Whats the latest rules regarding towing a livestock trailer ?

[Oscar]

I have looked back but not really found a recent thread answering the above question .
My situation which I m checking is legal or not is that I passed my car test back in 1981 and I have BE and C1E on my licence and have driven trailers ever since although not regularly . Basically , I am now going down a livestock farming route [from arable] and I am now routinely doing livestock haulage to markets and between farms . I have just bought a livestock trailer of my own and just want to make sure I am running legal and aware of rules .
Some questions ;
1] I see a lot of lorries and trailers with a " Carrying live animals" on the back [or similar] , is that some sort of rule ?
2] Seem to recall that people had to do trailer tests a few years ago but I think I am old enough not to have to do one , as I have the classifications on my licence? [see above]
3] Upto 65 KM , I think I don t need to have some sort of certificate and don t need to keep records of times and distance travelled [log book]etc , is that correct ?[Other than movement licences]
4] If I think that I am going over 65 km , how or what do I need to do ?
4] I am fully aware of movement forms and licences but is there anything else other than obviously keeping the truck and trailer maintained etc.
Thanks for any comments.

 

[JP1]

I have looked back but not really found a recent thread answering the above question .
My situation which I m checking is legal or not is that I passed my car test back in 1981 and I have BE and C1E on my licence and have driven trailers ever since although not regularly . Basically , I am now going down a livestock farming route [from arable] and I am now routinely doing livestock haulage to markets and between farms . I have just bought a livestock trailer of my own and just want to make sure I am running legal and aware of rules .
Some questions ;
1] I see a lot of lorries and trailers with a " Carrying live animals" on the back [or similar] , is that some sort of rule ?
2] Seem to recall that people had to do trailer tests a few years ago but I think I am old enough not to have to do one , as I have the classifications on my licence? [see above]
3] Upto 65 KM , I think I don t need to have some sort of certificate and don t need to keep records of times and distance travelled [log book]etc , is that correct ?[Other than movement licences]
4] If I think that I am going over 65 km , how or what do I need to do ?
4] I am fully aware of movement forms and licences but is there anything else other than obviously keeping the truck and trailer maintained etc.
Thanks for any comments.

1. Not a legal requirement
2. Your licence entitlement now includes towing traier up to 3500kg with suitable vehicle
3. Correct, over 65kms and up to 8 hours requires a CPC that you sit by taking a multiple choice exam (per species). Over 8 hours involves a more complex practical and testing arrangement. These CPC are granted for life once issued. For any activity for commercial gain (that includes prize money at gymkhanas unbelievably) your business also requires a Transporter Authorisation renewable every 5 years from APHA Welfare in Transit team
4. See point 3
5. Make sure you keep a hard copy movement book as well as fulfilling the current animal movement notification to ARAMS / LiS / BCMS. You may have to prove when you last washed out your trailer, so "note" when you do these

 

[Hfd Cattle]

......or just drive on !

 

[DrWazzock]

My RT inspector said you should count the distance to the market and back when looking at the 65 km limit in case you have to bring one home.
I grunted and we moved on to the next question.

 

[DrWazzock]

The early bird tends to do better at avoiding a variety clipboards in my experience.

 

[JP1]

My RT inspector said you should count the distance to the market and back when looking at the 65 km limit in case you have to bring one home.
I grunted and we moved on to the next question.

Impossible for my two most local markets that

I'd question that

 

[DrWazzock]

Impossible for my two most local markets that

I'd question that

I ignored him TBH. I was never pulled up by anybody over this though I must have submitted dozens of movement records that were probably scrutinised by somebody somewhere. I only ever transported two beast at a time though. I even made a nice central divider to stop themselves plastering one another on the trip. Worked well. Kept them evenly distributed too.

 

[Tarw Coch]

My RT inspector said you should count the distance to the market and back when looking at the 65 km limit in case you have to bring one home.
I grunted and we moved on to the next question.

As I understand it the distance relates to how far you as an individual move that animal, is there any reason why if an animal had to be taken home you couldn’t hire a haulier to take it home for box ticking purposes if the distance to market was more than half of the 65k

 

[Ffermer Bach]

1. Not a legal requirement
2. Your licence entitlement now includes towing traier up to 3500kg with suitable vehicle
3. Correct, over 65kms and up to 8 hours requires a CPC that you sit by taking a multiple choice exam (per species). Over 8 hours involves a more complex practical and testing arrangement. These CPC are granted for life once issued. For any activity for commercial gain (that includes prize money at gymkhanas unbelievably) your business also requires a Transporter Authorisation renewable every 5 years from APHA Welfare in Transit team
4. See point 3
5. Make sure you keep a hard copy movement book as well as fulfilling the current animal movement notification to ARAMS / LiS / BCMS. You may have to prove when you last washed out your trailer, so "note" when you do these

when we take lambs to the abattoir, we need to fill in a "washing the trailer at home" form, other than that I don't note it anywhere

 

[grainboy]

1. Not a legal requirement
2. Your licence entitlement now includes towing traier up to 3500kg with suitable vehicle
3. Correct, over 65kms and up to 8 hours requires a CPC that you sit by taking a multiple choice exam (per species). Over 8 hours involves a more complex practical and testing arrangement. These CPC are granted for life once issued. For any activity for commercial gain (that includes prize money at gymkhanas unbelievably) your business also requires a Transporter Authorisation renewable every 5 years from APHA Welfare in Transit team
4. See point 3
5. Make sure you keep a hard copy movement book as well as fulfilling the current animal movement notification to ARAMS / LiS / BCMS. You may have to prove when you last washed out your trailer, so "note" when you do these

Point 3 incorrect I think you find ,

 

[JP1]

Point 3 incorrect I think you find ,

In what way ?

 

[grainboy]

Business use you do not need a CPC
Possibly a tacho, but own goods so not applicable,

 

[grainboy]

Even then a grey area,

 

[JP1]

Business use you do not need a CPC
Possibly a tacho, but own goods so not applicable,

Over 65kms with livestock you definitely need a CPC species specific as an animal handler

 

[JP1]

Business use you do not need a CPC
Possibly a tacho, but own goods so not applicable,

Certificates of competence​

You must have your competence independently assessed if you transport animals by road, on journeys over 65km, in connection with an economic activity. This only applies to domestic species of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, domestic equidae and poultry.

The assessment may be a:

• theory test - for journeys over 65km and up to 8 hours
• practical assessment of competence including animal handling, and if required, driving skills - for journeys over 8 hours

If assessed as competent, you will receive a certificate of competence. Your certificate will be specific to:

• your role of either transporter or attendant
• the length of journeys you take
• the species you transport

Certificates of competence are valid for life.

 

[neilo]

Business use you do not need a CPC
Possibly a tacho, but own goods so not applicable,

+1 A CPC isn’t needed but a Transporter Authorisation is, if travelling over 65km. That’s a relatively cheap, easy thing to do so hardly a problem, if only to cover yourself.

That said, I got one when they first came in, like most people at the time. I have always carried a copy in the glovebox in case I was asked for it, and I have never once written the number on any movement licence. I have never been asked to show it and leaving the box empty on the licence has never been queried, either in England or Wales.

My advice to @Oscar is to do the Transporter Authorisation, then just crack on. Oh, and make sure you’re aware of your towing limit (depends on vehicle & weight of trailer), if only so you know if you are ‘pushing it’.

 

[grainboy]

Biggest thing, make sure towing vehicle and trailer is fully legal, ie tyres, lights, weight, etc,

 

[JP1]

+1 A CPC isn’t needed but a Transporter Authorisation is, if travelling over 65km. That’s a relatively cheap, easy thing to do so hardly a problem, if only to cover yourself.

That said, I got one when they first came in, like most people at the time. I have always carried a copy in the glovebox in case I was asked for it, and I have never once written the number on any movement licence. I have never been asked to show it and leaving the box empty on the licence has never been queried, either in England or Wales.

My advice to @Oscar is to do the Transporter Authorisation, then just crack on. Oh, and make sure you’re aware of your towing limit (depends on vehicle & weight of trailer), if only so you know if you are ‘pushing it’.

My point was it would be required over 65kms as written

 

[neilo]

Certificates of competence​

You must have your competence independently assessed if you transport animals by road, on journeys over 65km, in connection with an economic activity. This only applies to domestic species of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, domestic equidae and poultry.

The assessment may be a:

• theory test - for journeys over 65km and up to 8 hours
• practical assessment of competence including animal handling, and if required, driving skills - for journeys over 8 hours

If assessed as competent, you will receive a certificate of competence. Your certificate will be specific to:

• your role of either transporter or attendant
• the length of journeys you take
• the species you transport

Certificates of competence are valid for life.

Isn’t a ‘CPC’ the thing that HGV divers have to sit through regularly (so many hours training every 5 years)?

We all did the ‘Certificate of Competence’ in the transport of animals when it came in, but is that not a different thing to a CPC?

 

[JP1]

Isn’t a ‘CPC’ the thing that HGV divers have to sit through regularly?

We all did the ‘Certificate of Competence’ in the transport of animals when it came in, but is that not a different thing to a CPC?

The LGV / HGV CPC is different. It's renewed every 5 years after 35 hours of training

The animal handlers certificate (what you and I did) is also known as a CPC (see my direct copy of APHA website above)

As the OP wrote , the animal handler CPC is not required if she / he doesn't go beyond 65km from base. In theory any own account goods where total vehicle combination weight is over 3500kg (4x4 plus trailer plus load) a journey over 100km from base requires a tacho and no longer attracts the livestock farmer derogation for 3500kg trailer total weight only