Confusion over towing regs leaves industry vulnerable

Confusion over the towing regulations is leading to hundreds of prosecutions per year, according to figures from the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency. It prosecuted more than 1,000 drivers of vehicles below 3.5t last year - three quarters of them for overloading.

Many plant firms make a virtue of being able to tow their machines behind, for instance, a pick-up, but users need to take many factors into account.

"There are two important factors to determine: the gross vehicle weight and the gross train weight - both should be on the vehicle plate or in the vehicle's handbook," said Sally Thornley, head of compliance information at the Freight Transport Association (FTA). "There is also the consideration of the weight of the trailer and whether the machine is supplied with additional buckets or attachments that can push the weight over the limit," she added.

A lightweight plant trailer weighs about 650kg, which has to be taken into account, and the towing capacity on some pick-ups is as low as 1.6t. Users removing weight from the towing vehicle to remain under the gross train weight should usually ensure the actual weight of the trailer and load does should not exceed 70% of the actual weight of the drawing vehicle (together with load) to prevent snaking.

There is another layer of confusion as to whether vehicles and trailers with a gross combination weight above 3.5t require a tachograph regardless of the load on the trailer.

In general Thornley said they would, but she added that there are 27 exemptions, including 'tools of the trade' (see story below, left), that contractors may be able to use provided the combination was not above 7.5t or operating beyond 50km from base. But she added that this would not be applicable for plant hirers or plant dealers delivering machines.

The FTA has published a Small Vehicles Towing Trailers poster, available through its website.