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The DfT's proposal to get operators to provide evidence of type approval for trailers, without the creation of a full-blown trailer registration scheme, has angered the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Robin Dickeson, manager of commercial vehicle affairs at the SMMT, says the DfT has missed the opportunity to set up a registration scheme that would help the police track stolen trailers and aid VOSA's enforcement checks because they could easily identify trailers.

The  consultation on Whole Vehicle Type Approval, which closed at the end of last month, outlines the government's proposals. Under these plans, large trailers will be tested by VOSA annually. The manufacturer or retailer will have to provide VOSA with a copy of the type approval certificate, following which VOSA will confirm acceptance.

Small trailers that are not subject to VOSA testing will have point-of-sale control. The retailer selling the trailer will have to provide an associated approval certificate from the manufacturer. However, Dickeson is adamant that trailer registration is the best approach and describes the proposals as "half-hearted".

He adds: "The UK is the only country apart from Greece that does not have trailer registration. There still needs to be a database of trailers to ensure they have type approval, so why not do it properly?" He adds there will still be all the same bureaucracy with the DfT's proposals, but without the benefits to the police, to VOSA  and the industry.

However, Andy Mair, head of engineering policy at the FTA, supports the government's decision. "We are opposed to trailer registration because we believe it will open the doors to VED on trailers," he says. "The way the DfT is proposing to certify and monitor trailers is a positive step that is unlikely to lead to operators having to pay VED on their trailers."