PRESS RELEASE
Date: 21 May 2021 – for immediate release
Approved Workshop Scheme and National Caravan Council support campaign for SAFE towing
The Approved Workshop Scheme (AWS) and National Caravan Council (NCC) are supporting the Driver and Vehicle Standard’s Agency’s (DVSA) new campaign for SAFE towing which launches today (21 May).
It is expected that a lot of caravans that have been rested up during lockdown will be on the road again for the late Spring Bank Holiday (31 May), as restrictions ease across the UK. In addition, with the marked growth in popularity of caravans over the last year, there will be a number of holidaymakers on the road who are new to – or recently returning to – towing.
So, the message from the Approved Workshop Scheme and the NCC is that if you are towing a caravan, make sure it is SAFE.
S – has it been Serviced recently?
A – have you got enough Air in your tyres? Check pressure, tread depth and condition.
F – have you Fitted the breakaway cable or safety chain and checked electrical connections and cables?
E – what are your lights looking like, have you Examined them properly? Check load and weight limit, mirrors and do the jockey wheel test before you travel.
Caravans that have not been used frequently can face some common problems with tyres, lights and brakes but it is easy to find a local fixed or mobile workshop on the AWS website or through the AWS app. AWS Manager, Sarah Wigmore advises all caravan owners to book as soon as you can to get your caravan or trailer checked by a professional and to carry out these simple caravan checks before every new journey to get back on the road safely.
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Editors’ notes
The Approved Workshop Scheme: Also known widely as AWS, is a tripartite group consisting of the Caravan & Motorhome Club, the Camping and Caravanning Club and the NCC; it is the only scheme of its kind to be recognized by all major UK touring caravan and motorhome manufacturers in the UK. AWS currently represents 526 fixed base and mobile workshops nationwide and provides the benchmark for habitation servicing.
The National Caravan Council: Is the UK trade association for the touring caravan, motorhome, caravan holiday home and residential park home industries. It represents more than 550 companies across 850 different UK outlets.
Sales of new touring caravans: In March 2021, sales of new tourers (via the retail network) stood at 1,054, more than double that for the same month in 2020 (although admittedly lockdown began in the final week of March last year).
Newbies and returners: According to a survey conducted in July 2020 by CRiS (the national register of touring caravan keepers), 37% of registrations were from buyers who had never owned a touring caravan before (‘newbies’). There was also a substantial number of people (23%) coming back to caravanning (‘returners’).
Buying pre-owned caravans: At points during 2020, pre purchase CRiS checks (which provide information on theft, write offs, and outstanding finance on caravans) ran at +50% versus the previous year, showing strong interest in purchasing a pre-owned tourer.
Press contact: Sarah Wigmore – AWS Manager – email manager@approvedworkshops.co.uk; images available on request