Trailer Registration for Europe

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

I was wondering if you register a trailer with its own number and put the plate on it and use it in the UK instead of the tow vehicle plate how the BiB will favour it.

The blurb on the website is all about use in mainland Europe, but could be interesting to ‘lose’ the tractor / tow vehicle plate from the trailer in this country!

I’m guessing that these trailer numbers will be on a DVLA database, and be accessible by other countries that have data ‘sharing’ arrangements in place?

Convenient if not.....

[andrewc]

It was I who posted that on the Mono forum, having received the email as being on the DVLA's books as a registered supplier of number plates.

Yes, no actual information on how to register less than 3 months from implementation...

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

I was wondering if you register a trailer with its own number and put the plate on it and use it in the UK instead of the tow vehicle plate how the BiB will favour it.

The GOV.UK note in post #1 states:
"When registered, trailers must display a trailer registration number plate as well as the registration number plate of the towing vehicle."

[Gerard C]

Tim, feel free to correct but I wonder about your '97: may be its a typo and we should read '79 instead? Around one year from here, Gordon was talking about the spanish gov' studying new rules for the foreign driving licences. Then came up the special allowances list, "code 79" is one of those, and I recall Gordon saying that he'd better keep his english licence till it lasts.

[Terence Bower]

Passing a Polizei van and trailer yesterday, thought of this topic. Trailers here always have their own plate, whereas the towing vehical has its own as well. So why has Britain decided on two plates for the trailer? Muddled thinking as usual(like Brexit)

[Gerard C]

At first glance, OK with you Terence, sounds like an unnecessary hassle. Looking forward, it makes sens for the big "semi remorques", for instance a big UK tractor towing a huge polish trailer. In case of incident, dont your think it will be easier to identify the driver? If they can't be considered as "go fast" some are good runaway!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

The GOV.UK note in post #1 states:
"When registered, trailers must display a trailer registration number plate as well as the registration number plate of the towing vehicle."

Yes, but thats when being used in mainland Europe countries that require them. Tim was talking about use in the UK. Interesting that it says that the trailer plate should be located as far from the tow vehicle plate as possible. Most trucks have them fairly close if not next door.

Terence, it’s just UK catching up with a Euro convention- eventually! And I doubt anything to do with leaving the EU, as if we’re not in it we don’t need to conform.... As Gerard says, it should allow trailers to be more easily traced if the number is permanently attached.

Still puzzled as to why Spain not requiring the plates though, as they’ve always had separate trailer numbers.....

[Gerard C]

Yes Mike, in the case a foreign trailer alone comes to your country by ferry, it will be towed by a UK tractor. In this case, a good thing to have the two numbers clearly displayed.
I won't make any comment about Spanish truckers having seen some driving around 75 mph at night…

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Terence, it’s just UK catching up with a Euro convention- eventually! And I doubt anything to do with leaving the EU, as if we’re not in it we don’t need to conform.... As Gerard says, it should allow trailers to be more easily traced if the number is permanently attached.

I would hazard a guess that it is more to do with the fact that the UK Parliaments (both Houses) voted last year to incorporate all the EU conventions and rules into UK legislation.

This is the thing that makes me laugh about the whole Brexit idea of the UK regaining it's sovereignty. People seem to forget that until our own Parliaments have debated and voted on all the stuff that comes out of Brussels that it doesn't have any force in the UK.

OK, the European Court may take a view on a matter that they consider doesn't meet EU standards, but, nevertheless, the UK can still create it's own version of what they think the EU meant to regulate. However, with the huge EU Bill passed last year, hundreds or possibly thousands of conventions, regulations and rules were incorporated into UK statute with virtually no debate. The idea is that our Parliaments will debate all these matters in the years to come with a view on whether the UK wants to keep them on the Statute Book or not. And that should keep them from introducing any new legislation for decades, if they actually bother to do it anyway.

And they talk about taking back control!

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Yes, but thats when being used in mainland Europe countries that require them. Tim was talking about use in the UK. .............

Yes, I read his mention of the BiB meaning our police not the foreign ones. There's nothing in the legislation suggesting the removal of the towing vehicle's plate so that will still be on the trailer. If used internationally then the additional trailer plate will be on it too. I can't see anyone bothering to remove the trailer plate when it returns to the UK so it will then carry both.
Tim said 'instead of the tow vehicle plate' which wouldn't happen?
Good example of how hard it can be to interpret official documents...

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Tim, feel free to correct but I wonder about your '97: may be its a typo and we should read '79 instead? Around one year from here, Gordon was talking about the spanish gov' studying new rules for the foreign driving licences. Then came up the special allowances list, "code 79" is one of those, and I recall Gordon saying that he'd better keep his english licence till it lasts.

Gerard, the date is 1997. When the UK harmonised our licences with Europe they were going to make everyone take a trailer test if the combination was over 3500kg gross (B+E) and a test for any vehicle over 3500kg up to 7500kg gross (C1) but industry said it would be too expensive to train everyone up and get them tested so we have grandfather rights if your passed your driving test before 1997.
If you passed after 1997 then you have to take the relevant tests. I have a C+E licence but on my C1E category it has a 107 code which means I can only gross to 8250kg with a trailer attached to a 7500kg truck, I assume my C+E overrides it but I've never put it to the test.
If Gordon means licence codes then our code 79 means restricted to certain classes

Originally Posted by MGDavid

The GOV.UK note in post #1 states:
"When registered, trailers must display a trailer registration number plate as well as the registration number plate of the towing vehicle."

Where are you supposed to put two plates, mine barely has room for one

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Terence, it’s just UK catching up with a Euro convention- eventually! And I doubt anything to do with leaving the EU, as if we’re not in it we don’t need to conform.... As Gerard says, it should allow trailers to be more easily traced if the number is permanently attached.

I believe the thinking is that we will have to adopt EU regs for driving or we wont be able to drive in Johnny Foreigners countries. At the moment we can adopt which rules we want and discard any we don't and the EU have to accept it.

[Gerard C]

Thanks for the clarification Tim, I was wrong about the date and you're right. As you say "code 79" is restricted not it terms of weight but of class, the vehicle must be registered or modified as a "camping car".

I guess its the right moment for you to adopt any rule you want, how the EU could put a veto on that?

[Terence Bower]

BTW, Anyone got their IDP yet? RAC is the best route.

[Mike Bell]

‘From February 1st International Driving Permits will only be issued by post offices.’

That from the RAC website....

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/d...ts-and-brexit/