PRESS RELEASE – for immediate distribution

14 October 2022

The Caravan Towing Guide – how to tow, from start to finish

A new version of The Caravan Towing Guide, the definitive guide to how to tow a touring caravan in the UK, has just been published.

The guide has been written to help both experienced and novice caravanners to tow their caravans safely and legally.  It provides simple, easily understood advice on:

• the safe matching of caravans to cars
• the calculation of the ratio of caravan weight to car weight for safe towing
• what you need to take into account before towing a caravan
• good driving techniques so you can tow with confidence
• the legal aspects to towing a caravan.

All the terms are clearly defined – from MTPLM (Maximum Technically Permitted Laden Mass) and MRO (Mass in Running Order) to GTW (Gross Train Weight).  There is plenty of information on the sticky subjects of hitching up, and payloads plus how to calculate the actual laden weight.  Critical advice such as checking the maximum towing limit of the car, the height range of the tow ball plus how to calculate the nose weight limit are also included.

In case this sounds complicated, the Guide unveils some useful hacks:

• Tow-Check, the car: caravan matching service that will tell you what you can legally tow 
• Loading (keep it light, keep it low) and how to ensure that the load is even
• Hitching and unhitching – a pictural step-by-step guide and checklist.

To obtain a free copy, visit the Tow-Check stand at the Motorhome & Caravan Show at the NEC. Certain NCC member dealers have copies while a PDF version is available to download here.

The Camping and Caravanning Club, the Caravan and Motorhome Club, Caravan Safety and Security Group are thanked for their support in compiling the content of the document.

Editors’ notes

The NCC (National Caravan Council) is a not-for-profit trade association for the tourer, motorhome, caravan holiday home and park home sectors and it has been at the heart of the industry for more than 80 years.  The NCC works with its members to ensure that the industry delivers high quality products and services.