Ok So this week I got a notice of intended prosecution for doing 68 on a dual carriageway from a police officer standing on a bridge- no signs, no van. I was in the slow lane in a row of traffic so I wasn't going nuts. My van is a full camper- pop top, sink, cooker, table, RnR bed but I did the conversion after the DVLA changed their rules so it is a van with windows on the V5. I was initially despairing and hoping that I would get a speed awareness course but then started looking on the forum here and on facebook. I started picking up a few different bits of information and realised that the van might not actually need to be registered as a "motor caravan" to have access to the normal car speed limits.
So I thought I would try my luck and drafted an email to appeal it and within an hour the NIP was cancelled. So I thought I would share what I had written in the hope it may help some other people when they get NIP for speeding but they are not. So where this will work is
Single Carriageway where you are doing between 50-60mph but you get a NIP for doing over 50mph as a goods vehicle is limited to 50mph or on a dual carriageway where you are doing 60-70mph and get a NIP for doing over 60 as a good vehicle is limited to 50mph.
So my Van is T30 -it may be trickier for those with a T32.
I appealed via email I haven't included the whole email as there are some personal parts however what I believe are the key phrases are:
"The van is a camper van which weights below 3.05 tons although this is not registered on the V5 I have made enquires with the DVLA and they state that "A 'Van with Side windows' body type does not necessarily mean it is restricted to the speed limit of a goods vehicle.
Provided that you are satisfied that the vehicle meets the internal requirements to be recognised as a motor caravan and that any alterations made to the vehicle do not compromise safety then it should be treated as having the speed limit of a motor caravan."
The internal requirements to be recognised as a motor caravan from the DVLA(2023) website are:
"to include living accommodation which contains at least the following internal equipment:
· seats and a table
· sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats
· cooking facilities
· storage facilities
This equipment must be rigidly fixed to the living compartment; however, the table may be designed to be easily removable.
These features are defined by the type approval requirements for motor caravans."
I then attached photos showing each of the living accommodation items, a M1 crash test cert for the bed, the V5 showing Gross Vehicle Weight, and a photo with the rear barn door closed showing the bed and number plate.
If you have a van with seats and windows in you may also be able to appeal on a dual-purpose vehicle but as mine is a camper I went down that route. Best of luck with any appeals I am not saying it will definitely work but worth ago.
So I thought I would try my luck and drafted an email to appeal it and within an hour the NIP was cancelled. So I thought I would share what I had written in the hope it may help some other people when they get NIP for speeding but they are not. So where this will work is
Single Carriageway where you are doing between 50-60mph but you get a NIP for doing over 50mph as a goods vehicle is limited to 50mph or on a dual carriageway where you are doing 60-70mph and get a NIP for doing over 60 as a good vehicle is limited to 50mph.
So my Van is T30 -it may be trickier for those with a T32.
I appealed via email I haven't included the whole email as there are some personal parts however what I believe are the key phrases are:
"The van is a camper van which weights below 3.05 tons although this is not registered on the V5 I have made enquires with the DVLA and they state that "A 'Van with Side windows' body type does not necessarily mean it is restricted to the speed limit of a goods vehicle.
Provided that you are satisfied that the vehicle meets the internal requirements to be recognised as a motor caravan and that any alterations made to the vehicle do not compromise safety then it should be treated as having the speed limit of a motor caravan."
The internal requirements to be recognised as a motor caravan from the DVLA(2023) website are:
"to include living accommodation which contains at least the following internal equipment:
· seats and a table
· sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats
· cooking facilities
· storage facilities
This equipment must be rigidly fixed to the living compartment; however, the table may be designed to be easily removable.
These features are defined by the type approval requirements for motor caravans."
I then attached photos showing each of the living accommodation items, a M1 crash test cert for the bed, the V5 showing Gross Vehicle Weight, and a photo with the rear barn door closed showing the bed and number plate.
If you have a van with seats and windows in you may also be able to appeal on a dual-purpose vehicle but as mine is a camper I went down that route. Best of luck with any appeals I am not saying it will definitely work but worth ago.
