April 2008

Size matters: how large is legal?

As we all know, ignorance of the law is no defence in court. And if you drive a motorhome that is too long or too wide for British roads, you could find yourself Size matters: how large is legal?

As we all know, ignorance of the law is no defence in court. And if you drive a motorhome that is too long or too wide for British roads, you could find yourself in trouble. In Europe, including Great Britain, the maximum allowable size of a motorhome is 12m long and 2.55m wide.

Height is not an issue. However, the Department for Transport (DfT) which imposes these limits on road users, states that if a vehicle is more than 3m tall, then the height must be measured and displayed in both imperial and metric units, on a notice that is clearly visible to passers-by as well as the driver.

Before buying a motorhome, make sure you know the dimensions are street legal. If you decide to check the measurements yourself, certain parts of the vehicle do not count against overall width and length.

These are:
• driving mirrors
• lamps
• reflectors
• distortion in tyres due to loading
• rearward projecting buffers made of rubber or other resilient material

The current limits on size of motorhomes are contained in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (as amended). The limits take into consideration existing restrictions in different countries, vehicle manoeuvrability and typical road specifications as well as ensuring that large vehicles don’t create a safety hazard for oncoming traffic and adjacent property, vehicles and pedestrians.

It is the legal responsibility of anyone selling or offering to supply a motorhome, to ensure that the size of the vehicle is within the law. It is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 if a motorhome that is too long or too wide is offered for sale. However, as a motorhome owner, you must also be aware of the legal requirements. It is important to note that you could invalidate your insurance policy if your vehicle does not meet the requirements of the law.

Larger vehicles are allowed on North American roads and in some other parts of the world where roads are wider and property is generally set further back from the road.

For more detailed information, go to www.directgov.uk


Remember, this is simply the Southdowns Team trying to offer helpful advice based on our knowledge and our experience. This is not necessarily a statement of fact. We do not currently employ any lawyers in our showroom or in our workshop and the only place law is confirmed is in the court!!