Formal consultation on Whole Vehicle Type Approval is expected shortly from the Department for Transport, probably in April.
If you are involved with caravan (or indeed light trailer) or motor caravan production or retail, you should be aware of this. If you are not, or to learn more about the latest situation, a good place to start is the Vehicle Certification Agency website (opens in a new window).
Details of the National Type Approval scheme which particularly suits low-volume, UK market-only vehicles (ie most UK-built caravan and motor caravans) are currently being finalised with input from representative bodies such as the SMMT, NCC and NTTA, all of whom are providing advice to their members.
If you are in business in this sector and not a member of one of these kind of organisations, you will need to make other efforts to find out how Type Approval will affect you. At the risk of sounding like a recruitment sergeant for trade associations, this could well be an opportune moment to join one of them!
You can also register an interest in this topic with the DfT by sending your contact details to ecwvtaconsult@dft.gsi.gov.uk. Club members will be pleased to know that The Club is a member of both the SMMT and NTTA, and as such is closely involved with this process.