Widebody caravan not registered in the UK
- Thread starter Lex_374240831
- Start date
American Newall Coach RV's are kept and used by numerous people in the UK but registered outside the county. They are over width and in every day use.
As a visitor you should have no problem apart from the narrow roads in places and plenty of commercial units use wide body caravans towed behind vans and trucks here.
As a visitor you should have no problem apart from the narrow roads in places and plenty of commercial units use wide body caravans towed behind vans and trucks here.
Yes, caravans over 2.3m may be towed in the UK by vehicles under 3500kg GVW if they are foreign registered. I have confirmation to this effect from the Department of Transport.
I would like to be able to oblige but I am not at home at the moment so I haven't got the fax that they sent me.
Lutz, I am not in a hurry..
I would be grateful if you send me a copy (as attachment) when you are at home. My email address: mldklh[at]hccnet.nl
I would be grateful if you send me a copy (as attachment) when you are at home. My email address: mldklh[at]hccnet.nl
If you need earlier confirmation, write an email to Vehicle Standards and Engineering at the Department of Transport: vsed@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Lutz, thanks for your suggestion.
Despite there is time enough, I did send an email message.
I'll be back when I got a reply.
Despite there is time enough, I did send an email message.
I'll be back when I got a reply.
It is april 23 now.
I didn't get a response from Vehicle Standards and Engineering at the Department of Transport: vsed@dft.gsi.gov.uk yet
I didn't get a response from Vehicle Standards and Engineering at the Department of Transport: vsed@dft.gsi.gov.uk yet
Having returned home in the meantime I have had another look at the information that the Department of Transport sent me some time back and, to be honest, their reply is a bit ambiguous. On the one hand, their letter says that the UK does not provide visiting vehicles an exemption from width requirements but it does not explicitly state that this applies to weight requirements, as well. One could argue that you would not be exceeding the width limit (2.55m) but only fail to meet the minimum weight requirement (3.5 tonnes) that goes with it. I would therefore recommend that you give them a phone call if they haven't replied to your email yet. I have the following phone number: 0044 (0)20 7944 2083
Every country in Europe operates a reciprocal concession whereby vehicles which are legal in their country of registration are allowed to visit, for up to six months, another country without complying to vehicle regulations.
Driver and road regulations have to be complied with, even by visitors.
In the case of the UK, a stay longer than six months would require the vehicle to be registered here, at which point it has to comply with our regulations.
So we do have this anomaly, that we can only tow 2.5m trailers with a towcar exceeding 3500 MAW while visitors can tow such trailers with smaller vehicles.
Driver and road regulations have to be complied with, even by visitors.
In the case of the UK, a stay longer than six months would require the vehicle to be registered here, at which point it has to comply with our regulations.
So we do have this anomaly, that we can only tow 2.5m trailers with a towcar exceeding 3500 MAW while visitors can tow such trailers with smaller vehicles.
The concession applies to the vehicle - but it is not clear that it applies to a caravan, or to a specific combination of vehicle and trailer.
UK registered vehicles are subject to the Road vehicles (Construction and Use) regulations 1986, these regulations lay down the standards to be complied with. Foreign vehicles temporarily imported into this country are exempt from most of the regulations except those which apply to Length, width, height and weight requirements.
Consequently it would be illegal for a foreign vehicle of less than 3500kg gross weight to tow a caravan (trailer) which exceeds 2.3m width.
Using such a combination could attract a prohibition notice and the combination being directed out of the UK.
regards
Steve
Consequently it would be illegal for a foreign vehicle of less than 3500kg gross weight to tow a caravan (trailer) which exceeds 2.3m width.
Using such a combination could attract a prohibition notice and the combination being directed out of the UK.
regards
Steve
Hi Roger,
You are partly right, however certain parts of our legislation is also applicable to temporarily imported vehicles, included in this is the width requirement. Please see my post, I can be more specific if required.
regards
Steve
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