B + E Trailer Test

Has this been posted yet? The driving licence you need to tow a caravan or trailer : Directgov - Motoring

@ howardo:-
"Car licences held before 1 January 1997

All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM."

GRATCH said:

Has this been posted yet? The driving licence you need to tow a caravan or trailer : Directgov - Motoring

@ howardo:-
"Car licences held before 1 January 1997

All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM."

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oooo thats good......always thought it were 7.5t

.pdf from the VSA here is interesting:

Site:
Vehicle standards: safety

Direct link:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/info_trailers.pdf

redhand said:

Right I have emailed VOSA asking for clarification. As soon as they reply i will post it on here..


Watch this space. ??

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Did you ever hear from VOSA?

Wouldn't imagine so. I certainly couldn't fine any further clarification anywhere.

Langers said:

You might be interested to know that if your dad sits in the passenger seat, you're provisionally entitled to the B+E license (so you could in fact do the towing, with L plates attached to the front and rear). However, on your own, it would be illegal for you to tow it even empty.

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HI again planning to pick a discovery up on my trailer thought i'd drive as you've now told me I can but am I allowed on motor ways with L plates.
???????????????????????????????

No

The Mad Hat Man said:

No

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Oh poo, dad can drive then. Thanks for the speedy reply.

If you have the B licence...then yes...you CAN drive on motorway with L plates - part of the B+E test around here involves motorway driving. Same applies to Cat C1, C, D, C&E, D&E.....

So yes and no then.

mmmmm where can I find out for sure?

steve's P38 RR said:

mmmmm where can I find out for sure?

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Ask DVLA, ask VOSA, ask any driving instructor that does trailer work, ask any HGV driving instructor, hang around the coffee stall outside your local friendly test centre......or try standing in the middle of the motorway and see if any others are doing so

steve's P38 RR said:

mmmmm where can I find out for sure?

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You could have looked at your driving licence. Its not that detailed, but refers to document INS57P, which is available on the internet:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_067673.pdf

If you:
• have provisional entitlement to drive cars with trailers (category B+E) and have passed a test for car (category B);

....

you [FONT=Helvetica 55 Roman,Helvetica 55 Roman][FONT=Helvetica 55 Roman,Helvetica 55 Roman]may drive [/FONT][/FONT]on the motorway as long as you are supervised and are displaying ‘L’ plates. If you do not meet these conditions you could be fined up to £1000, be disqualified (banned) from driving or have three to six penalty points on your licence.

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steve's P38 RR said:

HI again planning to pick a discovery up on my trailer thought i'd drive as you've now told me I can but am I allowed on motor ways with L plates.
???????????????????????????????

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No you can't drive a B+E vehicle on the motorway on L plates - See this link

Headtester said:

No you can't drive a B+E vehicle on the motorway on L plates - See this link

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YOUR OWN LINK suggests you can. To quote directly from it:

Provisional licence holders (who have a full Cat B licence) may drive ....... B+E vehicles on the motorway - they must compy with provisional licence conditions, L-plates, supervision etc.

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If you think your link shows that you can't, please can you quote the section of text saying so, thanks!

Paul, You could be right there. Having read the text again I'm not so sure now! However if you click the sub-link which takes you to this page it seems to say that you can't if you held your licence before 1997 but can if you hold a post 1997 licence??

More digging required me thinks.

B & E ... kindergarten stuff..........

Try splashing the money out of a C & E with and advance status & unresticted licence, ie any weight or size towing capacity

Headtester said:

Paul, You could be right there. Having read the text again I'm not so sure now! However if you click the sub-link which takes you to this page it seems to say that you can't if you held your licence before 1997 but can if you hold a post 1997 licence??

More digging required me thinks.

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If you have a pre 1997 licence then you'll either be provisional B, or full B (normal car bit). If you pass B, you get B+E too as a full entitlement. So its a non-issue.

To put it another way, if you hold a provisional car licence (B), you're not allowed on a motorway.

If you hold a full car licence (B only) but only provisional on B+E, you ARE allowed on a motorway while towing ie using the B+E not just towing on what's allowed on the B part.

paul_c said:

If you have a pre 1997 licence then you'll either be provisional B, or full B (normal car bit). If you pass B, you get B+E too as a full entitlement. So its a non-issue.

To put it another way, if you hold a provisional car licence (B), you're not allowed on a motorway.

If you hold a full car licence (B only) but only provisional on B+E, you ARE allowed on a motorway while towing ie using the B+E not just towing on what's allowed on the B part.

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I think you may well be right - I'll try and remember to check with the B+E guru when I'm back at work later next week.

I checked up on this and the answer is yes you can drive a B+E on a motorway as a learner with L plates and an accompanying driver who has full B+E entitlement.