Towing a Mobile Belfry
Disclaimer
The information below is only for general guidance. You should make your own enquires specific to your particular vehicle and driving licence and satisfy yourself that you meet all the legal requirements.
What is the required legal minimum towing capacty of the vehicle?
| Mobile Belfry | Towing Capacity Required |
|---|---|
|
The Charmborough Ring |
2,100kg |
|
The Lichfield Diocesan Mobile Belfry |
2,000kg |
|
The Touring Tower |
1,475kg |
Towing capacity of cars
Different variants of the same model have different maximum towing capacities. Whether it is a manual or automatic, petrol or diesel, and the engine capacity are all factors that affect the towing capacity.
Cars to tow up to 1,800 kg
What Cars Can Tow Up To 1,800kg (1.8 Tonne)? (towingcapacity.co.uk)
Cars to tow up to 2,000kg
What Cars Can Tow Up To 2000kg (2 Tonne)? (towingcapacity.co.uk)
Cars to tow up to 2,500kg
What Cars Can Tow Up To 2500kg (2.5 Tonne)? (towingcapacity.co.uk)
Electric cars
Can electric cars tow? | What Car?
Braked and unbraked
All three mobile belfries come on trailers that have integral braking systems, so they are ‘braked’ trailers.
Maximum authorised mass
Maximum authorised mass (MAM) means the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road. This is also known as gross vehicle weight (GVW) or permissible maximum weight. It will be listed in the owner’s manual and is normally shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle.
Gross train weight
The plate or sticker may also show a gross train weight (GTW), also sometimes called gross combination weight (GCW). This is the total weight of the tractor unit plus trailer plus load.
Driving licenses
From late 2021, all drivers are allowed to tow trailers with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 3,500kg without the need to take a car and trailer (B+E) driving test. Previously, drivers who passed their test from 1st January 1997 faced tighter towing restrictions. Drivers who passed their test before 1st January 1997 are allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination (e.g. GTW up to 8,250kg)
The standard driving licence issued to a driver passing the test in Great Britain (not Northern Ireland) today covers categories B, B1 and now BE. This means that they can drive a vehicle up to 3,500kg (B) and tow a trailer up to 3500kg behind it (E).
When you reach your 70th birthday slightly different rules apply. If you’d like to keep towing, see the Camping & Caravanning Club driving licence guide for more information.
Insurance
If you have a comprehensive insurance policy it generally covers you for towing, but some insurers only do so for third party liability. This means that while you would be covered for injury to people or property, the trailer would not be covered.
Note: The Trust’s insurance covers the damage to the trailer, if the driver’s insurance does not.
Over-loading the trailer, or driving without the correct licence will invalidate the insurance.
Sources
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