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Q What weight defines the speed limits I can drive to in my new motorhome?

Being new to motorhoming, I am confused When I bought my motorhome, a 2019 Bessacarr 560 Lounge, I was told that it was not ‘restricted’ to the lower speed limits, not that I travel much above 60mph

The article in the August edition (which, by the way, I find the best magazine I have ever bought) states that vehicles above the unladen weight (MRO) of 3,050kg are subject to the lower speed limits. My V5C states a revenue and max permissible weight of 3,500kg gross and a mass in service of 3,088kg. There is no mention of the unladen weight! So, what’s the speed limit applicable to my ’van?

Stuart Craven

A lt is confusing, but I’ll try to throw some light on the situation. The site  gov.uk/vehicle-weights-explained states that the unladen weight of any vehicle is the weight of the vehicle when it’s not carrying any passengers, goods or other items.

It includes the body and all parts normally used with the vehicle or trailer when it’s used on a road. It doesn’t include the weight of fuel or batteries in an electric vehicle – unless it’s a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair.

This website only provides a definition of unladen weight and maximum authorised mass (MAM), otherwise known as gross vehicle weight (GVW).

However, the DVLA has confirmed what it considers to be the definition of mass in service and its relationship with unladen weight:

• The mass in service relates to the mass of the vehicle in running order – so the weight of the unladen vehicle including coolant, oil, fuel, spare wheel, etc.

• The definition of mass in service is the mass of the vehicle, with its fuel tank(s) filled to at least 90% of its or their capacity/ies, including the mass of the driver, of the fuel and liquids, fitted with the standard equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and, when they are fitted, the mass of the bodywork, the cabin, the coupling and the spare wheel(s) as well as the tools. Therefore, to get the unladen weight, one can subtract the mass of the driver (75kg).

You may note that the last line simply refers to subtracting the mass of the driver, whereas from the  gov.uk definition of unladen weight, the weight of fuel is also excluded.

If we accept your V5C mass in service figure of 3,088kg as defined by the DVLA, then subtracting the 75kg for the driver gives you an unladen figure below 3,050kg. Indeed, you could also subtract the weight of fuel (90% capacity), which would bring the figure well below the 3,050kg limit.

However, it’s worth noting that we cannot be sure what the mass in service figure submitted to the DVLA is. When completing V55/5 application form for the DVLA to register a vehicle, the application guidance form V355/5 says for mass