D_shooter Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 I see the test requirement is being scrapped. Anyone know why?? Shame I recently spent hundreds doing it. link to details https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a-trailer-or-caravan-with-a-car-from-autumn-2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 To free up spaces for hgv tests i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 44 minutes ago, D_shooter said: I see the test requirement is being scrapped. Anyone know why?? Shame I recently spent hundreds doing it. link to details https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a-trailer-or-caravan-with-a-car-from-autumn-2021 Yes we found that out last night. I don't agree with it, if I'm honest, but I'm happy to benefit! Having to print out millions of new licences for all us post 1997 drivers is gonna vex the DVLA, and anything that vexes the DVLA is fine by me; they're so difficult to deal with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 47 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said: Yes we found that out last night. I don't agree with it, if I'm honest, but I'm happy to benefit! Having to print out millions of new licences for all us post 1997 drivers is gonna vex the DVLA, and anything that vexes the DVLA is fine by me; they're so difficult to deal with They won't print new ones now. You'll just have B+E added when you next change your licence for whatever reason. It'd be easier to just make the B entitlement cover trailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 7 minutes ago, walshie said: They won't print new ones now. You'll just have B+E added when you next change your licence for whatever reason. It'd be easier to just make the B entitlement cover trailers. Ah thanks for that, I think I misinterpreted this line in the guidance 'DVLA will update your driving licence record to show that you’re allowed to tow trailers. You’ll get category BE added to your driving licence when you get a new photocard driving licence. You do not need to contact DVLA for this to happen. It will be done automatically.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 Been towing trailers with cars, 4x4s and tractors etc for over 60 years and did not know that I am supposed to pass a test. Reminds me of a fantastic day on the partridges in Norfolk in company with the owner of the local bus company. He was 30 years going on 84 and the suthorities had just told him he had to take a test to drive one of his coaches which he had been doing for over 50yrs. He was not a happy bear. If his ability with a shotgun was to be taken into account then he didn't need a test to to drive a coach. Glad I wasn't a partridge on that day and what a fantastic guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 19 minutes ago, Walker570 said: Been towing trailers with cars, 4x4s and tractors etc for over 60 years and did not know that I am supposed to pass a test. Reminds me of a fantastic day on the partridges in Norfolk in company with the owner of the local bus company. He was 30 years going on 84 and the suthorities had just told him he had to take a test to drive one of his coaches which he had been doing for over 50yrs. He was not a happy bear. If his ability with a shotgun was to be taken into account then he didn't need a test to to drive a coach. Glad I wasn't a partridge on that day and what a fantastic guy. You don't. Only if you passed your driving test after 1997. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 4 hours ago, chrisjpainter said: I don't agree with it, if I'm honest, but I'm happy to benefit! Am in two minds too, but I glad I held off doing it now! Although, I'm not holding my breath, I've got a funny feeling this will get 'elf and safety'd out of existence and quietly dropped. Though, if they do *** rid of it, at least it will finally get rid of this perverse effect, whereby you could tow Quote 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) In other words, the lighter the vehicle (and therefore more unsuited to towing) the heavier trailer you could tow. A family saloon dragging a hulking great double-axle tupperware ****oire? No problem! A Discovery II, built for towing. Keep it below a tonne or you're nicked, son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 1 hour ago, udderlyoffroad said: Am in two minds too, but I glad I held off doing it now! Same as me, I've been saying about doing mine for a while, now won't need too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigroomboy Posted September 11, 2021 Report Share Posted September 11, 2021 Best news from a law change change a while. It never did really make sense and was so complicated I don't think the police every really enforced it. I expect as well as the HGV backlog this is also driven by the caravan industry because it was ruining it as more and more people required the extra licence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 I messaged a mate last night who the police caught towing a trailer which he has been doing for years and years as part of his business and he was contemplating buying a transit to use as the queue was so long . So anyway he sits his test and passes it then they scrap it i asked if he was entitled to a refund of his £500 he was told No because that was the law at that time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellors Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 On 11/09/2021 at 14:34, chrisjpainter said: Ah thanks for that, I think I misinterpreted this line in the guidance 'DVLA will update your driving licence record to show that you’re allowed to tow trailers. You’ll get category BE added to your driving licence when you get a new photocard driving licence. You do not need to contact DVLA for this to happen. It will be done automatically.' Will it also change for over 70 as at the moment a d4 and medical is required 🤔. Just sorting mine out now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 1 hour ago, mellors said: Will it also change for over 70 as at the moment a d4 and medical is required 🤔. Just sorting mine out now. No, I think that stays as is as far as I can tell, which seems odd as I can imagine there's a healthy percentage of the caravan owners who are in that group as well as in the farming community Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cawdor118 Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 Did mine a year ago at about £500. Bloody typical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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