Trailer legalities

[BarryH]

Bit of a teaser this one. The trailer I have is quiet old. Originally it had one braked axle and one unbreaked. The brakes wern't of the auto reversing type. Last year after deciding to keep the boat near home and not down in poole, I replaced all the brakes, coupling. Basically the only original bit left is the chassis. That galvanised and is sound so all ok there then. It now tows without and snaking, stops well and is stable way beyond the legal limit. The problem that I have is that while towing it this afternoon I got a tug from Mr Plod. He says that its illegal because it hasn't got the proper spec plate on it and should be E marked. Bollo%% says I. All the bits used on the thing are E marked and anyway it was originally made before 1980. No says he, your nicked heres a ticket for your troubles and Oh by the way, if you tow it off now I'll nick you again. Got me under the consruction and use thingy. My patients lasted longer than his tho, cos he buggered of after 10 mins.

Who's right me or him. He wasn't a traffic cop so I reckon his talking out of his behind.

 

[BrendanS]

Give me 48 hours and I'll have an authorative response from a friendly traffic cop who loves getting the rule book out, and understands the legal aspect better than anyone

 

[mtb]

I have the Indespension book in front of me ,You may have a get out but difficult .
The book says all trailers should have a conspicuous position on the near side of the draw bar with the maximum gross weight the trailer is designed for .
The plate should indicate
1, manufacture's name
2,chassis or serial number
3, number of axles
4, maximum weight for each axle
5,maximume load imposed on drawing vehicle
6,maximume gross weight
7, year of manufacture
Thing is there are different rules for pre 1976 but I dont know you need to read the book through !!
Cheers
Mick


http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler or tug cheap needing work

 

[BarryH]

Mmm, interesting. Its got the unladen weight of the trailer and the maxium weight of trailer on the drawbar. Theres a safety margin of about 600 kilos built in by me. Basically its got 2 1300 kgs axles and a 3000kgs coupling. the boat wieghs all up with fuel at around 1950 kgs Ok in truth with all the other crap the wife puts in, lets call it 2000kgs. As far as the other things go

Axles......have a look it aint hard to count too two
No one manufactures these things. They raid the parts bin and assemble them
serial number, not until europe got involved
Maximum load imposed on drawing vehicle, I suppose they mean nose wieght, well thats gotta be between the limits set by the tow car maker.

The red tape is a load of nuts. I over engineered the thing purposly so I would have an inbuilt safety margin. You've only got to look at some of the excuses of trailers that are supplied with some boats. Built to a price and not built to a purpose IMHO. I did'nt have the one thing they have when I built it...profit margin.

Some things really piss me off. Snotty coppers being one of them, sorry had to get that lot off my chest. Rant over for now!

 

[duncan]

what did you do to trigger teh pull - last time for me it was the steering had gone right over and the drive had obscured the number plate

 

[BarryH]

Don't really know. I susspect he thought it was a bit odd to see a boat miles from any water in the rush hour. All the lights work, the prop had a proper prop bag and it was all strapped down with 6 ratchet straps sourced from a lorry driving friend.

 

[hlb]

Hhmm. We keep rebuilding our old trailor. It's not for a boat. Started life about 1980, about 3ft wide and 10ft long box, then in it's next life it became 10ft long and 6ft wide. But it got over loaded a few times and the tyres fell off and axle bent. So its now about six foot long and four foot wide. Theres only the tow hitch left from original Trailor. Bit like the broom that had five new handles and four new heads!

<font color=blue>Haydn

 

[ccscott49]

If it hasn't got a plate, then it's illegal, it's as simple as that, I'm afraid! But you could get it inspected, as a homebuilt trailer and then get it certified and plated. Problem solved.

 

[tr7v8]

Hate to argue but no it's not.
Plating on non-commercial trailers is a relatively recent requirement and isn't retrospective and I believe that subject to certain requirements you can still build you're own trailers.
The average pointy hat knows bugger all about the trailer laws. In fact many years ago we were actually dragged to court for speeding (68 MPH) on the motorway with a large car trailer. Having got to court it was pointed out by my mate who was not only the driver but a solicitor that wide wheelbase trailers (over 6ft) were able to run at higher speeds and did the officer know that, Clerk of court dragged out regs and agreed this was the case. Instant collapse of case with costs for us!
By the way this law was repealed sometime ago.

Jim
-----------

 

[ccscott49]

Obviuosly wrong! But I thought a two wheeled trailer was considered comercial, over the limit so to speak. Anyway obviously wrong, thanks for putting me right, another little snippet I may be able to pass on one day!

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Got this back from the traffic cop I mention.
Short version: The guy who nicked you was correct. The traffic cop reckons he's an ..........!

If anyone ever needs traffic law advice (eg nicked for an offence), go to groups.yahoo.com and sign up for UK Traffic Law, and ask for Cruncher. He's a traffic cop, down to earth, and very helpful. If you've been done for speeding etc, read the threads first...you'll get flamed for asking obvious asked before questions.

Anyway, here's the long version....
-----------------------------------------------------------

Brendan,

in continuum. I eventually found the most useful of books every self
respecting traffic cop keeps to hand. It was underneath a body bag in the boot of my car.

Unfortunately, your friend would have preferred it to remain there.

In respect of "MARKING PLATES"

All trailers should be marked in a conspicuous position on the near side of
the drawbar with the maximum gross weight the trailer is designed for;

the plate should indicate

1. Manufacturer's name
2. Chasis or serial number
3. Number of axles
4. Maximum weight for each axle
5. Maximum load imposed on drawing vehicle
6. Maximum gross weight
7. Year of manufacture.

I had better go out and get one for my trailer then!

Never would I go so far as to "say" the guy that gave a ticket for this is a tosser, but the "thought" quickly springs to mind.

On the plus side, it's a construction and use offence, will be non
endurable and if you plead not guilty you may find the prosecutor cannot be bothered pursuing the offence in court. Then again, I may be completely wrong and you get banged up next to me when I get stopped with my dirt bike trailer.

All the best and thanks for the research.

CT
----------------------------------------------------------------
Brendan,

my apologies for the delay, thinking about Construction and Use saw me
heading off up the hills for some "Destruction and Abuse" on the Motocrosser.
Not professing to know huge amounts about trailers I have carried out some research for you. (yes I know I should know more about trailers, excuse me while I birch myself).

The reply is quite lengthy so if anyone else reading this is bored. Don't tab down!

Brakes
----------

Motor vehicle and Trailers first used on or after ! April 1983 must comply with the Construction, fitting and performance requirements of the EU Braking Directive rather than the traditional C and U requirements. The basis of assessing brake performance for the purposes of enforcement, hgv testing and so on, is the same.

Trailers constructed on or after ! January 1968 must have brakes acting on all wheels with maximum efficiencies equal to those on the drawing vehicle, emergency brakes acting on at least half the wheels and a parking brake capable of holding the trailer when stationary on a gradient not exceeding 1 in 6.25 (16%)

There are exemptions for trailers not exceeding 102kg unladen weight
manufactured before 1 October 1982, agricultural trailers, agricultural
trailed appliances, broken-down vehicles (which become a vehicle and a
trailer) and certain other trailers fitted with over-run brakes.

A trailer manufactured before 1 January 1997 and which has a maximum total design axle weight not exceeding 750kg is not required to have brakes but must have a safety secondary coupling device. (brake away cable to you and I) If brakes are fitted then they must comply with the EU Directive 91/422.

A divisional court (stated case) held that if a trailer is fitted with
brakes, they must be in efficient working order, even if the trailer is not required by law to have brakes.

NUMBER OF TRAILERS

Regulation 83 Road Vehicles (C and U) regs 1986

Trailers may not be drawn by a wheeled vehicle except:-

a heavy motor car or motor car (including a minibus, but no other bus) may draw:-
one trailer or two trailers, if one of them is a towing implement and part of the other is secured to and either rests on or is suspended fromthat implement,

a bus, not being an articulated bus, or mini-bus, may draw one trailer, if it is a broken down bus only the driver may be carried in the drawn vehicle,

a motorcycle may draw 1 trailer

a motor tractor may draw 1 trailer, or two unladen trailers

a locomotive may draw 3 trailers

an agricultural motor vehicle may draw:-

2 unladen agricultural trailers, or
2 agricultural trailed appliances, or
1 agricultural trailer (laden or unladen) and one agricultural trailed
appliance, or
non agricultural trailers only as permitted by classification of the drawing vehicle above.

A tracked motor vehicle, exceeding 8m overall length, may only draw a broken down vehicle being recovered.

A broken down, "unladen" articulated vehicle is treated as one trailer.

A straddle carrier, invalid carriage or an articulated bus may not draw any trailer.

A towed "agricultural" roller consisting of several separate rollers shall be treated as one appliance.

Discount trailers drawn by a steam powered vehicle used solely for carrying water for the drawing vehicle.

TOWING DISTANCE.

Regulation 86 RV (C and U) 1986

Where a trailer is attached to the vehicle in front of it solely by means of a rope or chain, the distance between the trailer and that vehicle:-

shall not exceed 1.5m unless the rope or chain is made clearly visible
shall not exceed 4.5m in any case.

TOW HITCHES - PASSENGER VEHICLE COUPLING DEVICES

Regulation 86B RV (CandU) 1986

Any mechanical coupling device which is attached to a light passenger vehicle subject to the type approval which is first used on or after 1 August 1998 must comply with the Community Directive 94/20. This applies to the tow hitch on the vehicle not to a device which is part of the trailer. The hitch will bear an E-mark.

SECONDARY COUPLING ON TRAILERS

Regulation 86A RV (CandU) regs 1986

Trailers must be fitted with

A device designed to stop the trailer automatically in the event of the main coupling detaching whilst in motion and if that device depends on a coupling to the motor vehicle then that coupling should be fitted,

or

If no such device is fitted then a secondary coupling must attach the trailer to the motor vehicle which would, in the event of the main coupling detaching, prevent the drawbar from touching the ground and allow some residual steering of the trailer.

EXEMPTIONS

Trailers which are exempt from the requirement to have EEC or ECE braking
systems fitted as required by regulation 15 except that trailers with a
maximum total design axle weight not exceeding 750kg which are manufactured
on or after 1/1/97 must comply with this regulation.

Trailers under 750kg manufactured from 1/1/97 must be stamped with the year
of manufacture on the chassis or fram clearly visible from the nearside.
(regulation 71A)

PASSENGERS IN TRAILERS

Regulation 90(1) RV (CandU) Regs 1986

A trailer shall not be used for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward on a road unless the trailer is, or is carrying, a broken down motor vehicle
and:-

the trailer is drawn at a speed not exceeding 30mph

and

in the case of broken down bus, the trailer is drawn by a rigid bar.

Regulation 90(3) RV (CandU) Regulations 1986

A wheeled trailer, being a living van with less than 4 wheels or with 4
wheels close coupled, shall not be used for the carriage of any passengers on
a road unless the trailer is being tested by:-

its manufacturer,
a person who is or has been repairing it
a distributor of, or dealer in, trailers

PARKING TRAILERS

Regulation 89 RV (CandU) 1986

A trailer shall not be parked on a road when detached from the drawing
vehicle unless one at least of the wheels (or tracks) of the trailer is
prevented from revolving by the setting of a parking brake or the use of a
chain, chock or other efficient device.



I have posted the main offences relative to the trailers, clearly there are more in relation to lighting, marking and spray suppression devices.

I used to have a "handy" book on trailers and manufacturing however, I think that is at the bottom of my bag which is at work.

Of note, I purchased that book from TOWSURE, they offer the most
comprehensive guide I managed to find.

In relation to your post, I don't consider the trailer has a requirement to have a plate fitted because it is not a "goods vehicle".

If the vehicle were to be a "goods vehicle" it would have a requirement for a manufacturers plate, indicating the plated weight.

I'll post more as I dig it out.

All the best,

CT

 

[hlb]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

So. As I understand it then. All trailers are built before 1982. Is this correct. Well thats OK then!

<font color=blue>
No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer<font color=blue>




Haydn

 

[BarryH]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Excellent reply, thanks to your Traffic Cop friend. Still a liitle puzzled though! Starts of by saying I'm banged to rights and would be better off in the body bag. Then ends up with, don't need to be plated coz its not a goods vehicle. So basically I would be better off having it plated to be on the safe side. Would this have to be a proper makers type plate, or could I make one from the stamps that I use for ringing the dodgy motor's......oops! only joking mr traffic cop!

Not heard much yet from the powers that be, and no summons through the post as yet!

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Ooops! Chronological...post at top says bang to rights, post underneath was before he went digging

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Way I understand it is that trailers should have a plate with details. Law doesn't seem to allow for self built. So, ''self build' manufacturers plate (proper looking) with all aforementioned details, rivet nicely to nearside towbar, and all will be well, as no database for anyone to look up

 

[BarryH]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Ah right. so basically I'm a condemned man! So plates, Making one is not a prob. Do the plates have to be E marked as well or, as said before, can I knock one up. Bit of a grey area this marking malarky. Can't find any info on the web. Cant see that it makes any difference as long as its got all the info on there so the cops can see it in writing, so to speak.

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Very grey. Should be a manufacturers plate.

If however, a genuine looking plate appeared on a trailer, who's specifications matched the look of the trailer and the trailer matched all other legal requirements as to brakes etc, and LOOKED in good nick, don' think the plod would take it further.

Wouldn't suggest you put a genuine plate on trailer yet though, as having already been nicked, if one appeared, it would be investigated! If no one has been pulled in, it would be a good idea to get a manufacturers plate before they are pulled. If you get my drift?

 

[BarryH]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Umm, but whats the chance of getting pulled by the same cop again! If its official looking they'll probably be none the wiser. Lets face it, your cop friend had to look it up. I don't think the average cop really knows what he's looking at. Many moons ago I had a ford pop with big block chevy complete with bug scoop and blower poking up through the bonnet. Got pulled by the cops and they said it was illegal. I said nuts was it. So cop called traffic unit in to have a look at it. Traffic cop said he didn't know so called in a further unit. They came along had a look and said can't see any probs with it. They were more interested as to who done the work. When I told'em it was me all they wanted to talk about was how long did it take was it hard and where the hell did I get a Wade R32 from with bug scoop in this country. So somehow, I think I like the cops not knowing too much about the construction of trailers!!!

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

>>So somehow, I think I like the cops not knowing too much about the construction of trailers!!!<<

<g> agreed!

I have asked him about other FAQ boating trailer stuff.. eg biggest boat trailerable by car,weight, overhangs (side and rear)

Thought it might be nice to get a reasonably clear picture. Might even go into Kim's FAQ section when he finally gets it going

 

[hlb]

Re: Trailer legalities. Warning, long post!

Anyway. Haveing read all this garbage. If I just tell em. Trailer is pre 1982. Or BC or whatever. Is that OK.

<font color=blue>
No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer<font color=blue>




Haydn