Western Towing Nominated for Local Award
Western Towing are proud to announce they have been nominated in the Business Contribuiton to Sport Category in the Express and Echo Sports Awards 2011.
Exe-Calibre Dragon Boat Club is a water sports club based in Exeter, Devon. They are one of the most diverse sports clubs in Exeter, if not the whole of the South West. The club welcomes and encourages male and female paddlers of all ages, sizes and backgrounds.
The Express and Echo quote " Western Towing developed and built a double boat trailer to allow the Exe-Calibre dragonboat club to compete all over the country and succeed in a dramatic fashion. The trailer was designed, and is serviced, for free. Without this, Exe-Calibre would not have been able to take two teams to represent the city all over the country. This allowed new paddlers to fall in love with the sport and the club feels that without this support it could not expand and allow new people to experience dragonboat racing."
The Awards Ceremony is to be held on 19th January 2012 at Sandy Park, Exeter. We'll let you know how we get on!
For the environment
We are pleased to report that the towing industry is doing their bit for the environment. Previously all Towballs were zinc plated, a process which is highly polluting. Now Towball manufacturers have changed this process to a black powder coating and so have improved their carbon footprint. However, did you know .....
that this black powder coating paint finish must be removed before using the Towbar. The paint is chemical resistant so it's down to sandpaper and sheer elbow grease, we're afraid!
But don't be fooled because not removing the paint will cause you even more work, as the paint can ruin friction pads on stabiliser heads. Also the paint can make the towball slightly larger so it might not fit in your coupling head.
Our full range of towballs, towball cover and bumper protector plates can be found on at:
http://www.westerntowing.co.uk/acatalog/Towing_Accessories.html
Trailer Type Approval
Are you aware that all trailers first used on the road from October 2011 must be type approved and comply with EU standards?
This should'nt cause too many problems for our customers, as most 'off the shelf'
trailers such as the Erde, Daxara, Brian James and Indespension are already
type approved.
However, BE AWARE, if you are building your own trailer from scratch.Once it’s finished you must get it Type Approval tested before you can use it on the road to ensure its roadworthiness.
This new regulation follows the footsteps of the 1997 Towbar approval where all towbars
had to meet EU and vehicle manufacturers’ specification.
It’s about time the same safety standards are being applied to trailers.
VOSA and Tachographs
We have received reports that VOSA are getting stricter with vehicles without
tachographs. If you using your trailer for business and the combined gross
weight excesses 3500kg your vehicle will need to be fitted with a tacho.
But before you start getting yourself fitted up there are a few exemptions:-
1) Vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry or fishery undertakings for carrying goods within 100 kilometres of the place where the vehicle is normally based.
2) Vehicles used in conjunction with the sewerage, flood protection, water, gas and electricity services, highway maintenance and control, refuse collection and disposal, telegraph and telephone services, carriage of postal articles, radio and television broadcasting and the detection of radio or television transmitters or receivers.
3) Vehicles not over 7500kg GVW or part of a combination of vehicles not over 7500 kg
combined GVW which is used to carry materials equipment or machinery for the driver's use in the course of his work within a 50 km radius of base and where driving is not the driver's main activity.
There are a few more exemptions, these can be found at on the Department Of Transport website on the following PDF file:-
Tachograph Exemption Declaration Form.pdf
If you have any questions please call our friendly staff on 01392 216336 or email us at
shop@westerntowing.co.uk
Department of Transport New Legislation
The Department of Transport have announced an increase in width limit for light trailers. The new width limit is 2.55 metres (including mudguards), irrespective of the towing vehicle.
Formerly, there was a width limit of the 2.3 metres for light trailers towed behind most cars and 4x4's*. This has been increased to 2.55 metres for light trailers (categories O1 and O2) up to 3500 kg gross weight is irrespective of the towing vehicle, be it car, 4x4 or qualifying commercial vehicle. This brings the UK into line with the rest of Europe. This means it'll be much easier to move larger trailers around. If you do plan to get yourself a larger caravan or
boat trailer, check your vehicles maximum towing weight. This information is usually available in your vehicle handbook.
For more information click here visit the Department of Transport website.
*a vehicle with maximum authorised mass less than 3500 kg (meaning the maximum gross weight of the vehicle plus the trailer)
Disclaimer - We publish this news for our customers information only. For more detailed information on any particualar paragraph please consult the governing body (i.e.HM Revenue and Customs, VOSA, NTTA).