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Do I need a Tacho To Tow .VOSA Have Given Me Fine

by ian slater
(cumbria)

I was on my way to silloth market towing my wifes donut van. Vosa pulled me over and checked the van i was towing the trailer with and told me i need a tacho due to my van being plated 2800 and the trailer being plated to 1000 they then give me a £200 fine and a prohabition notice can they do this and do i really need a tacho fitted as i am only towing it 12 mile.

The trailer is registered to my wife and the van is registered to me i dont no if this makes a differance.
cheers
Ian

Comments for Do I need a Tacho To Tow .VOSA Have Given Me Fine

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Stopped by VOSA
by: Anonymous

Further to a previous comment, I thought that it was only a police officer in uniform that could stop you not a VOSA employee.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Towing a trailer
by: phil

Reading the comments and i'm still confused.
If I was to put a site cabin onto a trailer and tow it, say, 300 miles to site so I can use it for site storage, what are the rules regarding this??
I would use a 4x4 with a kerb weight of 2.2t, the cabin, 4x4 and trailer would belong to my company and any tools inside it. The cabin weighs approximately 620kg empty. The journey would take approx. 6 hours, however, it is not my main job.
Please help.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Poor legislation
by: Anonymous

Well it's very confusing I've been on the road for 3yrs towing for my business without tacho never been stopped and convinced i required one. So when I got my new van I had one fitted, sitting here trying to work out how to use it and checking the rules on driver hours etc I've discovered I may be exempt. It says on .gov website if you drive less than four hours a day! Gutted to think I've just spent £800 on it and now have to use it as it's fitted.
Don't get me started on towing capacities!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Confusing laws
by: AMV8

To anonymous with the vw crafter Your van has a GVT weight of 5500 kg. Your van has a MAM of 3500 kg leaving 2000 kgs left for a trailer. Your Brian James trailer has a MAM of 2000kgs so you are right on the money with your GVT weight.
Your trailer weighs 508 kg unladen, leaving 1492 kgs as the maximum weight of load that can be put on the trailer. If the astra van weight 1387 kgs then you were 105 kg under.

No offence committed.

These ridiculously laws are a prime example of a very strong argument to sticking 2 fingers up to Europe.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Towing and Tacho
by: Graham

I think you will find that you can tow the vehicle without Tacho as long as the journey is no more than 30 Miles.

I would look into this fact if I were you.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		50 km rule
by: Phil

As an update the 50km rule from home in relation to not needing a tacho has been changed to 100km now! Does help a bit but still stupid rules but only if NOT hire or reward good old vosa 👮🏻
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Tacho
by: Anonymous

If remember rightly there is an exemption if you only travel within 65 miles of your base you'll need to check the mileage
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Tachometer
by: Anonymous

Hi I need some help I've Balt a t460 transit that has a tachometer in it but I don't don't tow a trailer ever do have to use it
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Its Right Sorry,
by: Items2Go

Yeah its because you Was Plated at 3800Kg, and the limit is 3500Kg. Its Shit i know. If the Trailer Was Smaller as wld not have been over 3500Kg Combination Weight.It was yr Wife's trailer so u wasn't doing it for hire reward but u was still over Weight. Laws here are Crazy as i Also have CPC which is Also Heap of Crap. Some Idiots Brainwave in Parliament.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		NO TACHO £300 fine
by: Anonymous

Pulled by VOSA today towing my 10ft Box trailer with my L200 4x4. I am self employed pulling the trailer that I use as a walk on mobile greengrocers. They gave me a prohibition notice and a £300 fine and cautioned me at the roadside. Someone has mentioned that if you are self employed and within 50k of your base which I am and I was then a tacho is not needed. DOes anybody know the rules for certain Thanks in advance
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Tacho Law
by: Ben

Hi
I am looking at getting a crewcab pickup for buisness and private use. i will also need a 3500kg trailer. i was wondering, if i have a tacho fitted for when im using the trailer do i have to use the tacho all the time? like when i am working but without the trailer?

Any comment much appreiciated
Thanks
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Tachos on 4x4/pickup and small van when towing
by: Neil

h costs of up to £2000 for the tacho equipment, download equipment etc. It is quite un realistic for small weekend hobby business, farming community and others. Please support this e petition and create some sensible discussion.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/70380
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		yes and no
by: Anonymous

the rules for the requirement to have a tacho are unfortunately based on european law, therefore they are messed up french rules that let farmers off everything but screw the rest of us. basically if its over 3500kg GTW and its used for business you need a tacho.

Doesn't matter who owns the towing vehicle or the trailer. if however you are a self employed tradesman who tows a trailer with all your tools and materials in you don't as long as your within 50kms of home, this would cover burger vans etc.
somebody with a flat bed truck with a car on it towing a trailer with another car on would need a tacho, even if you are a motor trader the vehicles don't count as tools of the trade.

For a father towing a horse box with his daughters horse to a riding competition you don't need a tacho, same person driving the horse to a stud farm would.
hope this helps
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		help!
by: sascha

Do i need a tacho to tow a caravan, on a ford transit, as I use the Transit to transport goods, but the caravan to sleep in during the 6 weeks of trade?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		stop and vehicle inspection..
by: leehoo

Did you know that if a vehicle up to 3500kg is stopped so that VOSA or the police want to Inspect it under the Road Traffic Act. The first thing you should ask is, do they know if there is a fault with the Vehicle. If that say no thats why they want to inspect it. Then under the Road Traffic Act you have the right to have a Deferred Inspection at a place and time of your connivence.
This only applies to vehicles up3500kg. And they don't know if there are any faults with it. So if they have seen say a brake light bulb out, they have the right to check the whole vehicle.
EX VOSA Vehicle Examiner.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		VOSA....TWATS
by: Anonymous

I have been stopped twice now with my 6m catering trailer and a 350 transit....Mass combined weight exceeding 3.5t.

I have drove away on both accounts as i am lead to believe the following I own the van and the trailer and all goods/equipment and food inside now this is where it gets interesting.

You only need a taco if you are getting paid to move the load hire or reward as lets say I'm on my way to an event no cash has yet been taken no reward no taco needed.

On my way home pocket full of cash how ever the event has finished and all trading has stopped not being paid to go home no taco needed. How if i was being paid in advance to go cook for a wedding taco needed, as i have been rewarded for the work I'm doing TACO NEEDED.

If i was taking a mates trailer and he paid my fuel TACO NEEDED. If you have a horse box and your daughter has been to a event and she has won a prize for entering a jump off guess what HIRE AND REWARD TACO NEEDED.

If in your not sure VOSA are self funded they only work 9am-5pm travel before they get up or when they are at home....SO IF YOUR GETTING PAID IN ANY WAY for towing a trailer its a reward, then TACO NEEDED
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Tachographs
by: Anonymous

I was also pulled towing a trailer i had a machine on it at the time i was fined and had to fit a tachograph after getting all the quotes in all around £1400 i ended up buying a full kits from WWW.VDOTACHOGRAPH.CO.UK and only paid £725 fitted it myself and had it calibrated for £60 thats a massive saving...
It even came with full fitting instructions and was very easy to do
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		What happens if ...
by: diba1958

Hello, with interest i have read these posts, but I need an advice.
My wife is self-employed, has no driving license and carries a business as market caterer on continental markets all over UK.
The whole market equipment is in a 2750 Gross weight box trailer.

Case 1: The trailer is towed by me, with a car 4x4 registered on my name, and I have nothing to do with the business, I only tow my wifes thing from A to B.

Case 2: My wife runs as self-employed a trailer rental business. I rent the trailer from her and run as self-employed as well the catering business, towing the trailer from A to B.

Anything what VOSA can do?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		REF TACHO / TOWING
by: ROCHDALE AUTO RESCUE

In may this year i got stopped in stafford by VOSA in a transit ST van with a brian james tri axle car transporter trailer carrying a transit st van and was told if i was to use this vehicle for such use ie business i must fit a tacho in which i did straight away at the cost of £1200 i since got stopped by vosa a week ago with a little renault kangoo van in sussex and was prohibited to go any further claiming i was 970 kgs over weight.why didn't vosa at stafford tell me that my van and trailer could only carry approx 250 kgs legally before they had me fit the tacho?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		vosa help
by: Anonymous

vosa well what can i say, them good old boys pull me today, so i am needing some help here guys, i run my own small business moving new used and damaged cars for customers been doing this for 4yrs, the truck in qustion is a vw crafter 3500kg with a train weight of 5500kg on the truck was an vauxhall astra van (1387kg) on the trailer was the same (brian james clubman 2000kg)(508 unladed) my total weight was 5536kg in total, so was 36kgs over, now the best bit was told i need a tacho to do this, i am not up to date with this so all the help will be appreciated..............
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		vosa prats
by: cardiff boy

i had a chuckle when i saw this post ,having been in haulage for the past 20 odd years ive had my fair share with these muppets,well 2 weeks ago i bought a catering trailer and was towing it back from london and was pulled at the coldra ,jct 28 m4,after the vosa guy spent half an hour lecturing me on towing a LARGE TRAILER like this (12 ft),he put a prohibition on mine too,saying the brakes didnt work,and funny that ,i said its all brand new,and as a matter of fact i can tow safetly as i drive 44 ton trucks for a living,he then tried that tacho lark on me and i had to inform him ,this was not being used for business as i was only transporting it back home ,he walked away looking rather stupid.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		vosa are wrong YEE HAA
by: ian

Thank you for the prompt replys, After badgering Vosa for 2 weeks about the 50k limit, they relented and removed the prohabition of both van and trailer with no explanation, so i asume the 50k applies to me, i am awaiting a court date to contest the fine, after all they cant fine me for somthing i did not need in the first place (wot a waist of tax payers money.

Thank you for the help
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		VOSA
by: ricam

IF you are less than 50 kms from your base and you need the trailer with whatever is in it or on it to carry out your buisness/trade then I believe you do not need a tacho fitted.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		VOSA Do Have The Power To Stop You
by: David

Hi Ian,

Can't really be of much help with this one, as it's never happend to me.But I do know that VOSA have the power to stop drivers, lorry drivers if they think or have some reason to suspect something is not right with the vehicle.

Here is an article I found, hopefully someone else can comment and give you some better information
Towing With Car

Regards
David

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