# A frame illegal in this country very soon????



## philelektra (Feb 9, 2008)

Is this wright, the A frame tow, They would be illegal in this country very soon.

I have been led to believe, they have been illegal in most EU countries for over 12 months and I was told that they will be illegal in this country from somewhere around 1st May 09. After that if you want to tow a car behind a motorhome it will have to be on a proper trailer.


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

That will be one less thing to argue about then:wink: :wink: 

Alan H


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

It another week yet!

Graham


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

It would be interesting to know the source of the rumour. If they have been illegal in Europe, how is it that the many members of this forum who regularly and recently tow on the Continent have never been prosecuted. 
I believe that for something to be made illegal it must first be admitted in law that it exists, that could be interesting.
Or... is this another one to be added to the pile that contains "G** Att***"?
Gerry


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## philelektra (Feb 9, 2008)

*Hi Gerry*



GerryD said:


> It would be interesting to know the source of the rumour. If they have been illegal in Europe, how is it that the many members of this forum who regularly and recently tow on the Continent have never been prosecuted.
> I believe that for something to be made illegal it must first be admitted in law that it exists, that could be interesting.
> Or... is this another one to be added to the pile that contains "G** Att***"?
> Gerry


Hi Gerry, Thank for all your help with this, I will do a bit of phoning tommor and see what i can come up with??
I will let you konw!!!
Thanks again phil & Anne


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Hope this answers your question
Note on A-Frames and Dollies, issued by the Department for Transport 
When an "A" frame is attached to a vehicle (e.g. a motor car) and towed by a motor vehicle (e.g. motorhome) we believe the "A" frame and car become a single unit and as such are classified in legislation as a trailer. As a consequence the car and A-frame are required to meet the technical requirements for trailers when used on the road in Great Britain. These requirements are contained within the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986/1078) as amended (C&U) and the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/1796) as amended (RVLR).

Trailers having a combined axle mass not exceeding 750kg are not required to have brakes fitted. However, if the trailer (regardless of mass) is fitted with a braking system, then all brakes in that system must operate correctly. The regulations do not include design constraints on how this should be achieved but, for example, it could be met by direct linking of the trailer brakes to the brake system of the towing vehicle or by automatic inertia (overrun) operation via the towing hitch. Inertia systems can only be used for trailers with a maximum combined axle mass of 3500kg.

Regulations 15 and 16 set out the braking requirements - including minimum braking efficiencies for trailer brakes. Subject to certain age exemptions, the regulation requires the braking system to comply with the construction, fitting and performance requirements of European Community Directive 71/320/EEC along with its various amending Directives. The most recent consolidated directive is 98/12/EC. Alternatively the braking system can comply with the corresponding UNECE Regulation No.13.09.

In addition, C&U Regulation 18 requires the braking system to be maintained in good and efficient working order. If the brakes of the towing vehicle do not directly operate the trailer brakes the use of an inertia (overrun) system is acceptable. If the trailer braking system has power assistance (i.e. servo or full power) it is likely that this assistance will be required while in motion to meet the required braking efficiencies. This is because once the vacuum reservoir is depleted it is possible that the brakes will not meet the braking efficiency. To prevent the trailer being used illegally a remote vacuum pump, powered from the tow vehicle, could be installed to recharge the reservoir, alternatively a source could be made available from the tow vehicle. From 1 October 1988 the inertia braking system was required to allow the trailer to be reversed by the towing vehicle without imposing a sustained drag and such devices used for this purpose must engage and disengage automatically. This will be very difficult to achieve on an "A" frame using an inertia (overrun) device.

Other provisions from Regulation 15 and Regulation 86A of C&U require the fitting and use of a secondary coupling system in which the trailer is stopped automatically if the main coupling separates whilst the combination is in motion. Alternatively, in the case of trailers up to a maximum mass of 1500kg, the drawbar must be prevented from touching the ground and the trailer able to retain some residual steering.

Whilst being towed, trailers are subject to the relevant requirements given in RVLR, including the use of triangular red reflectors. There would be further requirements for the display of the appropriate number plate, etc.

The use of "dollies" is intended for the recovery of broken down vehicles, not for the transportation of a vehicle from "A" to "B". Under Regulation 83 of C&U a motor car is permitted to tow two trailers when one of them is a towing implement and the other is secured to and either rests on or is suspended from the implement. Therefore as a trailer if the maximum laden weight of the dolly exceeds 750 kg it must be fitted with operational brakes, additionally the brakes on the wheels of the second trailer (the towed car) must work and meet the specified requirements. Again this would be very difficult for the rear brakes of a motor car, on their own, to meet the 50% braking efficiency required for a trailer. The dolly would also be required by Regulation 22 of C&U to be fitted with suspension. Regulations 19 and 22 in C&U permit a broken down vehicle to be recovered without complying with these requirements. However, there is further legislation under the Road Traffic Act that introduces a limitation on the maximum speed that the combination can be driven; this is 40mph on motorways and 20mph on other roads.

We do not supply copies of legislation but I have included some information on various sources where they can be obtained. If you would like to purchase printed copies of Statutory Instruments these are available from TSO:

The Stationery Office Tel: 0870 600 5522
PO Box 29 Fax: 0870 600 5533
St Crispins e-mail: [email protected]
Duke Street online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop 
Norwich NR3 1GN

Alternatively you can consult "The Encyclopaedia of Road Traffic Law and Practice" published by Sweet and Maxwell. This publication is updated regularly and is available in most city reference libraries.

EU Directives can be found at:
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/search/search_lif.html

UN-ECE Regulations can be found at: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs.html

From the above I hope it is clear that we believe the use of "A" frames to tow cars behind other vehicles is legal provided the braking and lighting requirements are met. However, while this is our understanding of the meaning of the Regulations, it is only the Courts which can reach a definitive interpretation of the law.

Alan Mendelson 
Primary Safety Branch 
Department for Transport

Regards

Dave P


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## camoyboy (May 9, 2005)

I guess this story came from the proper trailer people. Car-A-Tow were happy to take my money for a couple of bits I needed yesterday, no mention of me wasting my time fitting up my new car for just a few days.

I would have thought MMM would have it as front page news if this was true. 

Perhaps our resident A frame specialists can shed a bit of light on this?

Colin


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## bobandjane (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi we met this Frenchman in Jan / Febuary in France with his Toad, and he has NO Problem. We tow a car sometimes in the UK and France, and not had a problem.  Bob.


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## dreamchaserrv (May 1, 2005)

Have seen a number of French motorhomes towing on A frames this year . Now apparently allowed by the French. Talking to a German Moterhomer recently says they are looking at allowing them to be used by German moterhomes next year , as are Holland. Only pain in the backside still appears to be Spain :evil:


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## philelektra (Feb 9, 2008)

*Hi Bob*



bobandjane said:


> Hi we met this Frenchman in Jan / Febuary in France with his Toad, and he has NO Problem. We tow a car sometimes in the UK and France, and not had a problem.  Bob.


Hi Bob, first I must say nice motorhome!!! i wish 
Thank for your reply

Phil & Anne


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

Yet Spain is the only country where there is a decided reported case where an on the spot fine was remitted after appeal on basis that A frames were legal in UK and thus allowedfor temporary import under EU rules

Of course the construction and use regs for trailers are an EU regulation so if the auithorities in Holand, Germany and |France are allowing A frames it is just that they are considering their own rules in the light of the EU rules. I was never able to find a ban chapter and verse in the codes of those countries.

Actually there is virtually no car which will meet the trailer braking efficiency or reversing requirements any way but how are they going to test that


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi All

I posted on this a few months ago, I have been told it is to do with reversing in an emergency.

I have not been able to get any further info but someone must know officially. 

They would not be able to do anything about existing vehicles, if it is something, it would have to start on new ones from a given date.

Best Regards
Broom


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## redsocks (Oct 20, 2008)

*A frame towing*

Hi
True or not, Iread on a club site that Roadmarster of the USA
are setting up a distribution system in Amsterdam
Roadmarster receivd approval in 2008 for its towbar to be used
from the Dutch national police agency in the Neherlands which act
as a safty certification authority.
Roadmarster towbars were automatically certified for use in european 
countries. [Still pending in Germany ]
Full read up in the american magazine Motorhome march 2009.
AS I SAY TRUE OR NOT I hope it is true as I have a Roadmaster fitted
to my American motorhome. 
Some one will come up with the answer.
Regards to all
Bob


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