should be loaded onto fuel, rather than a separate inequitable system we have at the moment. By loading fuel, those who wear out our roads the most by shear distance or by the weight, will pay a fairer share of the tax burden. it's virtually impossible to avoid paying, even for overseas visitors. Oh and before the HGV lobby start to shout "unfair" most of the wear on our roads is due to the weight of vehicles such as HGV's moving the surface, causing cracks that allows water in and frost does the rest to detach the surface allowing it break up.
However, the transport landscape is changing, electric vehicles, so as their proportion increases as it will, there will have to be some means of collecting revenue from them, so we're likely to see annual RFT remain.
Trailer MOTs would have to be carried out at regulated sites. This could be existing MOT stations, or perhaps at trailer specialists such as caravan service centres. It's important to note that the MOT would only look at the trailers running gear, and general body work, not at habitation or other specifics such as gas electrics water etc. Simple allowing it to be assessed by a service technician with unknown training or ability is not a good way if you are looking for confirmed performance.
You can bet there's some be a charge for this.
Would this prevent RTIs? - no. Would it stop badly matched outfits? - no. Because those are basically down to driver decisions and experience.
As for road fund tax, I am a long term believer that it should be loaded onto fuel, rather than a separate inequitable system we have at the moment. By loading fuel, those who wear out our roads the most by shear distance or by the weight, will pay a fairer share of the tax burden. it's virtually impossible to avoid paying, even for overseas visitors. Oh and before the HGV lobby start to shout "unfair" most of the wear on our roads is due to the weight of vehicles such as HGV's moving the surface, causing cracks that allows water in and frost does the rest to detach the surface allowing it break up.
However, the transport landscape is changing, electric vehicles, so as their proportion increases as it will, there will have to be some means of collecting revenue from them, so we're likely to see annual RFT remain.
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