The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 1987

Amendments to regulations relating to seat belts and anchorage points

6.  Regulation 47 shall be amended as follows—

(a)in paragraph (2)—

(i)in sub-paragraph (a), the word “seat” shall be omitted in both places where it appears after the words “body-restraining”; and

(ii)in sub-paragraph (b), the word “seat” shall be omitted where it appears after the words “three-point”;

(iii)in sub-paragraph (c), after the words “regulation 46(4)(a) (ii)” there shall be inserted the words “or (iii)”;

(iv)after sub-paragraph (c) there shall be inserted the following new sub-paragraphs—

“(d)regulation 46(4)(a)(i)(B) applies shall be fitted with seat belts as follows—

(i)for the driver’s seat and the specified passenger’s seat (if any) a three-point belt; and

(ii)for any forward-facing front seat which is not a specified passenger’s seat, a three-point belt or a lap belt installed in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph (c)(i);

(e)regulation 46(4A)(b) applies shall be equipped with seat belts which shall be three-point belts, lap belts or disabled person’s belts.”; and

(v)at the end of the paragraph there shall be inserted the following—

• “Where a lap belt is fitted to a forward-facing front seat of a minibus, a motor ambulance or a motor caravan, or to an exposed forward-facing seat of a coach (other than the driver’s seat) either—

  (i)

  there shall be provided padding to a depth of not less than 50 mm on the surface of any bar or partition which is, or any part of which is, forward of and within 1 metre of the intersection of the back rest and the cushion of the seat in question and such padding shall extend for not less than 150 mm on either side of that point on the bar or partition which would be bisected by a prolongation of the longitudinal centreline of the seat; or

  (ii)

  the technical and installation requirements of Annex 4 to ECE Regulation 21 shall be met.”;

(b)in paragraph (3), for the words “paragraph (2)(b) or (c)” there shall be substituted the words “paragraph (2)(b), (c), (d) or (e)”;

(c)in paragraph (4)—

(i)in sub-paragraph (c)(ii), after “BS 3254: 1960” there shall be inserted “or BS AU 160c”; and

(ii)after sub-paragraph (d) there shall be inserted the following new sub-paragraph—

“(e)to a vehicle to which regulation 46(4A)(a) applies.”;

(d)in paragraph (6), there shall be added the following new sub-paragraph—

“(c)any seat (other than the driver’s seat) fitted to a coach.”;

(e)in paragraph (8)—

(i)in the definition of “body-restraining seat belt”, the word “seat” shall be omitted where it forms part of the expression “body-restraining seat belt”;

(ii)in paragraph (i)(b) of the definition of “British Standard mark”, after “BS 3254: 1960” there shall be inserted “or BS 3254: 1960 as amended by Amendment No. 16 published on 31st July 1986 under the number AMD 5210”;

(iii)in the definition of “lap belt”, at the end there shall be added the words “and which is designed for use by an adult”; and

(iv)there shall be inserted in the appropriate places according to alphabetical order the following new definitions—

• “crew seat” has the same meaning as in regulation 3(1) of the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) Regulations 1981(1);

• “exposed forward-facing seat” means—

  (i)

  a forward-facing front seat (including any crew seat) and the driver’s seat; and

  (ii)

  any other forward-facing seat which is not immediately behind and on the same horizontal plane as a forward-facing high-backed seat;

• “forward-facing front seat” means—

  (i)

  any forward-facing seat alongside the driver’s seat; or

  (ii)

  if the vehicle normally has no seat which is a forward-facing front seat under sub-paragraph (i) of this definition, each forward-facing seat for a passenger which is foremost in the vehicle;

• “forward-facing high-backed seat” means a forward-facing seat which is also a high-backed seat;

• “high-backed seat” means a seat the highest part of which is at least 1 metre above the deck of the vehicle.