Caravan MOT plans could affect 20,000 families

Touring caravans may soon be subject to an annual MOT style test

New plans set out by the European Union could see caravan owners paying hundreds of pounds in MOT bills.

Up to 20,000 families throughout the UK could be affected by the plans, which want to see MOT style tests for caravans.

Under the new rules, which the UK government is trying to ban, almost every caravan will have to undergo safety testing, similar to that of a car.

Paul Chadwick who works at Gelderwood Touring Caravan Site and Country Park agrees with the plans and said: “I totally agree. Yes, yes, yes it should happen.”

“People store their caravans away for twelve months and then just put them on their cars to tow without checking breaks, lights and tyres. There should at least be some sort of safety check involved.”

But many caravan owners are against the plans.

Len Nuttall, who was caravanning at Hollingworth Lake this weekend, said: “I don’t know how they are going to do it because you can’t put a caravan on a rolling road like a car. The only things they could test are things like lights and brakes.

“If they do it with caravans, then they should do it with horseboxes because they stand a lot longer than caravans.”

The new rules state that caravans will have to undergo testing but excludes all other light trailers less than 2000kg.

One lady, who was packing up her caravan after the weekend said: “It seems to be one rule for one set of people and another rule for another set of people. I don’t think it’s entirely fair.”

The plans for caravan regulations are due to be debated by the European Parliament in autumn but despite British MPs speaking out against the suggestions, they passed their first stage in the European Parliament last month.