Petition - Review Motorhome Driving Licence

[Kontiki]

A constant topic that keeps on coming up is renewing your C1 driving licence at 70, this comes at a financial cost as the category is classed the same as bus and lorries. There should be a separate category specifically for leisure vehicles such as motorhomes. I personally think the petition should also have included caravans as they can also be affected by the weight limitation. Further it should be your doctor/consultant who decides if you are fit to drive not some faceless person at the DVLA who has limited information on your application. As somebody who has gone through the process of applying to renew my C1 at 70 & then again at 71 found the DVLA to be not fit for purpose. I have since given up at 73 & drop my C1 category mainly for all the problems I had on my last 2 applications plus the cost in time, medicals & stress decided it's just not worth it so downgraded to a lighter van.

Review Motorhome Driving Licence for Parkinson’s sufferers and over 70s

 

[rayc]

Of course the requirement for a medical at 70 to renew C1 is non nonsensical especially when BE is retained without one. Is a 3850kg motorhome more dangerous than a large car towing a large trailer? I would though suggest that this petition will not get anywhere. A recent one attracting 6m people did not influence the Government.

 

[Kontiki]

Very true, the petitions seem to be a waste of time especially the one that attracted over 6 million, the petition was debated on April 1st (think that should send some sort of message) the government response to the petition was given on March 26th !!! Shows the contempt the government shows, they give their response 6 days before it was debated. I don't know if many people watched it but there were very few tories taking part & the ones that did chose to totally ignore the facts.

 

[Caz]

a large car towing a large trailer

Unless the trailer is under 750 Kgs - in which case the total limit is 4,250 Kgs gross train weight, the same 3,500 Kgs limit applies to this as to a motorhome.

These limits have been in force since 1997 - not sure why it has suddenly become such a problem.

Surely it is just important for someone driving a large vehicle to be fit to do so whether it is being used for commercial or domestic use?

 

[EL Sid]

A constant topic that keeps on coming up is renewing your C1 driving licence at 70, this comes at a financial cost as the category is classed the same as bus and lorries. There should be a separate category specifically for leisure vehicles such as motorhomes. I personally think the petition should also have included caravans as they can also be affected by the weight limitation. Further it should be your doctor/consultant who decides if you are fit to drive not some faceless person at the DVLA who has limited information on your application. As somebody who has gone through the process of applying to renew my C1 at 70 & then again at 71 found the DVLA to be not fit for purpose. I have since given up at 73 & drop my C1 category mainly for all the problems I had on my last 2 applications plus the cost in time, medicals & stress decided it's just not worth it so downgraded to a lighter van.

Review Motorhome Driving Licence for Parkinson’s sufferers and over 70s

I let mine lapse as well. The hassle was just too much.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

I am 70 in June and I am not going to bother renewing my C1 license as I really don’t need it.

 

[rayc]

Unless the trailer is under 750 Kgs - in which case the total limit is 4,250 Kgs gross train weight, the same 3,500 Kgs limit applies to this as to a motorhome.

Your reply is for a Group B licence. If you have BE licence it is automatically retained at 70 without a medical. This entitles the holder to drive a 3500kg vehicle and tow a trailer of a further 3500kg if the licence 'valid from date' is after 19th January 2013 . If prior to that date the trailer can be any weight. I was pointing out that BE is retained at 70 allowing a train weight of 7000kg, or possibly more, with no medical requirement.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

I’ve had my license that long I don’t know what’s on it lolol.

 

[Caz]

Sorry, I hadn't appreciated the difference regarding having to have a medical. As I understand it, if you wish to retain any categories other than a standard B licence then you have to ask for it, they are not automatically added to your licence when it is renewed. I remember a lot of motorcyclists and large caravan towers were caught out by that, as well as motorhomers and minibus drivers, when the rules first changed.

 

[rayc]

Sorry, I hadn't appreciated the difference regarding having to have a medical. As I understand it, if you wish to retain any categories other than a standard B licence then you have to ask for it, they are not automatically added to your licence when it is renewed. I remember a lot of motorcyclists and large caravan towers were caught out by that, as well as motorhomers and minibus drivers, when the rules first changed.

BE is automatically retained at 70 without a medical. Mine was without any intervention by myself except to fill in the on line licence renewel application .

 

[Caz]

I was going by what it says on the AgeUK website -

"Once you reach the age of 70, your licence expires, but this doesn't automatically mean you have to stop driving. You just need to renew your driving licence if you want to continue. You'll need to renew it every 3 years after that. Renewal is free of charge.

Don’t forget to apply for any categories of vehicle covered on your old licence, if you still want to be able to drive them after you renew your licence. If you don’t apply for any categories previously covered, you’ll only be able to drive a car in future."