# 45' to 50'



## 97785 (Feb 19, 2006)

I was driving locally yesterday and saw what I thought to be a 45' coach. I noted down the company and contacted them and asked how long the coach was and they replied saying they had a 45' and 50' coach. I assume this is legal. Why can't we have RV's in the UK at this length? Is it due to the passenger side of things?

Any comments would be appreciated.

Craig


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Hi

Maximum permitted length of a rigid vehicle is 12 mt. = 39.37 ft

Articulated vehicles 16.5 mt = 54 ft

http://www.haguidetofreight.co.uk/TechnicalInfo/id235.htm

An articulated coach ( bendy bus ) could be what he was referring to. 
Articulated RVs are now produced in the USA .. perhaps you could import one of these if 12mt is too short.. :lol:


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## 97785 (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks for the facts on this. But this coach was definatly over 12 metres. Also I was looking through one of the past ARVE magazine and its got a pic of a 50ft coach. Does anybody know why these coaches are permited in europe? Maybe there needs to be at least 16 seats for passengers?!?! I don't know. Any advice would be great.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

hi under recent government legalisation coachs up to 50' are allowed on our roads, this does not apply to RV's only passenger coachs. don't know about europe.

Olley


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

olley said:


> hi under recent government legalisation coachs up to 50' are allowed on our roads, this does not apply to RV's only passenger coachs. don't know about europe.
> 
> Olley


Hi Olley

Where did you find this information? I have the 2005 year book on road haulage law and it's not mentioned


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## 97785 (Feb 19, 2006)

So I could have a 45' RV that is classed as a passenger vehicle? How many passengers would it need to accomodate?


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## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

Am i missing something here, why on earth would someone want a 50ft m/h, do they want too carry the dagenham girl pipers band, take 50 passengers to watch a liverpool match or to say look what i got. I think you would have extreme problems with a m/h of that size getting on any site due too weight and length. take a look at the members pictures and see where they go and the beautiful places they see and then tell me you can do that with a 50 footer. For £300.000 plus for a decent new one i could think of something better to do. My sister in law is th P. A. for one of the most prestigous rv maker companies in the the U.S. $1,000,000 + rv's and they will not even import one too the uk. I know it's horses for courses and that if youve got it flaunt it can apply it is just i cannot see the logic.


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## Malc (May 9, 2005)

Hi,
I thought unless, I see otherwise in legislation, the max for the UK is 12m long by 2.55 wide.Thats for a rigid of course, artics are a different ballgame.
Malc


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

ScotJimland said:


> Hi Olley
> Where did you find this information? I have the 2005 year book on road haulage law and it's not mentioned


Sitting at the outpatients at our local hospital last month reading commercial motor? as you do :lol: it was talking about one of the bus companies running them on the M1. amazing what you can learn in the outpatients :lol:

Dagenham girl pipers!!! now that brings back memories, but dad used to love the pipes, every Sunday morning on they went, along with the massed bands of the Scottish regiments. 
Have to admit to liking them myself. 8O I have had counselling over this but they said i was a hopeless case. :lol: tone deaf apparently

Olley


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

WDB,

Did it look something like this??










The inside looks like this.


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## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

Mike_p I do not think speed ferries would take your rv as they do not allow trailers :lol: how about this one for around £10.000


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## Malc (May 9, 2005)

I think this will clear up the discussion regarding sizes.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d15/vc35400.htm
Malc


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

Hi *Malc*. That does not apply to all the states of America. :wink:


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## 97785 (Feb 19, 2006)

Is there a UK version of this regarding passenger vehicles?


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Malc said:


> I think this will clear up the discussion regarding sizes.
> http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d15/vc35400.htm
> Malc


The discussion was about the size of coach allowed in the UK .. not USA

I stand by my first post ... 12 mt for a rigid vehicle


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi jim in the same mag there was a piece about permitting 60 and 80 ton road trains, with a pic. of a 60 ton one sitting in a haulers yard.

The government are considering these options to help alleviate the shortage in drivers.

Olley


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

olley said:


> Hi jim in the same mag there was a piece about permitting 60 and 80 ton road trains, with a pic. of a 60 ton one sitting in a haulers yard.
> 
> The government are considering these options to help alleviate the shortage in drivers.
> 
> Olley


Hi Olley 
Yes I've read about these proposals, I don't disbelieve what you read, but I'll be dammed if I can find any regulations that say a coach can be more than 12 mt .. 
I have written to the FTA (Freight Transport Association) asking for clarification.. I've not had a reply yet.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi jim just remembered the name >>>here<<<

Olley


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

A picture is worth a thousand words .. thanks Olley 

Now I just need to find the regulation that permits this, it's bugging me now :?


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Happy to help jim, of all the mags to read, i pick commercial motor, bit of a saddo really, along with the pipes dad instilled a love of all things mechanical. 

But as for needing to finding the regs 8O i feel nearly normal now :lol: :lol: 

Olley


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

olley said:


> of all the mags to read, i pick commercial motor, bit of a saddo really,


I usually read the teen mags .. that's even sadder :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

>Now I just need to find the regulation that permits this, it's bugging me now<

Jim,

Shall I allow you the pleasure to continue looking?

Dave


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Dave 

Go on .. "Make My Day" ... :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Tell me you found it.. :?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Well the two key references, I believe, are:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20032428.htm

which invokes:

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/l_079/l_07920030326en00060013.pdf

See page 6 for the diagram with fixed bus with more than 2 axles. The legal maximum is not defined simply as a length, as previous consultation rightly identified the constraint as one of manoeuvrability due to infrastructure, so that's what was legislated for. You can see from the diagram, however, that a bus of 15m can hack it with adequate steering geometry.

Dave


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Thanks Dave.. your a real ferret :lol: :lol: 

I'll sleep easier now .. :wink:


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## 97842 (Feb 23, 2006)

That commercial motor magazine you were reading in outpatients..... I bet it was 10 years old. I went to the dentist the other day, not one damn mens mag, all girlie mags - hello, o.k and all that rubbish. I would have been grateful for a commercial motor mag, 10 years old + would have done ha ha.


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## 97785 (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks for that bit of info. So can we make a conclusion from this or not? Is it possible to have a 45' RV in the UK under the coach laws?

Craig


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

I have had a reply from the FTA: 

Max legal coach lengths.. 

Double axle = 13.5 mt , 44.29 ft

Tag Axle = 15mt , 49.21 ft 

Articulated = 18.75, 61.5ft

Whether this would apply to an RV is open to question and like many other legal things regarding RVs it falls into a grey area.
Stay legal and stay below 12 mt is my advice.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

It all depends whether this is only for coachs or for HGV's as well, if it is then by the DVLA's on critera as PHGV's, then it seems to me that they must be allowed to go to longer providing they can meet the turning circle and rear overhang requirments.

Olley


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

8O Just something to think about on this subject. Sandy told me she was reading an article last week (can't remember where) that a dealer down South had imported several over 40ft RV's and was having problems registering them in the UK. :?


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

olley said:


> It all depends whether this is only for coachs or for HGV's as well,


The guy I spoke to made said this was for coaches only, freight regulations were as previously quoted. He didn't know about RVs :roll:


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

According to the ARVE mag. Travel World are importing 41' monaco's without any problems.

If their usual measurements are anything to go by, they will be nearer 42 than 41

Olley


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

*Is it a Coach or an RV ?*

Have a look at these....

http://www.jumbocruiser.com/interiors_starline.htm

Classed as a coach but more like an RV .. :?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

"If their usual measurements are anything to go by, they will be nearer 42 than 41 "

olley,

Well Monaco are hardly alone. I must confess the psychology/ marketing of RV lengths leaves me completely flummoxed:

1) The RVs are in truth longer than the serial numbers suggest. 

2) So logically they are trying to persuade punters they are smaller than they really are.

3) But RVs in the States form a strongly competitive market, where perceived bang-for-your-buck is absolutely key.

4) Unlike over here, there is a much smaller operational penalty of having a big coach.

5) So shouldn't it be the other way around?

Dave


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi dab, perhaps like everything else in america, their inches are bigger than ours :wink: 

Olley


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