Seat Belts Broadway EK

Hi,
We have caravanned for 40 years but last December bought a 2016 two berth Broadway EK. We haven’t been able to use it due to Covid 19.
Daughter and son in law have helped keep it ready for use in our remote covered storage. Would like to let them use it as a reward but they have a four year old child and there are only two sets of seat belts.
Does anyone know if either AutoSleeper or anyone else can securely fit a belt to one of the bunk beds?

Hi

I doubt it, but there's lots on here about the subject if you do a search.

The best bet would be to phone A/S Service Centre 01386 853511, which I think is open again now.

The V5 specifies the number of seats for use on the road and that is all it is certificated for. If AS has a build that is based around the same structurals but with additional seats it may be that they could do something but I think it very unlikely

The closest regulations that can be referred to are https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/converting-a-van-to-carry-passengers-in-the-rear/converting-a-van-to-carry-passengers-in-the-rear

Not a precise fit but at least a guide. Ultimately anything can be done as long as it is signed off as safe by a qualified motor engineer although the age of the passenger (under 12) does complicate it.

Caravanguard is a specialist insurer and this I an extract from one of their documents....

In April 2012 the legislation that relates to the use of sideways facing seats was adopted. European Whole Vehicle Type Approval Regulations prohibit the use of side facing seats as travel seats, stating that ‘Research has shown that it is not possible to provide side-facing seats with safety belts ensuring the same level of safety to the occupants as front-facing seats. For safety reasons, it is necessary to ban those seats in certain categories of vehicles.’

I researched this a while ago and came to the same conclusion as Paulmould that it couldn't be done.

AS offered a rear seat belted option at build time @ £1000 extra, but without the offside bench seat. AS could probably convert to this format, but it wouldn't be £1000, more like £3000.

As Paul points out the sideways bench seating makes any form of belt fixing unacceptable no matter how good they are.

A revised dinette layout could get approval after suitable qualified inspection but presumably a step too far.

Although still quite stringent UK regulations do allow for "custom" vehicle builds without type approval provided they can be shown to be safe. This is not the case in some EU countries.

 I did look at fitting ISOFix attachments to my rear facing seats for my grandchildren but getting the strength of fixing I wanted meant taking out the existing seat base frame and manufacturing a reinforced one with attachments to the chassis. My design even incorporated extra side impact protection but the main problem was the required location the ISOFix loops had to be in meant the bed could not be made up.