News

Campervan safety group takes seatbelt campaign to Westminster

Seatbelts are a legal requirement in cars but not campervan conversions

by Ben Wilby

For 30 years seatbelts have been compulsory for car drivers and passangers, but one safety group has raised fresh concerns over that fact that campervan conversions that are far less regulated.
Campervan conversions are a popular way of turning your vehicle into an easy and convenient space for holidaying and this trend has seen the market for old VWs skyrocket as people turn their hands to the business of modifying them.
However, Salop Leisure has warned that many important safety features aren’t being considered by those converting them.
The issue was given further credence after transport minister Stephen Hammond last week agreed to host a meeting of the major UK converters, which is due to take place at the end of May.
Salop Leisure sees this as a good step towards more regulation in the industry and the possibility of a voluntary code of conduct will be discussed.
This code would feature an inspection scheme with checks made on the safe fitting of seat beds and safety belts, gas supply and the electric system, the inspection will then finish with a visual check of the machine.
Seat beds are one of the key issues with independent tests showing incorrectly fitted seat beds can rip free from the vehicle in a 30mph head-on impact – bad news for any passengers inside at the time.
Darren wants the National Caravan Council to ensure that all campervan conversions are safe and comply with regulations.
Current laws
This is not the first time the government has attempted to regulate the industry, with new laws brought in last April.
Many feel they do not go far enough however – allowing pre-registered vehicles to avoid the new laws.
They are not the first group to raise the issue with Elddis running the Belts=Berths campaign that aims to make sure there is a seatbelt for every berth in a motorhome.
Mr Hammond was thankful to the group for raising “significant issues” going on to say: “it is something that the Government takes seriously and wants to resolve in a deregulatory way,” he said. “I recognise from all the work that has been done that we shouldn’t be complacent on this issue.”
Darren Bebb, MD of Bebb ltd,(a sister company of Salop Leisure) is one of the people pushing for these new laws and explained;
“After almost two years of banging our heads against a brick wall in trying to raise awareness of this serious issue, I am delighted that we are finally making progress. Mr Hammond understood our concerns and we are delighted that he agreed to facilitate a meeting.
“In the past, we have tried to engage with lots of different organisations and to enlist the support of the major converters in the UK with only limited success. Now that the Department of Transport is taking the lead, I suspect that there will be a lot more interest.
“If our campaign manages to save just one life, then it will have been worthwhile.”
“Around 100 vehicles per week get converted in the UK and I estimate that only about five per cent comply with the new standards that were introduced on April 1.”
Salop Leisure has invested £100,000 in the development of a new seat bed that actually outperforms the new regulations.
This seat bed, the Rock N Roll seat bed system, has been crash tested in-vehicle by STATUS (the Specialist Transport Advisory and Testing Utility Society).