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COUNTDOWN COMMENCES
Page 46
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How manufacturers are meeting the regulations
Many UK bodybuilders and trailermakers remain confused by European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (EWVTA) and its impact, and are still some way from meeting its requirements. This is despite the efforts of organisations such as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMM'I') and the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) to help and inform them, and despite the fact that in some cases it will make it easier to sell their products throughout the EU.
"We've had somebody working on this for the past two years and I'm still not clear about what we've got to do," says SDC Trailers sales director Paul Bratton. "We're making progress, but we're fed up to the back teeth with the whole thing."
Ingimex managing director Justin Gallen says: "We've had discussions with the VCA and attended SMMT seminars, but have not progressed too far. I believe the bodies we make will meet its technical requirements." Ingimex supplies a number of light commercial manufacturers with bodywork for their chassis, which are then marketed under a variety of ready-to-go-towork programmes.
Required standards At present only the vehicle's chassis has to be constructed in line with the Type Approval rules, which ensure it meets the required regulatory standards However, EWVTA, which is driven by European legislation, means the whole vehicle, including the cargo body, will have to comply.
Crash testing is not required, but it will be mandatory to ensure that the only components used are those that are legal and meet the requirements of the VCA or an equivalent approval agency.
If in the course of fitting the body the chassis has to be lengthened or shortened, or mirrors moved, then these changes will also require approval.