Towing under the new rules (B+E license)

[Davie]

Morning,

This is probably all very simple in theory but it's something I've never been able to fully grasp what with kerb weighs vs MAM or GVM and then there's the minefield that are plated weights and the like.

In short, have a pre-98 license and therefore the official line was:

If you passed your car driving test from 1 January 1997 to 18 January 2013, you can currently drive either of the following:
1)a car or van up to 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM (up to 4,250kg in total)
2) a trailer over 750kg MAM, as long as it is no more than the unladen weight of the towing vehicle (up to 3,500kg in total)

But as of the 15th and with B+E added, the gov site states rather simply:

If you passed your car driving test from 1 January 1997, you’ll be allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM when the law changes.

Maximum authorised mass ( MAM ) means the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it's being used on the road. This is also known as gross vehicle weight ( GVW ) or permissible maximum weight.


Fag packet calculations but I have:

Trailer plated at 3500kgs
Unladen weight is 850kgs
Payload 2650kgs
The car on the trailer is 1451kgs
Trailer plus car on the trailer is 850kg + 1451kg = 2301kgs

Towing car has a kerb weight of 1690kgs
GVM laden of 2390kgs
Braked trailer rating is 1800kgs

I'm utterly confused by it all, despite a good hour of Googling but its the "you’ll be allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM" part is confusing me... does that mean I can tow a trailer plated at 3500kgs and the total train weight is irrespective, or does the total train weight have to be under 3500kgs? Or is it irrelevant and the fact the car is rated to tow 1800kgs completely scupper any plans from the offset?

Again, apologies if it's obvious but it's something I've never fully understood!

Thanks

[Output Flange]

Your tow car only being rated to 1800kg is the most obvious limiting factor here. You can't legally tow 2300kg with it irrespective of what you have on your licence.

[normalbloke]

Nothing is changing on the 15th. Be prepared for a massive U turn and some sort of training/non DVSA test scenario.

Tinfoil hat off.

[Captain Answer]

As above it's not changing yet, vote now is on 17th but suspect it will be some sort of "accredited training" that ends up being made law like you do for CBT

Right now if you passed after 97 to tow a trailer of 3500 you'd need to do B+E and have a car/van rated to do it, looks like what you have now isn't - they do exist you need something like a Merc ML, X5, Range Rover etc etc and prob a good few vans out there that have the rating

My X5 can pull 2.3t and my X-Trail can pull 2t, if I had the next gen X5 or the ML I had before I could pull a 3.5t as I have B+E - which I did earlier this year to start towing a caravan

[R0G]

Trailer plated at 3500kgs
Unladen weight is 850kgs
Payload 2650kgs
The car on the trailer is 1451kgs
Trailer plus car on the trailer is 850kg + 1451kg = 2301kgs

Towing car has a kerb weight of 1690kgs
GVM laden of 2390kgs
Braked trailer rating is 1800kgs

B licence =
max trailer plated MAM of 1110kgs (1110+2390=3500)

B+E licence =
Max load for trailer = 950kgs (950+850=1800)

Licences go on plated weights not actual weights

[ComStrike]

I cant get me head round at all.

i've got a new hilux. Can i tow a 1900kg caravan ?

[Camaro]

ComStrike said:

I cant get me head round at all.

i've got a new hilux. Can i tow a 1900kg caravan ?

It depends on:

a) When you passed your test?

b) Whether you have B+E entitlement on your licence?

c) Do you have a ball hitch and electrics socket?

[Captain Answer]

Yes if you have pre 97 license or b+e or get it when/if they change the rules later this year that everyone has it

[Mars]

New (old) rules now legal since Thursday 16th Dec.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a...

Edited by Mars on Saturday 18th December 15:23