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  Disclaimer

Driving Licensing and Towing 

At a recent committee meeting the towing restrictions applying to younger drivers or more correctly anyone who has passed their driving test since 1^st January 1997 were brought up.  There followed a lively exchange and I undertook to get the correct information.

Those of you who passed before this date will have grandfather rights to B+E,Cl,C I +E, and are entitled to drive Vehicles up to 7.5 Tonnes and tow trailers over 750Kg, and may happily ignore the rest of this article.

If you passed your test after this date however, you will have a class B Licence which authorises you to drive a vehicle with a MAM (maximum. authorised mass) or Gross Vehicle Weight of up to 3.5 Tonnes, with no more than 8 passenger seats and a trailer up to 750Kg.  You may also drive a Class B vehicle and tow a trailer that exceeds 750Kg provided that:-

The combined MAM of both vehicle and trailer does not exceed 3.5 Tonnes and that the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the Unladen Weight of the towing vehicle.

For example:-
A vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 Tonnes and a MAM of 2 Tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 may be driven by the holder of a category B Licence as the combined MAM does not exceed 3.5 Tonnes and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.

If you drive a Landrover, Discovery or Range Rover and wish to tow a heavy trailer such as a caravan (most caravans) or a trialer on a trailer you will need a B+E Licence and will have to take a further test.

I have listed below the MAM of some of Solihull's finest, this was taken from sales literature that 1 have accumulated over the years and is intended as a guide.  For exact into check your Vin plate.

Our club trailer has a MAM of 1.29 Tonnes so can not be towed by anyone who has only Category B Licence. You must have B+E. (This assumes you are using a Landrover as tow vehicle.)

Perversely even if you have a Category C (old class 2 HGV) or Cl (up to 7.5 tonnes) you still cannot tow over 750Kg except as above, i.e. you cannot tow the Club trailer with any Landy.

Also while I'm spoiling your fun, Cat B holders who passed after Feb 2001 must take a moped riding course before they can ride on the road; us older folk can go out and kill ourselves without restriction. 

PeterMayer. (as treasurer he aini gonna pay your fines!Ed)