I Have Converted A Former Mini Bus Into A Motor Home But Dvla Will Not Change It's Use Even Though

[leggylane]

I have sent all photographs showing toilet,shower, cooker, bed etc. In a letter they state that I have not changed the outside of the vehicle but accept that I will use the vehicle as a motor home. I have now been charged with exceeding the speed limit while doing 76mph down hill. The speed limit as a mini bus for the disabled is 60 mph. Should I challenge this in court?

[webbo3]

Does it have a speed limiter fitted or did you remove it.?

[dannyk13]

76 mph is over the limit on any UK road, so I would not think it worth your while to challenge it.

[AuntPollyGrey]

The highest speed limit in the UK is 70mph so you were exceeding the limit in whatever vehicle you were driving. You were exceeding the top uk speed limit -you have no defence.

[bhg481]

You haven't said what type of road you were on; the speed limit is 70mph on motorways and 60mph on other roads, so you were exceeding the limit whatever road you were on and in what vehicle.

[bednobs]

also, as you stated in your Q, your vehicle is still a minibus

[leggylane]

Yes it did have a limiter which I had removed following the letter from DVLA saying that they accept that I will use the vehicle as a Motorhome. If the police camera unit accepted this I would have been offered a speed awareness course

[webbo3]

\\The speed limit as a mini bus for the disabled is 60 mph. Should I challenge this in court?//

\\Yes it did have a limiter which I had removed following the letter from DVLA //

this is why you were able to go over 70, pay the fine.

[AuntPollyGrey]

For goodness sake....has it not sunk in you were driving over the limit? 76mph is 6 miles over the uk speed limit on the fastest of roads (motorway) you can't go to court you have no defence.

[drmorgans]

The speed limit is 70 on motorways and dual-carriageways, and 60 on single-carriageways unless other signed limits apply.

[bhg481]

You haven't said how ig your vehicle is; the speed limit for heavier vehicles is 60mph on motorways (I can't be sure of the weight limit offhand).

[Jackdaw33]

76 mph in a minibus is lunacy. You should not be going to court, you should be sectioned.

[barry1010]

What is the make and model of your vehicle, and the overall length? What was the speed limit on the road you were driving on?

[barry1010]

Also the weight of your vehicle would be useful.

[alavahalf]

This is surely a wind up .. it gets dumber and dumber ?

Pitty you didn't have a sticker on the back window saying .. ' My other car is a P1 gtr'.
You could have pleaded you forgot which car you were driving ?

[leggylane]

Thank you all for your comments (with the exception of jackdaw)
The vehicle is a Renault Master, 4.5mtrs, 1729 kgs unladen.
Travelling on a dual carriageway (70mph) and overtaking a lorry. I speeded up to move over for a vehicle using blue lights.

[barry1010]

I don't think it is a wind up. The point is that if the vehicle could legally be driven at 70mph on a motorway or dual carriageway, leggy would have been offered a speed aware course as the speed was less than 10% over the limit.
As a mini bus the legal limit in a 70mph is 60 mph so he was driving at 16 mph over the speed limit, a whole different ball game.

He doesn't dispute that he was speeding, the question is - by how much?

[bednobs]

however, surely if the DVLA have refused to change the vehicle's registration to something other than minibus, even if they accept it's being used as a motorhome it's a non-starter?

[barry1010]

Was it a 17 seater minibus? If so, it will always be limited to 60mph max on a 70MPH road.

[barry1010]

Yes, bednobs, it would seem that way. It is a requirement that it is classed as motorcaravan or motorhome on the V5 and not a minibus.

https://www.ukmotorhomes.net/motorhome-faqs/speed-limits#close

What could be done to the body of the minibus to get it reclassed as a motor caravan I have no idea.

[barry1010]

Interesting read here, this is a short passage:
"There was a clear consensus that the body type should reflect the outward appearance of a vehicle rather than its internal fixtures and fittings. As a result only vehicles first registered as motor caravans or those fitted with a custom coach built bodies, in addition to meeting the internal 'checklist' should be described as 'motor caravan' on the V5C."
http://www.campervanconversion.co.uk/no-more-campervan-conversions-dvla-0