The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

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PART IPRELIMINARY

Commencement and citation

1. These Regulations shall come into operation on 11th August 1986, and may be cited as the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

Revocation

2. The Regulations specified in Schedule 1 are hereby revoked.

Interpretation

3.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

(a)any reference to a numbered regulation or a numbered Schedule is a reference to the regulation or Schedule bearing that number in these Regulations,

(b)any reference to a numbered or lettered paragraph or sub-paragraph is a reference to the paragraph or sub-paragraph bearing that number or letter in the regulation or Schedule or (in the case of a sub-paragraph) paragraph in which the reference occurs, and

(c)any reference to a Table, or to a numbered Table, is a reference to the Table, or to the Table bearing that number, in the regulation or Schedule in which that reference occurs.

(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the expressions specified in column 1 of the Table have the meaning, or are to be interpreted in accordance with the provisions, specified for them in column 2 of the Table.

TABLE

(regulation 3(2))

1	2
Expression	Meaning
The 1971 Act	The Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971.
The 1972 Act	The Road Traffic Act 1972.
The 1981 Act	The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981.
The 1984 Act	The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 .
The Approval Marks Regulations	The Motor Vehicles (Designation of Approval Marks) Regulations 1979(1).
The Lighting Regulations	The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1984.
The Plating and Testing Regulations	The Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1982(2).
The Type Approval Regulations	The Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) Regulations 1980(3).
The Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations	The Motor Vehicles (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1984 (4).
The Type Approval for Goods Vehicles Regulations	The Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) Regulations 1982(5).
The Type Approval for Agricultural Vehicles Regulations	The Agricultural or Forestry Tractors and Tractor Components (Type Approval) Regulations 1979(6).
The Act of Accession	the Treaty concerning the Accession of the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland, the Kingdom of Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community(7)
agricultural motor vehicle	a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted for use off roads for the purpose of agriculture, horticulture or forestry and which is primarily used for one or more of those purposes, not being a dual-purpose vehicle.
agricultural trailer	a trailer which is constructed or adapted for the purpose of agriculture, horticulture or forestry and which is only used for one or more of those purposes, not being an agricultural trailed appliance.
agricultural trailed appliance	a trailer— (a) which is an implement constructed or adapted— (i) for use off roads for the purpose of agriculture, horticulture or forestry and which is only used for one or more of those purposes, and (ii) so that, save in the case of an appliance manufactured before 1st December 1985, or a towed roller, its maximum gross weight is not more than twice its unladen weight; but (b) which is not— (i) a vehicle which is used primarily as living accommodation by one or more persons, and which carries no goods or burden except those needed by such one or more persons for the purpose of their residence in the vehicle; or (ii) an agricultural, horticultural or forestry implement rigidly but not permanently mounted on any vehicle whether or not any of the weight of the implement is supported by one or more of its own wheels; so however that such an implement is an agricultural trailed appliance if —part of the weight of the implement is supported by one or more of its own wheels, and —the longitudinal axis of the greater part of the implement is capable of articulating in the horizontal plane in relation to the longitudinal axis of the rear portion of the vehicle on which it is mounted.
agricultural trailed appliance conveyor	an agricultural trailer which— (a) has an unladen weight which does not exceed 510 kg; (b) is clearly and indelibly marked with its unladen weight; (c) has a pneumatic tyre fitted to each one of its wheels; (d) is designed and constructed for the purpose of conveying one agricultural trailed appliance or one agricultural, horticultural or forestry implement.
articulated bus	a bus so constructed that— (a) it can be divided into two parts, both of which are vehicles and one of which is a motor vehicle, but cannot be so divided without the use of facilities normally available only at a workshop; and (b) passengers carried by it can at all times pass from either part to the other.
articulated vehicle	a heavy motor car or motor car, not being an articulated bus, with a trailer so attached that part of the trailer is superimposed on the drawing vehicle and, when the trailer is uniformly loaded, not less than 20% of the weight of its load is borne by the drawing vehicle.
axle	any reference to the number of axles of a vehicle is to be interpreted in accordance with paragraph (8).
axle weight	in relation to each axle of a vehicle, the sum of the weights transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of that axle, having regard to the provisions of paragraph (8).
braking efficiency	the maximum braking force capable of being developed by the brakes of a vehicle, expressed as a percentage of the weight of the vehicle including any persons or load carried in the vehicle.
braking system	is to be interpreted in accordance with paragraph (6).
bus	a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver.
cc	cubic centimetre(s).
close-coupled	in relation to wheels on the same side of a trailer, fitted so that at all times while the trailer is in motion they remain parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, and that the distance between the centres of their respective areas of contract with the road surface does not exceed 1 m.
closely-spaced	(i) in the case of two axles, that they are spaced at a distance apart of not more than 2.5 m and not less than 1.02 m; and (ii) in the case of three axles, that the outermost axles are spaced at a distance apart of 3.25 m or less and no one of those three axles has a plated weight of more than 7500 kg; the said distance being obtained as provided in paragraph (10).
cm	centimetre(s).
cm²	square centimetre(s).
Community Directive, followed by a number	the Directive adopted by the Council or the Commission of the European Communities of which identifying particulars are given in the item in column 3 of Table I in Schedule 2 in which that number appears in column 2; where such a Directive amends a previous Directive mentioned in column 3(d) of the Table the reference to it means that previous Directive as so amended. Any reference to a Directive which has been amended by the Act of Accession is a reference to the Directive as so amended.
the Community Recording Equipment Regulation	Council Regulation (EEC) 1463/70 of 20th July 1970 on the introduction of recording equipment in road transport, as amended by Council Regulations (EEC) 1787/73 and 2828/77, and as read with the Community Road Transport Rules (Exemption) Regulations 1978 and the Community Road Transport Rules (Exemptions) (Amendment) Regulations 1980.
composite trailer	a combination of a converter dolly and a semi-trailer.
container	an article of equipment, not being a motor vehicle or trailer, having a volume of at least 8 cubic metres, constructed wholly or mostly of metal and intended for repeated use for the carriage of goods or burden.
converter dolly	a trailer which is— (a) equipped with two or more wheels, (b) designed to enable a semi-trailer to move without any part of its weight being directly superimposed on the drawing vehicle, and (c) not itself a part either of the semi-trailer or of the drawing vehicle.
Council Regulation (EEC), followed by a number	the Regulation adopted by the Council of the European Communities.
deck	a floor or platform on which seats are provided for the accommodation of passengers.
design weight	in relation to the gross weight, each axle weight or the train weight of a motor vehicle or trailer, the weight at or below which in the opinion of the Secretary of State or of a person authorised in that behalf by the Secretary of State the vehicle could safely be driven on roads.
double-decked vehicle	a vehicle having two decks one of which is wholly or partly above the other and each of which is provided with a gangway serving seats on that deck only.
dual-purpose vehicle	a vehicle constructed or adapted for the carriage both of passengers and of goods or burden of any description, being a vehicle of which the unladen weight does not exceed 2040 kg, and which either— (i) is so constructed or adapted that the driving power of the engine is, or by the appropriate use of the controls of the vehicle can be, transmitted to all the wheels of the vehicle; or (ii) satisfies the following conditions as to construction, namely— (a) the vehicle must be permanently fitted with a rigid roof, with or without a sliding panel; (b) the area of the vehicle to the rear of the driver's seat must— (i) be permanently fitted with at least one row of transverse seats (fixed or folding) for two or more passengers and those seats must be properly sprung or cushioned and provided with upholstered back-rests, attached either to the seats or to a side or the floor of the vehicle; and (ii) be lit on each side and at the rear by a window or windows of glass or other transparent material having an area or aggregate area of not less than 1850 square centimetres on each side and not less than 770 square centimetres at the rear; and (c) the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the back-rests of the row of transverse seats satisfying the requirements specified in head (i) of sub-paragraph (b) (or, if there is more than one such row of seats, the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the back-rests of the rearmost such row) must, when the seats are ready for use, be not less than one-third of the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the rearmost part of the floor of the vehicle.
ECE Regulation, followed by a number	the Regulation, annexed to the Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform conditions of approval for Motor Vehicles Equipment and Parts and reciprocal recognition thereof concluded at Geneva on 20th March 1958(8) as amended(9), to which the United Kingdom is a party(10), of which identifying particulars are given in the item in column (3)(a), (b) and (c) of Table II in Schedule 2in which that number appears in column (2); and where that number contains more than two digits, it refers to that Regulation with the amendments in force at the date specified in column (3)(d) in that item.
engine power in kilowatts (kW)	the maximum net power ascertained in accordance with Community Directive 80/1269.
engineering plant	(a) movable plant or equipment being a motor vehicle or trailer specially designed and constructed for the special purposes of engineering operations, and which cannot, owing to the requirements of those purposes, comply with all the requirements of these Regulations and which is not constructed primarily to carry a load other than a load being either excavated materials raised from the ground by apparatus on the motor vehicle or trailer or materials which the vehicle or trailer is specially designed to treat while carried thereon; or (b) a mobile crane which does not comply in all respects with the requirements of these Regulations.
exhaust system	a complete set of components through which the exhaust gases escape from the engine unit of a motor vehicle including those which are necessary to limit the noise caused by the escape of those gases.
first used	is to be interpreted in accordance with paragraph (3).
gangway	the space provided for obtaining access from any entrance to the passengers' seats or from any such seat to an exit other than an emergency exit, but excluding a staircase and any space in front of a seat which is required only for the use of passengers occupying that seat or a seat in the same row of seats.
gas	any fuel which is wholly gaseous at 17.5°C under a pressure of 1.013 bar absolute.
gas-fired appliance	a device carried on a motor vehicle or trailer when in use on a road, which consumes gas and which is neither— (a) a device owned or operated by or with the authority of the British Gas Corporation for the purpose of detecting gas, nor (b) an engine for the propulsion of a motor vehicle, nor (c) a lamp which consumes acetylene gas.
goods vehicle	a motor vehicle or trailer constructed or adapted for use for the carriage or haulage of goods or burden of any description.
gritting trailer	a trailer which is used on a road for the purpose of spreading grit or other matter so as to avoid or reduce the effect of ice or snow on the road.
gross weight	(a) in relation to a motor vehicle, the sum of the weights transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of the vehicle. (b) in relation to a trailer, the sum of the weights transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of the trailer and of any weight of the trailer imposed on the drawing vehicle.
heavy motor car	a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being a locomotive, a motor tractor, or a motor carry, which is constructed itself to carry a load or passengers and the weight of which unladen exceeds 2540 kg.
indivisible load	a load which cannot without undue expense or risk of damage be divided into two or more loads for the purpose of conveyance on a road.
industrial tractor	a tractor, not being an agricultural motor vehicle, which— (a) has an unladen weight not exceeding 7370 kg, (b) is designed and used primarily for work off roads, or for work on roads in connection only with road construction or maintenance (including any such tractor when fitted with an implement or implements designed primarily for use in connection with such work, whether or not any such implement is of itself designed to carry a load), and (c) has a maximum speed not exceeding 20 mph.
invalid carriage	a mechanically propelled vehicle the weight of which unladen does not exceed 254 kg and which is specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or disability and is solely used by such a person.
kerbside weight	the weight of a vehicle when it carries— (a) in the case of a motor vehicle, (i) no person; and (ii) a full supply of fuel in its tank, an adequate supply of other liquids incidental to its propulsion and no load other than the loose tools and equipment with which it is normally equipped; (b) in the case of a trailer, no person and is otherwise unladen.
kg	kilogram(s).
km/h	kilometre(s) per hour.
kW	kilowatt(s).
living van	a vehicle used primarily as living accommodation by one or more persons, and which is not also used for the carriage of goods or burden which are not needed by such one or more persons for the purpose of their residence in the vehicle.
locomotive	a mechanically propelled vehicle which is not constructed itself to carry a load other than the following articles, that is to say, water, fuel, accumulators and other equipment used for the purpose of propulsion, loose tools and loose equipment, and the weight of which unladen exceeds 7370 kg.
longitudinal plane	a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle.
m	metre(s).
m²	square metre(s).
m³	cubic metre(s).
maximum gross weight	(a) in the case of a vehicle equipped with a Ministry plate in accordance with regulation 70, the design gross weight shown in column (3) of that plate or, if no such weight is shown, the gross weight shown in column (2) of that plate; (b) in the case of a vehicle not equipped with a Ministry plate, but which is equipped with a plate in accordance with regulation 66, the maximum gross weight shown on the plate in respect of item 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 8 in the case of a motor vehicle and item 6 of Part II of Schedule 8 in the case of a trailer; (c) in any other case, the weight which the vehicle is designed or adapted not to exceed when the vehicle is travelling on a road.
maximum speed	the speed which a vehicle is incapable, by reason of its construction, of exceeding on the level under its own power when fully laden.
minibus	a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry more than 8 but not more than 16 seated passengers in addition to the driver.
Ministry plate	a plate issued by the Secretary of State for a goods vehicle following the issue or amendment of a plating certificate and in the form in, and containing the particulars required by, Schedule 10, the said particulars being those shown in the plating certificate for the vehicle.
mm	millimetre(s).
motor ambulance	a motor vehicle which is specially designed and constructed (and not merely adapted) for carrying, as equipment permanently fixed to the vehicle, equipment used for medical, dental, or other health purposes and is used primarily for the carriage of persons suffering from illness, injury or disability.
motor car	a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being a motor tractor, a motor cycle or an invalid carriage, which is constructed itself to carry a load or passengers and the weight of which unladen— (a) if it is constructed solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects and is adapted to carry not more than seven passengers exclusive of the driver does not exceed 3050 kg; (b) if it is constructed for use for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description, does not exceed 3050 kg; (c) does not exceed 2540 kg in a case falling within neither of the foregoing paragraphs.
motor cycle	a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, having less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kg.
motor tractor	a mechanically propelled vehicle which is not constructed itself to carry a load, other than the following articles, that is to say, water, fuel, accumulators and other equipment used for the purpose of propulsion, loose tools and loose equipment, and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 7370 kg.
motor vehicle	a mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads.
mph	mile(s) per hour.
N/mm²	newton(s) per square millimetre.
overall height	the vertical distance between the ground and the point on the vehicle which is furthest from the ground, calculated when— (a) the tyres of the vehicle are suitably inflated for the use to which it is being put; (b) the vehicle is at its unladen weight; and (c) the surface of the ground under the vehicle is reasonably flat; but, in the case of a trolley bus, exclusive of the power collection equipment mounted on the roof of the vehicle.
overall length	in relation to a vehicle, the distance between transverse planes passing through the extreme forward and rearward projecting points of the vehicle inclusive of all parts of the vehicle, of any receptacle which is of a permanent character and accordingly strong enough for repeated use, and any fitting on, or attached to, the vehicle except— (i) for all purposes— (a) any driving mirror; (b) any expanding or extensible contrivance forming part of a turntable fire escape fixed to a vehicle; (c) any snow-plough fixed in front of a vehicle; (d) any receptacle specially designed to hold and keep secure a seal issued for the purposes of customs clearance; (e) any tailboard which is let down while the vehicle is stationary in order to facilitate its loading or unloading; (f) any tailboard which is let down in order to facilitate the carriage of, but which is not essential for the support of, loads which are in themselves so long as to extend at least as far as the tailboard when upright; (g) any fitting attached to a part of, or to a receptacle on, a vehicle which does not increase the carrying capacity of the part or receptacle but which enables it to be —transferred from a road vehicle to a railway vehicle or from a railway vehicle to a road vehicle, —secured to a railway vehicle by a locking device, and —carried on a railway vehicle by the use of stanchions: (h) any plate, whether rigid or movable, fitted to a trailer constructed for the purpose of carrying other vehicles and designed to bridge the gap between that trailer and a motor vehicle constructed for that purpose and to which the trailer is attached so that, while the trailer is attached to the motor vehicle, vehicles which are to be carried by the motor vehicle may be moved from the trailer to the motor vehicle before a journey begins, and vehicles which have been carried on the motor vehicle may be moved from it to the trailer after a journey ends; (i) any sheeting or other readily flexible means of covering or securing a load; (j) any receptacle with an external length, measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, not exceeding 2.5 m; (k) any empty receptacle which itself forms a load; (l) any receptacle which contains an indivisible load of exceptional length; (m) any receptacle manufactured before 30th October 1985, not being a maritime container (namely a container designed primarily for carriage on sea transport without an accompanying road vehicle); or (n) any special appliance or apparatus as described in regulation 81(c) which does not itself increase the carrying capacity of the vehicle; (ii) for the purposes of regulation 7— (a) any part of a trailer (not being in the case of an agricultural trailed appliance a drawbar or other thing with which it is equipped for the purpose of being towed) designed primarily for use as a means of attaching it to another vehicle and any fitting designed for use in connection with any such part; (b) the thickness of any front or rear wall on a semi-trailer and of any part forward of such front wall or rearward of such rear wall which does not increase the vehicle's load-carrying space.
overall width	the distance between longitudinal planes passing through the extreme lateral projecting points of the vehicle inclusive of all parts of the vehicle, of any receptacle which is of permanent character and accordingly strong enough for repeated use, and any fitting on, or attached to, the vehicle except— (a) any driving mirror; (b) any snow-plough fixed in front of the vehicle; (c) so much of the distortion of any tyre as is caused by the weight of the vehicle; (d) any receptacle specially designed to hold and keep secure a seal issued for the purposes of customs clearance; (e) any lamp or reflector fitted to the vehicle in accordance with the Lighting Regulations; (f) any sideboard which is let down while the vehicle is stationary in order to facilitate its loading or unloading; (g) any fitting attached to part of, or to a receptacle on, a vehicle which does not increase the carrying capacity of the part or receptacle but which enables it to be —transferred from a road vehicle to a railway vehicle or from a railway vehicle to a road vehicle; —secured to a railway vehicle by a locking device; and —carried on a railway vehicle by the use of stanchions; (h) any sheeting or other readily flexible means of covering or securing a load; (i) any receptacle with an external width, measured at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, which does not exceed 2.5 m; (j) any empty receptacle which itself forms a load; (k) any receptacle which contains an indivisible load of exceptional width; (l) any receptacle manufactured before 30th October 1985, not being a maritime container (namely a container designed primarily for carriage on sea transport without an accompanying road vehicle); or (m) any special appliance or apparatus as described in regulation 81(c) which does not itself increase the carrying capacity of the vehicle.
overhang	the distance measured horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle between two transverse planes passing through the following two points— (a) the rearmost point of the vehicle exclusive of— (i) any expanding or extensible contrivance forming part of a turntable fire escape fixed to a vehicle; (ii) in the case of a motor car constructed solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects and adapted to carry not more than eight passengers exclusive of the driver, any luggage carrier fitted to the vehicle; and (b) (i) in the case of a motor vehicle having not more than three axles of which only one is not a steering axle, the centre point of that axle; (ii) in the case of a motor vehicle having three axles of which the front axle is the only steering axle and of a motor vehicle having four axles of which the two foremost are the only steering axles, a point 110 mm behind the centre of a straight line joining the centre points of the two rearmost axles; and (iii) in any other case a point situated on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and such that a line drawn from it at right angles to that axis will pass through the centre of the minimum turning circle of the vehicle.
passenger vehicle	a vehicle constructed solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects.
pedestrian-controlled vehicle	a motor vehicle which is controlled by a pedestrian and not constructed or adapted for use or used for the carriage of a driver or passenger.
pneumatic tyre	a tyre which— (a) is provided with, or together with the wheel upon which it is mounted forms, a continuous closed chamber inflated to a pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric pressure when the tyre is in the condition in which it is normally used, but is not subjected to any load; (b) is capable of being inflated and deflated without removal from the wheel or vehicle; and (c) is such that, when it is deflated and is subjected to a normal load, the sides of the tyre collapse.
public works vehicle	a mechanically propelled vehicle which is specially designed for use on a road by or on behalf of any statutory undertaking (as defined in section 262(13) of the Local Government Act 1972), highway authority, local authority, water authority, the Post Office, British Telecommunications plc or any police force for the purpose of works which such undertaking, authority or other body has a duty or a power to carry out, but excluding the carriage of persons other than crew or of goods other than goods needed for the works in respect of which the vehicle is being used.
recut pneumatic tyre	a pneumatic tyre in which all or part of its original tread pattern has been cut deeper or burnt deeper or a different tread pattern has been cut deeper or burnt deeper than the original tread pattern.
refuse vehicle	a vehicle designed for use and used solely in connection with street cleansing, the collection or disposal of refuse, or the collection or disposal of the contents of gullies or cesspools.
registered	registered under any of the following enactments— (a) the Roads Act 1920, (b) the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1949, (c) the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1962, or (d) the 1971 Act and, in relation to the date on which a vehicle was registered, the date on which it was first registered under any of those enactments.
relevant braking requirement	a requirement that the brakes of a motor vehicle (as assisted, where a trailer is being drawn, by the brakes on the trailer) comply— (i) in a case to which item 1 in Table 1 in regulation 18 applies, with the requirements specified in regulation 18(3) for vehicles falling in that item; (ii) in any other case, with the requirements specified in regulation 18(3) for vehicle classes (a) and (b) in item 2 of that Table (whatever the date of first use of the motor vehicle and the date of manufacture of any trailer drawn by it may be).
resilient tyre	a tyre, not being a pneumatic tyre, which is of soft or elastic material, having regard to paragraph (5).
rigid vehicle	a motor vehicle which is not constructed or adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle or articulated bus.
secondary braking system	a braking system of a vehicle applied by a secondary means of operation independent of the service braking system or by one of the sections comprised in a split braking system.
service braking system	the braking system of a vehicle which is designed and constructed to have the highest braking efficiency of any of the braking systems with which the vehicle is equipped.
semi-trailer	a trailer which is constructed or adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle.
silencer	a contrivance suitable and sufficient for reducing as far as may be reasonable the noise caused by the escape of exhaust gases from the engine of a motor vehicle.
single-decked vehicle	a vehicle upon which no part of a deck or gangway is vertically above another deck or gangway.
split braking system	in relation to a motor vehicle, a braking system so designed and constructed that— (a) it comprises two independent sections of mechanism capable of developing braking force such that, excluding the means of operation, a failure of any part (other than a fixed member or a brake shoe anchor pin) of one of the said sections will not cause a decrease in the braking force capable of being developed by the other section; (b) the said two sections are operated by a means of operation which is common to both sections; (c) the braking efficiency of either of the said two sections can be readily checked.
stored energy	in relation to a braking system of a vehicle, energy (other than the muscular energy of the driver or the mechanical energy of a spring) stored in a reservoir for the purpose of applying the brakes under the control of the driver, either directly or as a supplement to his muscular energy.
straddle carrier	a motor vehicle constructed to straddle and lift its load for the purpose of transportation.
statutory power of removal	a power conferred by or under any enactment to remove or move a vehicle from any road or from any part of a road.
temporary use spare tyre	a pneumatic tyre which is designed for use on a motor vehicle only— (a) in the event of the failure of one of the tyres normally fitted to a wheel of the vehicle, and (b) at a speed lower than that for which such normally fitted tyres are designed.
three-wheeled motor cycle	a motor cycle having three wheels, not including a two-wheeled motor cycle with a sidecar attached.
towing implement	a device on wheels designed for the purpose of enabling a motor vehicle to draw another vehicle by the attachment of that device to that other vehicle in such a manner that part of that other vehicle is secured to and either rests on or is suspended from the device and some but not all of the wheels on which that other vehicle normally runs are raised off the ground.
track-laying	in relation to a vehicle, so designed and constructed that the weight thereof is transmitted to the road surface either by means of continuous tracks or by a combination of wheels and continuous tracks in such circumstances that the weight transmitted to the road surface by the tracks is not less than half the weight of the vehicle.
trailer	means a vehicle drawn by a motor vehicle and is to be interpreted in accordance with paragraphs (9) and (11).
train weight	in relation to a motor vehicle which may draw a trailer, the maximum laden weight for the motor vehicle together with any trailer which may be drawn by it.
transverse plane	a vertical plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle.
trolley bus	a bus adapted for use on roads without rails and moved by power transmitted thereto from some external source.
unbraked trailer	any trailer other than one which, whether or not regulation 15 or 16 applies to it, is equipped with a braking system in accordance with one of those regulations.
unladen weight	the weight of a vehicle or trailer inclusive of the body and all parts (the heavier being taken where alternative bodies or parts are used) which are necessary to or ordinarily used with the vehicle or trailer when working on a road, but exclusive of the weight of water, fuel or accumulators used for the purpose of the supply of power for the propulsion of the vehicle or, as the case may be, of any vehicle by which the trailer is drawn, and of loose tools and loose equipment.
vehicle in the service of a visiting force or of a headquarters	a vehicle so described in Article 8(6) of the Visiting Forces and International Headquarters (Application of Law) Order 1965
wheel	a wheel the tyre or rim of which when the vehicle is in motion on a road is in contact with the ground; two wheels are to be regarded as one wheel in the circumstances specified in paragraph (7).
wheeled	in relation to a vehicle, so constructed that the whole weight of the vehicle is transmitted to the road surface by means of wheels.
Wide tyre	a pneumatic tyre of which the area of contact with the road surface is not less than 300mm in width when measured at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
works trailer	a trailer designed for use in private premises and used on a road only in delivering goods from or to such premises to or from a vehicle on a road in the immediate neighbourhood, or in passing from one part of any such premises to another or to other private premises in the immediate neighbourhood or in connection with road works while at or in the immediate neighbourhood of the site of such works.
works truck	a motor vehicle (other than a straddle carrier) designed for use in private premises and used on a road only in delivering goods from or to such premises to or from a vehicle on a road in the immediate neighbourhood, or in passing from one part of any such premises to another or to other private premises in the immediate neighbourhood or in connection with road works while at or in the immediate neighbourhood of the site of such works.

(3) For the purpose of these Regulations, the date on which a motor vehicle is first used is—

(a)in the case of a vehicle not falling within sub-paragraph (b) and which is registered, the date on which it was registered;

(b)in each of the following cases—

(i)a vehicle which is being or has been used under a trade licence as defined in section 16 of the 1971 Act (otherwise than for the purposes of demonstration or testing or of being delivered from premises of the manufacturer by whom it was made or of a distributor of vehicles, or dealer in vehicles, to premises of a distributor of vehicles, dealer in vehicles or purchaser thereof or to premises of a person obtaining possession thereof under a hiring agreement or hire purchase agreement);

(ii)a vehicle belonging, or which has belonged, to the Crown and which is or was used or appropriated for use for naval, military or air force purposes;

(iii)a vehicle belonging, or which has belonged, to a visiting force or a headquarters or defence organisation to which in each case the Visiting Forces and International Headquarters (Application of Law) Order 1965 applies;

(iv)a vehicle which has been used on roads outside Great Britain before being imported into Great Britain; and

(v)a vehicle which has been used otherwise than on roads after being sold or supplied by retail and before being registered;

the date of manufacture of the vehicle.

In sub-paragraph (b) (v) of this paragraph “sold or supplied by retail” means sold or supplied otherwise than to a person acquiring it solely for the purpose of resale or re-supply for a valuable consideration .

(4) The date of manufacture of a vehicle to which the Type Approval for Goods Vehicles Regulations apply shall be the date of manufacture described in regulation 2(4)(a) of those Regulations.

(5) Save where otherwise provided in these Regulations a tyre shall not be deemed to be of soft or elastic material unless the said material is either—

(a)continuous round the circumference of the wheel; or

(b)fitted in sections so that so far as reasonably practicable no space is left between the ends thereof,

and is of such thickness and design as to minimise, so far as reasonably possible, vibration when the vehicle is in motion and so constructed as to be free from any defect which might in any way cause damage to the surface of a road.

(6) For the purpose of these Regulations a brake drum and a brake disc shall be deemed to form part of the wheel and not of the braking system.

(7) For the purpose of these Regulations other than regulations 26 and 27 any two wheels of a motor vehicle or trailer shall be regarded as one wheel if the distance between the centres of the areas of contact between such wheels and the road surface is less than 460 mm.

(8) For the purpose of these Regulations other than regulations 26 and 27 in counting the number of axles of, and in determining the sum of the weights transmitted to the road surface by any one axle of, a vehicle, all the wheels of which the centres of the areas of contact with the road surface can be included between any two transverse planes less than 1.02 m apart shall be treated as constituting one axle.

(9) The provisions of these Regulations relating to trailers do not apply to any part of an articulated bus.

(10) For the purpose of regulations 51, 76 and 77 and Schedule 11 and of the definition in paragraph (2) of the expression “closely-spaced”, the distance between any two axles shall be obtained by measuring the shortest distance between the line joining the centres of the areas of contact with the road surface of the wheels of one axle and the line joining the centres of the areas of contact with the road surface of the wheels of the other axle.

(11) For the purpose of the following provisions only, a composite trailer shall be treated as one trailer (not being a semi-trailer or a converter dolly)—

(a)regulations 7, 76 and 83;

(b)paragraph (2) of, and items 3 and 10 in the Table in, regulation 75;

(c)item 2 in the Table in regulation 78.

Application and Exemptions

4.—(1) Save where the context otherwise requires, these Regulations apply to both wheeled vehicles and track-laying vehicles.

(2) Where a provision is applied by these Regulations to a motor vehicle first used on or after a specified date it does not apply to that vehicle if it was manufactured at least six months before that date.

(3) Where an exemption from, or relaxation of, a provision is applied by these Regulations to a motor vehicle first used before a specified date it shall also apply to a motor vehicle first used on or after that date if it was manufactured at least six months before that date.

(4) The regulations specified in an item in column 3 of the Table do not apply in respect of a vehicle of a class specified in that item in column 2.

TABLE

(regulation 4(4))

1	2	3
Item	Class of Vehicle	Regulations which do not apply
1	A vehicle proceeding to a port for export.	The regulations in Part II insofar as they relate to construction and equipment, except regulations 16 (insofar as it concerns parking brakes) 20, 30, 34, 37, 53 and 57(3) and (4). Regulations 66 to 69 and 71.
2	A vehicle brought temporarily into Great Britain by a person resident abroad, provided that the vehicle complies in every respect with the requirements relating to motor vehicles or trailers contained in— (a) article 21 and paragraph (1) of article 22 of the Convention on Road Traffic concluded at Geneva on 19th September 1949(11) and Part II (so far as it relates to direction indicators and stop lights) and Part III of Annex 6 to that Convention; or (b) paragraphs I, III and VIII of article 3 of the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic concluded at Paris on 24th April 1926 (12)	The regulations in Part II insofar as they relate to construction and equipment except regulations 7, 8, 9(2), 10, 40, 53 and 57(3) and (4). Regulations 66 to 69 and 71.
3	A vehicle manufactured in Great Britain which complies with the requirements referred to in item 2 above and contained in the Convention of 1949, or, as the case may be, 1926 referred to in that item as if the vehicle had been brought temporarily into Great Britain, and either— (a) is exempt from car tax by virtue of paragraph 7 and 8 of Schedule 7 to the Finance Act 1972, or (b) has been zero rated under regulation 49 or 50 of the Value Added Tax (General) Regulations 1977.	The regulations in Part II insofar as they relate to construction and equipment, except regulations 7, 8, 9(2), 10, 40, 53 and 57(3) and (4). Regulations 66 to 69 and 71.
4	A vehicle in the service of a visiting force or of a headquarters.	The regulations in Part II insofar as they relate to construction and equipment, except regulations 9(2), 16 (insofar as it concerns parking brakes), 21, 53, 57(3), and (4) and 61. Regulations 66 to 69, 71 and 75 to 79.
5	A vehicle which has been submitted for an examination under section 43 or section 54 of the 1972 Act while it is being used on a road in connection with the carrying out of that examination and is being so used by a person who is empowered under that section to carry out that examination, or by a person acting under the direction of a person so empowered.	The regulations in Part II except regulations 57(3) and (4). Regulations 75 to 79 and 100.
6	A motor car or a motor cycle in respect of which a certificate has been issued by the Officer in Charge of the National Collections of Road Transport, the Science Museum, London SW7. that it was designed before 1st January 1905 and constructed before 31st December 1905.	Regulations 16 (except insofar as it applies requirements 3 and 6 in Schedule 3), 21, 37(4), 63 and 99(4).
7	(a) A towing implement which is being drawn by a motor vehicle while it is not attached to any vehicle except the one drawing it if— (i) the towing implement is not being so drawn during the hours of darkness, and (ii) the vehicle by which it is being so drawn is not driven at a speed exceeding 20 mph; or (b) a vehicle which is being drawn by a motor vehicle in the exercise of a statutory power of removal.	The regulations in Part II insofar as they relate to the construction and equipment of trailers, except regulation 20.

(5) Any reference to a broken down vehicle shall include a reference to any towing implement which is being used for the drawing of any such vehicle.

(6) The Secretary of State is satisfied that it is requisite that the provisions of regulation 40(2) should apply, as from the date on which these Regulations come into operation, to track-laying vehicles registered before the expiration of one year from the making of these Regulations; and that, notwithstanding that those provisions will then apply to these vehicles, no undue hardship or inconvenience will be caused thereby.

Trade Descriptions Act 1968

5. Nothing in any provision of these Regulations whereby any vehicle or any of its parts or equipment is required to be marked with a specification number or the registered certification trade mark of the British Standards Institution or with an approval mark, or whereby such a marking is treated as evidence of compliance with a standard to which the marking relates, shall be taken to authorise any person to apply any such marking to the vehicle, part or equipment in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

Compliance with Community Directives and ECE Regulations

6.—(1) For the purpose of any regulation which requires or permits a vehicle to comply with the requirements of a Community Directive or an ECE Regulation, a vehicle shall be deemed so to have complied at the date of its first use only if—

(a)one of the certificates referred to in paragraph (2) has been issued in relation to it; or

(b)the marking referred to in paragraph (3) has been applied; or

(c)it was, before it was used on a road, subject to a relevant type approval requirement as specified in paragraph (4).

(2) The certificates mentioned in paragraph (1) are—

(a)a type approval certificate issued by the Secretary of State under regulation 5 of the Type Approval Regulations or of the Type Approval for Agricultural Vehicles Regulations;

(b)a certificate of conformity issued by the manufacturer of the vehicle under regulation 6 of either of those Regulations; or

(c)a certificate issued under a provision of the law of any member state of the European Economic Community which corresponds to the said regulations 5 or 6,

being in each case a certificate issued by reason of the vehicle's conforming to the requirements of the Community Directive in question.

(3) The marking mentioned in paragraph (1) is a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Approval Marks Regulations, being in each case a mark shown in column 2 of an item in Schedule 2 to those Regulations which refers, in column 5, to the ECE Regulation in question, applied as indicated in column 4 in that item.

(4) A relevant type approval requirement is a requirement of the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations or the Type Approval for Goods Vehicles Regulations which appears—

(a)in column 4 of Table I in Schedule 2 in the item in which the Community Directive in question appears in column 3, or

(b)in column 4 of Table II in Schedule 2 in the item in which the ECE Regulation in question appears in column3.

PART IIREGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLES

ADIMENSIONS AND MANOEUVRABILITY

Length

7.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (6), the overall length of a vehicle or combination of vehicles of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the maximum length specified in that item in column 3 of the Table, the overall length in the case of a combination of vehicles being calculated in accordance with regulation 81(g) and (h).

TABLE

(regulation 7(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Maximum length (metres)
	Vehicle Combinations
1	A motor vehicle drawing one trailer not being a semi-trailer.	18
2	An articulated bus.	18
3	An articulated vehicle.	15.5
	Motor vehicles
4	A wheeled motor vehicle.	12
5	A track-laying motor vehicle.	9.2
	Trailers
6	An agricultural trailed appliance manufactured on or after 1st December 1985.	15
7	A semi-trailer manufactured on or after 1st May 1983.	12.2
8	A trailer with at least 4 wheels which is— (a) drawn by a goods vehicle being a motor vehicle having a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg; or (b) an agricultural trailer.	12
9	Any other trailer not being an agricultural trailed appliance or a semi-trailer.	7

(2) In the case of a motor vehicle drawing one trailer where—

(a)the motor vehicle is a showman's vehicle as defined in paragraph 7 of Schedule 3 to the 1971 Act; and

(b)the trailer is used primarily as living accommodation by one or more persons and is not also used for the carriage of goods or burden which are not needed for the purpose of such residence in the vehicle,

item 1 in the Table applies with the substitution of 22 m for 18 m.

(3) The provisions of paragraph (1) do not apply to—

(a)a vehicle combination or trailer which is constructed and normally used for the conveyance of indivisible loads of exceptional length;

(b)a wheeled semi-trailer which is constructed and normally used for the purpose of carrying at least two other wheeled vehicles;

(c)a broken down vehicle which is being drawn by a motor vehicle in consequence of a breakdown; or

(d)a trailer being drying or mixing plant designed for the production of asphalt or of bituminous or tar macadam and used mainly for the construction, repair or maintenance of roads, or a road planing machine so used.

(4) Where a motor vehicle is drawing—

(a)two trailers, then only one of those trailers may exceed an overall length of 7 m;

(b)three trailers, then none of those trailers shall exceed an overall length of 7 m.

(5) Where a motor vehicle is drawing—

(a)two or more trailers; or

(b)one trailer constructed and normally used for the conveyance of indivisible loads of exceptional length—

then—

(i)the overall length of that motor vehicle shall not exceed 9.2 m; and

(ii) the overall length of the combination of vehicles, calculated in accordance with regulation 81(g) and (h), shall not exceed 25.9 m, unless the conditions specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12 have been complied with.

(6) Item 7 in the Table does not apply to a semi-trailer which is normally used on international journeys any part of which takes place outside the United Kingdom.

Width

8.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), the overall width of a vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the maximum width specified in column 3 in that item.

TABLE

(regulation 8(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Maximum width (metres)
1	A locomotive, other than an agricultural motor vehicle.	2.75
2	A refrigerated vehicle	2.58
3	Any other motor vehicle.	2.5
4	A trailer drawn by a motor vehicle having a maximum gross weight (determined as provided in Part I of Schedule 8 to these Regulations) exceeding 3500 kg.	2.5
5	An agricultural trailer.	2.5
6	An agricultural trailed appliance.	2.5
7	Any other trailer drawn by a vehicle other than a motor cycle.	2.3
8	A trailer drawn by a motor cycle.	1.5

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a broken down vehicle which is being drawn in consequence of the breakdown.

(3) No person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road a wheeled agricultural motor vehicle drawing a wheeled trailer if, when the longitudinal axes of the vehicles are parallel but in different vertical planes, the overall width of the two vehicles, measured as if they were one vehicle, exceeds 2.5 metres.

(4) In this regulation “refrigerated vehicle” means any vehicle which is specially designed for the carriage of goods at low temperature and of which the thickness of each of the side walls, inclusive of insulation, is at least 45 mm.

Height

9.—(1) The overall height of a bus shall not exceed 4.57 m.

(2) Save as provided in paragraph (3), no person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road any semi-trailer if—

(a)any part of the structure of the vehicle is more than 4.2 m from the ground when the vehicle is on level ground; and

(b)the total laden weight of the semi-trailer and the vehicle by which it is drawn exceeds 32,520 kg.

(3) For the purpose of paragraph (2) the structure of a vehicle includes any detachable structure attached to the vehicle for the purpose of containing any load, but does not include any load which is not a detachable structure or any sheeting or other readily flexible means of covering or securing a load.

The provisions of paragraph (2) do not apply in respect of any vehicle while it is being loaded or unloaded.

Indication of overall travelling height

10.—(1) This regulation applies to every motor vehicle which is—

(a)constructed or adapted so as to be capable of hoisting and carrying a skip;

(b)carrying a container;

(c)drawing a trailer or semi-trailer carrying a container;

(d)engineering plant;

(e)carrying engineering equipment; or

(f)drawing a trailer or semi-trailer carrying engineering equipment.

(2) No person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road a vehicle to which this regulation applies if the overall travelling height exceeds 3.66 m unless there is carried in the vehicle in the manner specified in paragraph (3) a notice clearly indicating in feet and inches and in figures not less than 40 mm tall, the overall travelling height.

(3) The notice referred to in paragraph (2) shall be attached to the vehicle in such a manner that it can be read by the driver when in the driving position.

(4) In this regulation—

“engineering equipment” means engineering plant and any other plant or equipment designed and constructed for the purpose of engineering operations;

“overall travelling height” means not less than and not above 25 mm more than the distance between the ground and the point on the motor vehicle, or on any trailer drawn by it, or on any load which is being carried by or any equipment which is fitted to the said motor vehicle or trailer, which is farthest from the ground, and for the purpose of determining the overall travelling height—

(a)

the tyres of the motor vehicle and of any trailer which it is drawing shall be suitably inflated for the use to which the vehicle or combination of vehicles is being put; and

(b)

the surface under the motor vehicle and any trailer which it is drawing and any load which is being carried on and any equipment which is fitted to any part of the said vehicle or combination of vehicles and which projects beyond any part of the said vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be reasonably flat; and

(c)

any equipment which is fitted to the motor vehicle or any trailer which it is drawing shall be stowed in the position in which it is to proceed on the road;

“skip” means an article of equipment designed and constructed to be carried on a road vehicle and to be placed on a road or other land for the storage of materials, or for the removal and disposal of rubble, waste, household or other rubbish or earth.

Overhang

11.—(1) The overhang of a wheeled vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not, subject to any exemption specified in that item in column 4, exceed the distance specified in that item in column 3.

TABLE

(regulation 11(1))

1	2	3	4
1	Motor tractor	1.83 m.	(a) a track-laying vehicle (b) an agricultural motor vehicle
2	Heavy motor car and motor car	60% of the distance between the transverse plane which passes through the centre or centres of the foremost wheel or wheels and the transverse plane which passes through the foremost point from which the overhang is to be measured as provided in regulation 3(2).	(a) a bus (b) a refuse vehicle (c) a works truck (d) a track-laying vehicle (e) an agricultural motor vehicle (f) a motor car which is an ambulance (g) a vehicle designed to dispose of its load to the rear, if the overhang does not exceed 1.15 m (h) a vehicle first used before 2nd January 1933 (i) a vehicle first used before 1st January 1966 if— (i) the distance between the centres of the rearmost and foremost axles does not exceed 2.29 m, and (ii) the distance specified in column 3 is not exceeded by more than 76 mm (j) heating plant on a vehicle designed and mainly used to heat the surface of a road or other similar surface in the process of construction, repair or maintenance shall be disregarded.

Item

Class of vehicle

Maximum overhang

Exemptions

Motor tractor

1.83 m.

(a) a track-laying vehicle

(b) an agricultural motor vehicle

Heavy motor car and motor car

60% of the distance between the transverse plane which passes through the centre or centres of the foremost wheel or wheels and the transverse plane which passes through the foremost point from which the overhang is to be measured as provided in regulation 3(2).

(a)

a bus

(b)

a refuse vehicle

(c)

a works truck

(d)

a track-laying vehicle

(e)

an agricultural motor vehicle

(f)

a motor car which is an ambulance

(g)

a vehicle designed to dispose of its load to the rear, if the overhang does not exceed 1.15 m

(h)

a vehicle first used before 2nd January 1933

(i)

a vehicle first used before 1st January 1966 if—

(i)

the distance between the centres of the rearmost and foremost axles does not exceed 2.29 m, and

(ii)

the distance specified in column 3 is not exceeded by more than 76 mm

(j)

heating plant on a vehicle designed and mainly used to heat the surface of a road or other similar surface in the process of construction, repair or maintenance shall be disregarded.

(2) In the case of an agricultural motor vehicle the distance measured horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rear portion of the vehicle between the transverse planes passing through the rearmost point of the vehicle and through the centre of the rear or the rearmost axle shall not exceed 3 m.

Minimum ground clearance

12.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), a wheeled trailer which is—

(a)a goods vehicle; and

(b)manufactured on or after 1st April 1984,

shall have a minimum ground clearance of not less than 160 mm if the trailer has an axle interspace of more than 6 m but less than 11.5 m, and a minimum ground clearance of not less than 190 mm if the trailer has an axle interspace of 11.5 m or more.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply in the case of a trailer—

(a)which is fitted with a suspension system with which, by the operation of a control, the trailer may be lowered or raised, while that system is being operated to enable the trailer to pass under a bridge or other obstruction over a road provided that at such times the system is operated so that no part of the trailer (excluding any wheel) touches the ground or is likely to do so; or

(b)while it is being loaded or unloaded.

(3) In this regulation—

“axle interspace” means—

(a)

in the case of a semi-trailer, the distance between the point of support of the semi-trailer at its forward end and, if it has only one axle, the centre of that axle or, if it has more than one axle, the point halfway between the centres of the foremost and rearmost of those axles; and

(b)

in the case of any other trailer, the distance between the centre of its front axle or, if it has more than one axle at the front, the point halfway between the centres of the foremost and rearmost of those axles, and the centre of its rear axle or, if it has more than one axle at the rear, the point halfway between the centre of the foremost and rearmost of those axles; and

“ground clearance” means the shortest distance between the ground and the lowest part of that portion of the trailer (excluding any part of a suspension, steering or braking system attached to any axle, any wheel and any air skirt) which lies within the area formed by the overall width of the trailer and the middle 70% of the axle interspace, such distance being ascertained when the trailer—

(a)

is fitted with suitable tyres which are inflated to a pressure recommended by the manufacturer, and

(b)

is reasonably horizontal and standing on ground which is reasonably flat.

Turning circle

13.—(1) This regulation applies to a bus first used on or after 1st April 1982.

(2) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be able to move on either lock so that no part of it projects outside the area contained between concentric circles with radii of 12 m and 5.3 m.

(3) When a vehicle to which this regulation applies moves forward from rest, on either lock, so that its outermost point describes a circle of 12 m radius, no part of the vehicle shall project beyond the longitudinal plane which, at the beginning of the manoeuvre, defines the overall width of the vehicle on the side opposite to the direction in which it is turning by more than—

(a)0.8 m if it is a rigid vehicle; or

(b)1.2 m if it is an articulated bus.

(4) For the purpose of paragraph (3) the two rigid portions of an articulated bus shall be in line at the beginning of the manoeuvre.

Connecting sections and direction-holding of articulated buses

14.—(1) This regulation applies to every articulated bus first used on or after 1st April 1982.

(2) The connecting section of the two parts of every articulated bus to which this regulation applies shall be constructed so as to comply with the provisions relating to such a section specified in paragraph 5.9 in ECE Regulation 36 as regards vehicles within the scope of that Regulation.

(3) Every articulated bus to which this regulation applies shall be constructed so that when the vehicle is moving in a straight line the longitudinal median planes of its two parts coincide and form a continuous plane without any deflection.

BBRAKES

Braking systems of certain vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1983

15.—(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), the braking system of every wheeled vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table which is first used on or after 1st April 1983 shall comply with the construction, fitting, and performance requirements specified in Annexes I, II and VII to Community Directive 79/489, and if relevant, Annexes III, IV, V, VI and VIII to that Directive, in relation to the category of vehicles specified in that item in column 3.

Provided that it shall be lawful for any vehicle of such a class which was first used before 1st April 1983 to comply with the said requirements instead of complying with regulations 16 and 17.

TABLE

(regulation 15(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of Vehicle	Vehicle Category in the Community Directive
1	Passenger vehicles and dual-purpose vehicles which have 3 or more wheels except— (a) dual-purpose vehicles constructed and adapted to carry not more than 2 passengers exclusive of the driver; (b) motor-cycles with side-car attached; (c) vehicles having 3 wheels, and not exceeding a maximum gross weight of 1000 kg, a design speed of 40 km/h and an engine capacity of 50 cc.; (d) buses.	M1
2	Buses having a maximum gross weight which does not exceed 5000 kg.	M2
3	Buses having a maximum gross weight which exceeds 5000 kg.	M3
4	Dual-purpose vehicles not within item 1(a); and goods vehicles, having a maximum gross weight which does not exceed 3500 kg, and not being motorcycles with a sidecar attached.	N1
	Goods vehicles with a maximum gross weight which—
5	exceeds 3500 kg but does not exceed 12,000 kg.	N2
6	exceeds 12,000 kg.	N3
	Trailers of which the sum of the axle weights—
7	does not exceed 750 kg.	O1
8	exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed 3500 kg.	O2
9	exceeds 3500 kg but does not exceed 10,000 kg.	O3
10	exceeds 10,000 kg.	O4

(2) The requirements specified in paragraph (1) do not apply to—

(a)an agricultural trailer or agricultural trailed appliance that is not, in either case, drawn at a speed exceeding 20 mph;

(b)a locomotive;

(c)a motor tractor;

(d)an agricultural motor vehicle unless it is first used after 1st June 1986 and is driven at more than 20 mph;

(e)a vehicle which has a maximum speed not exceeding 25 km/h;

(f)a works trailer;

(g)a works truck;

(h)a public works vehicle;

(i)a trailer designed and constructed, or adapted, to be drawn exclusively by a vehicle to which sub-paragraph (b), (c), (e), (g) or (h) of this paragraph applies;

(j)a trailer mentioned in regulation 16(3)(b), (d), (e), (f) and (g); or

(k)a vehicle manufactured by Leyland Vehicles Limited and known as the Atlantean Bus, if first used before 1st October 1984.

(3) The requirements specified in paragraph (1) shall apply to the classes of vehicles specified in the Table so that—

(a)in items 2 and 3 the testing requirements specified in paragraphs 1.5.1 and 1.5.2 of Annex II to the said Community Directive shall not apply in relation to a double-decked vehicle first used before 1st October 1983;

(b)in items 2 and 3 the requirements specified in paragraph 1.1.4.2 of Annex II to the said Community Directive shall not apply;

(c)in items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in the case of vehicles constructed or adapted for use by physically handicapped drivers, the requirement in paragraph 2.1.2.1 of Annex I to the said Community Directive that the driver must be able to achieve the braking action mentioned in that paragraph from his driving seat without removing his hands from the steering control shall be modified so as to require that the driver is able to achieve that action while one of his hands remains on the steering control; and

(d)in items 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 the requirement specified in paragraph 1.1.4.2 of Annex II to the said Community Directive shall not apply to a vehicle if either—

(i) following a test in respect of which the fee numbered 1360C, 1361Z or 1362W, prescribed in Schedule 1 to the Motor Vehicles (Type Approval and Approval Marks) (Fees) Regulations 1984(13) has been paid, a document is issued by the Secretary of State indicating that, at the date of manufacture of the vehicle, the type to which it belongs complies with the requirements specified in Annex 13 to ECE Regulation 13.03, 13.04 or 13.05; or

(ii) as a result of a notifiable alteration to the vehicle, within the meaning of regulation 3 of the Plating and Testing Regulations, a fitment has been approved as complying with the requirements mentioned in sub-paragraph (i).

(4) Instead of complying with the preceding provisions of this regulation, a vehicle to which this regulation applies may comply with Community Directive 79/489 or with ECE Regulation 13.03, 13.04 or 13.05, so, however, that a vehicle on which a notifiable alteration referred to in paragraph (3) (d) has been carried out shall not be treated as so complying unless the fitment installed in it has been approved as mentioned in that paragraph.

Braking systems of vehicles to which regulation 15 does not apply

16.—(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), this regulation applies to every vehicle to which regulation 15 does not apply.

(2) Paragraph (4) of this regulation does not apply to a vehicle which complies with regulation 15 by virtue of the proviso to regulation 15(1), or which complies with Community Directive 79/489 or ECE Regulation 13.03, 13.04 or 13.05.

(3) This regulation does not apply to the following vehicles, except in the case of a vehicle referred to in (a) insofar as the regulation concerns parking brakes (requirements 16 to 18 in Schedule 3)—

(a)a locomotive first used before 2nd January 1933, propelled by steam, and with an engine which is capable of being reversed;

(b)a trailer which—

(i) is designed for use and used for street cleansing and does not carry any load other than its necessary gear and equipment;

(ii) has axle weights of which the sum does not exceed 750 kg;

(iii) is an agricultural trailer manufactured before 1st July 1947 drawn by a motor tractor or an agricultural motor vehicle if the trailer—

(A) has a laden weight not exceeding 4070 kg; and

(B) is the only trailer being drawn; and

(iv) is drawn by a motor cycle in accordance with regulation 84;

(c)an agricultural trailed appliance;

(d)an agricultural trailed appliance conveyor;

(e)a broken down vehicle;

(f)before 1st October 1986—

(i) a trailer with an unladen weight not exceeding 102 kg which was manufactured before 1st October 1982; and

(ii) a gritting trailer; or

(g)on or after 1st October 1986, a gritting trailer with a maximum gross weight not exceeding 2000 kg.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (7), a vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall comply with the requirements shown in column 3 in that item, subject to any exemptions or modifications shown in column 4 in that item, reference to numbers in column 3 being references to the requirements so numbered in Schedule 3.

TABLE

(regulation 16(4))

1	2	3	4
Item	Class of vehicle	Requirements in Schedule 3	Exemptions or modifications
	Motor cars
1	First used before 1st January 1915.	3, 6, 7, 13, 16	Requirements 13 and 16 do not apply to a motor car with less than 4 wheels.
2	First used on or after 1st January 1915 but before 1st April 1938.	1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 16	A works truck within items 1 to 11 is not subject to requirements 1, 2, 3 or 4 if it is equipped with one braking system with one means of operation.
3	First used on or after 1st April 1938 and being either a track-laying vehicle or a vehicle first used before 1st January 1968.	1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16
4	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1968.	1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18
	Heavy motor cars
5	First used before 15th August 1928.	1, 6, 16
6	First used on or after 15th August 1928 but before 1st April 1938.	1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 16
7	First used on or after 1st April 1938 and being either a track-laying vehicle or a vehicle first used before 1st January 1968.	1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16
8	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1968.	1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18
	Motor cycles
9	First used before 1st January 1927.	3, and, in the case of three-wheeled vehicles, 16
10	First used on or after 1st January 1927 but before 1st January 1968.	2, 7, and, in the case of three-wheeled vehicles, 16
11	First used on or after 1st January 1968 and not being a motor cycle to which paragraph (5) applies.	2, 7, and, in the case of three-wheeled vehicles, 18
	Locomotives
12	Wheeled vehicles first used before 1st June 1955.	3, 6, 12, 16
13	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st June 1955 but before 1st January 1968.	3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18
14	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1968.	3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18
15	Track-laying vehicles.	3, 6, 16
	Motor tractors
16	Wheeled vehicles first used before 14th January 1931 and track-laying vehicles first used before 1st April 1938.	3, 4, 6, 7, 16	Industrial tractors within items 16 to 19 are subject to requirement 5 instead of requirement 4.
17	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 14th January 1931 but before 1st April 1938.	3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 16
18	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1938 but before 1st January 1968.	3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16
19	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1968.	3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18
20	Track-laying vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1938.	3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 16
	Wheeled agricultural motor vehicles not driven at more than 20 mph
21	First used before 1st January 1968.	3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 16
22	First used on or after 1st January 1968 but before 9th February 1980.	3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 18
23	First used on or after 9th February 1980.	3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18
	Invalid carriages
24	Whenever first used.	3, 13
	Trailers
25	Manufactured before 1st April 1938.	3, 10, 14, 17
26	Manufactured on or after 1st April 1938 and being either a track-laying vehicle, an agricultural trailer or a vehicle manufactured before 1st January 1968.	3, 8, 10, 14, 17	Agricultural trailers are not subject to requirement 8.
27	Wheeled vehicles manufactured on or after 1st January 1968, not being an agricultural trailer.	3, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18	Trailers equipped with brakes which come into operation on the overrun of the vehicle are not subject to requirement 15.

Provided that wheeled agricultural motor vehicles not driven at more than 20 mph are excluded from all items other than items 21 to 23.

(5) Save as provided in paragraph (6), the braking system of every motor cycle with two wheels (with or without a sidecar) first used on or after 1st April 1987 shall comply with ECE Regulation 13.05.

(6) Paragraph (5) does not apply to a works truck or to a vehicle constructed or assembled by a person not ordinarily engaged in the business of manufacturing vehicles of that description.

(7) Instead of complying with the provisions of paragraph (4) of this Regulation an agricultural motor vehicle may comply with Community Directive 76/432.

Vacuum or pressure brake warning devices

17.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), every motor vehicle which is equipped with a braking system which embodies a vacuum or pressure reservoir or reservoirs shall be equipped with a device so placed as to be readily visible to the driver of the vehicle and which is capable of indicating any impending failure of, or deficiency in, the vacuum or pressure system.

(2) The requirement specified in paragraph (1) does not apply in respect of—

(a)a vehicle to which regulation 15 applies, or which complies with the requirements of that regulation, of Community Directive 79/489 or of ECE Regulation 13.03, 13.04 or 13.05;

(b)an agricultural motor vehicle which complies with Community Directive 76/432;

(c)a vehicle with an unladen weight not exceeding 3050 kg propelled by an internal combustion engine, if the vacuum in the reservoir or reservoirs is derived directly from the induction system of the engine, and if, in the event of a failure of, or deficiency in, the vacuum system, the brakes of that braking system are sufficient under the most adverse conditions to bring the vehicle to rest within a reasonable distance; or

(d)a vehicle first used before 1st October 1937.

Maintenance and efficiency of brakes

18.—(1) Every part of every braking system and of the means of operation thereof fitted to a vehicle shall be maintained in good and efficient working order and be properly adjusted.

(2) Paragraph (3) applies to every wheeled motor vehicle except—

(a)an agricultural motor vehicle which is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(b)a works truck; and

(c)a pedestrian-controlled vehicle.

(3) Every vehicle to which this paragraph applies and which is of a class specified in an item in column 2 of Table I shall, subject to any exemption shown for that item in column 4, be so maintained that—

(a)its service braking system has a total braking efficiency not less than that shown in column 3(a) for that item; and

(b)if the vehicle is a heavy motor car, a motor car first used on or after 1st January 1915 or a motor-cycle first used on or after 1st January 1927, its secondary braking system has a total braking efficiency not less than that shown in column 3(b) for those items.

Provided that a reference in Table I to a trailer is a reference to a trailer required by regulation 15 or 16 to be equipped with brakes.

TABLE I

(regulation 18(3))

1	2	3	4
Item	Class of vehicle	Efficiencies (%)	Exemptions
		(a) (b)
1	A vehicle to which regulation 15 applies or which complies in all respects other than its braking efficiency with the requirements of that regulation or with Community Directive 79/489 or with ECE Regulation 13.03, 13.04 or 13.05—		A motor cycle.
	(a) when not drawing a trailer;	50 25
	(b) when drawing a trailer	45 25
2	A vehicle, not included in item 1 and not being a motor cycle, which is first used on or after 1st January 1968—
	(a) when not drawing a trailer;	50 25
	(b) when not drawing a trailer manufactured on or after 1st January 1968;	50 25
	(c) when drawing a trailer manufactured before 1st January 1968	40 15
3	Goods vehicles first used on or after 15th August 1928 but before 1st January 1968 having an unladen weight exceeding 1525 kg being—
	(a) rigid vehicles with 2 axles not constructed to form part of an articulated vehicle—
	(i) when not drawing a trailer	45 20
	(ii) when drawing a trailer	40 15
	(b) other vehicles, including vehicles constructed to form part of an articulated vehicle, whether or not drawing a trailer	40 15
4	Vehicles not included in items 1 to 3—		(a) a bus;
	(a) having at least one means of operation applying to at least 4 wheels;	50 25	(b) an articulated vehicle;
	(b) having 3 wheels and at least one means of operation applying to all 3 wheels and not being a motor cycle with sidecar attached—		(c) a vehicle constructed or adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle;
	(i) when not drawing a trailer	40 25	(d) a heavy motor car which is a goods vehicle first used before 15th August 1928.
	(ii) in the case of a motor cycle when drawing a trailer	40 25
	(c) other
	(i) when not drawing a trailer	30 25
	(ii) in the case of a motor cycle when drawing a trailer.	30 25

(4) A goods vehicle shall not be deemed to comply with the requirements of paragraph (3) unless it is capable of complying with those requirements both at the laden weight at which it is operating at any time and when its laden weight is equal to—

(a)if a plating certificate has been issued and is in force for the vehicle, the design gross weight shown in column (3) of that certificate or, if no such weight is so shown, the gross weight shown in column (2) of that certificate; and

(b)in any other case, the design gross weight of the vehicle.

Provided that in the case of a goods vehicle drawing a trailer, references in this paragraph to laden weight refer to the combined laden weight of the drawing vehicle and the trailer and references to gross weight and design gross weight are to be taken as references to train weight and design train weight respectively.

(5) The brakes of every agricultural motor vehicle which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and is not driven at more than 20 mph, and of every agricultural trailer manufactured on or after 1st December 1985 shall be capable of achieving a braking efficiency of not less than 25% when the weight of the vehicle is equal to the total maximum axle weights which the vehicle is designed to have.

(6) Every vehicle or combination of vehicles specified in an item in column 2 of Table II shall be so maintained that its brakes are capable, without the assistance of stored energy, of holding it stationary on a gradient of at least the percentage specified in column 3 in that item.

TABLE II

(regulation 18(6))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle or combination	Percentage gradient
1	A vehicle specified in item 1 of Table I—
	(a) when not drawing a trailer	16
	(b) when drawing a trailer	12
2	A vehicle to which requirement 18 in Schedule 3 applies by virtue of regulation 16.	16
3	A vehicle, not included in item 1, drawing a trailer manufactured on or after 1st January 1968 and required, by regulation 15 or 16, to be fitted with brakes.	16

(7) For the purpose of this regulation the date of manufacture of a trailer which is a composite trailer shall be deemed to be the same as the date of manufacture of the semi-trailer which forms part of the composite trailer.

(8) A vehicle which is subject to, and which complies with the requirements in, item 1 in Tables I and II shall not be treated as failing, by reason of its braking efficiency, to comply with regulation 15 or with Community Directive 79/489 or ECE Regulation 13.03, 13.04 or 13.05.

Application of brakes of trailers

19. Where a trailer is drawn by a motor vehicle the driver (or in the case of a locomotive one of the persons employed in driving or tending the locomotive) shall be in a position readily to operate any brakes required by these Regulations to be fitted to the trailer as well as the brakes of the motor vehicle unless a person other than the driver is in a position and competent efficiently to apply the brakes of the trailer.

Provided that this regulation shall not apply to a trailer which—

(a) in compliance with these Regulations, is fitted with brakes which automatically come into operation on the overrun of the trailer; or

(b) which is a broken down vehicle being drawn, whether or not in consequence of a breakdown, in such a manner that it cannot be steered by its own steering gear.

CWHEELS, SPRINGS, TYRES AND TRACKS

General requirement as to wheels and tracks

20. Every motor cycle and invalid carriage shall be a wheeled vehicle, and every other motor vehicle and every trailer shall be either a wheeled vehicle or a track-laying vehicle.

Diameter of wheels

21. All wheels of a wheeled vehicle which are fitted with tyres other than pneumatic tyres shall have a rim diameter of not less than 670 mm.

Provided that this regulation does not apply to—

(a) a motor vehicle first used on or before 2nd January 1933;

(b) a trailer manufactured before 1st January 1933;

(c) a wheel fitted to a motor car first used on or before 1st July 1936, if the diameter of the wheel inclusive of the tyre is not less than 670 mm;

(d) a works truck or works trailer;

(e) a refuse vehicle;

(f) a pedestrian-controlled vehicle;

(g) a mobile crane;

(h) an agricultural trailed appliance;

(i) a broken down vehicle which is being drawn by a motor vehicle in consequence of the breakdown; or

(j) an electrically propelled goods vehicle the unladen weight of which does not exceed 1270 kg.

Springs and resilient material

22.—(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4), every motor vehicle and every trailer shall be equipped with suitable and sufficient springs between each wheel and the frame of the vehicle.

(2) Save as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4)in the case of a track-laying vehicle—

(a)resilient material shall be interposed between the rims of the weight-carrying rollers and the road surface so that the weight of the vehicle, other than that borne by any wheel, is supported by the resilient material; and

(b)where the vehicle is a heavy motor car, motor car, or trailer it shall have suitable springs between the frame of the vehicle and the weight-carrying rollers.

(3) This regulation does not apply to—

(a)a wheeled vehicle with an unladen weight not exceeding 4070 kg and which is—

(i) a motor tractor any unsprung wheel of which is fitted with a pneumatic tyre;

(ii) a motor tractor used in connection with railway shunting and which is used on a road only when passing from one railway track to another in connection with such use;

(iii) a vehicle specially designed, and mainly used, for work on rough ground or unmade roads and every wheel of which is fitted with a pneumatic tyre and which is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(iv) a vehicle constructed or adapted for, and being used for, road sweeping and every wheel of which is fitted with either a pneumatic tyre or a resilient tyre and which is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(b)an agricultural motor vehicle which is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(c)an agricultural trailer, or an agricultural trailed appliance;

(d)a trailer used solely for the haulage of felled trees;

(e)a motor cycle;

(f)a mobile crane;

(g)a pedestrian-controlled vehicle all the wheels of which are equipped with pneumatic tyres;

(h)a road roller;

(i)a broken down vehicle; or

(j)a vehicle first used on or before 1st January 1932.

(4) Paragraphs (1) and (2)(b) do not apply to a works truck or a works trailer.

Wheel loads

23.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) this regulation applies to—

(a)a semi-trailer with more than 2 wheels;

(b)a track-laying vehicle with more than 2 wheels; and

(c)any other vehicle with more than 4 wheels.

(2) This regulation does not apply to a road roller.

(3) Save as provided in paragraphs (4) and (5), every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be fitted with a compensating arrangement which will ensure that under the most adverse conditions every wheel will remain in contact with the road and will not be subject to abnormal variations of load.

(4) Paragraph (3) does not apply in respect of a steerable wheel on which the load does not exceed—

(a)if it is a wheeled vehicle, 3560 kg; and

(b)if it is a track-laying vehicle, 2540 kg.

(5) In the application of paragraph (3) to an agricultural motor vehicle, wheels which are in line transversely on one side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle shall be regarded as one wheel.

Tyres

24.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), every wheel of a vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall be fitted with a tyre of a type specified in that item in column 3 which complies with any conditions specified in that item in column 4.

(2) The requirements referred to in paragraph (1) do not apply to a road roller and are subject, in the case of any item in the Table, to the exemptions specified in that item in column 5.

TABLE

(regulation 24(1))

1	2	3	4	5
Item	Class of vehicle	Type of tyre	Conditions	Exemptions
1	Locomotives not falling in item 6	Pneumatic or resilient
2	Motor tractors not falling in item 6	Pneumatic or resilient	No re-cut pneumatic tyre shall be fitted to any wheel of a vehicle with an unladen weight of less than 2540 kg unless the diameter of the rim of the wheel is at least 405 mm
3	Heavy motor cars not falling in item 6	Pneumatic		The following, if every wheel not fitted with a pneumatic tyre is fitted with a resilient tyre— (a) a vehicle mainly used for work on rough ground; (b) a tower wagon; (c) a vehicle fitted with a turn-table fire escape; (d) a refuse vehicle; (e) a works truck; (f) a vehicle first used before 3rd January 1933.
4	Motor cars not falling in item 6	Pneumatic	No re-cut tyre shall be fitted to any wheel of a vehicle unless it is— (a) an electrically propelled goods vehicle or, (b) a goods vehicle with an unladen weight of at least 2540 kg and the diameter of the rim of the wheel is at least 405 mm.	The following, if every wheel not fitted with a pneumatic tyre is fitted with a resilient tyre— (a) a vehicle mainly used for work on rough ground; (b) a refuse vehicle; (c) a works truck; (d) a vehicle with an unladen weight not exceeding— (i) 1270 kg if electrically propelled; (ii) 1020 kg in any other case; (e) a tower wagon; (f) a vehicle fitted with a turn-table fire escape; (g) a vehicle first used before 3rd January 1933.
5	Motor cycles	Pneumatic	No re-cut tyre shall be fitted	The following, if every wheel not fitted with a pneumatic tyre is fitted with a resilient tyre— (a) a works truck; (b) a pedestrian-controlled vehicle
6	Agricultural motor vehicles which are not driven at more than 20 mph	Pneumatic or resilient	The same as for item 2	The requirement in column 3 does not apply to a vehicle of which— (a) every steering wheel is fitted with a smooth-soled tyre which is not less than 60 mm wide where it touches the road; and (b) in the case of a wheeled vehicle, every driving wheel is fitted with a smooth-soled tyre which— (i) is not less than 150 mm wide if the unladen weight of the vehicle exceeds 3050 kg, or 76 mm wide in any other case, and either (ii) is shod with diagonal cross-bars not less than 76 mm wide or more than 20 mm thick extending the full breadth of the tyre and so arranged that the space between adjacent bars is not more than 76 mm; or (iii) is shod with diagonal cross-bars of resilient material not less than 60 mm wide extending the full breadth of the tyre and so arranged that the space between adjacent bars is not more than 76 mm.
7	Trailers	Pneumatic	Except in the case of a trailer mentioned in paragraph (d) of column 5, no re-cut tyre shall be fitted to any wheel of a trailer drawn by a heavy motor car or a motor car if the trailer— (a) has an unladen weight not exceeding— (i) if it is a living van, 2040 kg; or (ii) in any other case, 1020 kg; or (b) is not constructed or adapted to carry any load, other than plant or other special appliance which is a permanent or essentially permanent fixture and has a gross weight not exceeding 2290 kg	(a) an agricultural trailer manufactured before 1st December 1985; (b) an agricultural trailed appliance; (c) a trailer used to carry water for a road roller being used in connection with road works; (d) the following if every wheel which is not fitted with a pneumatic tyre is fitted with a resilient tyre— (i) a works trailer; (ii) a refuse vehicle; (iii) a trailer drawn by a heavy motor car every wheel of which is not required to be fitted with a pneumatic tyre; (iv) a broken down vehicle; or (v) a trailer drawn by a vehicle which is not a heavy motor car or a motor car.

(3) Save as provided in paragraph (4) a wheel of a vehicle may not be fitted with a temporary use spare tyre unless either—

(a)the vehicle is a passenger vehicle (not being a bus) first used before 1st April 1987; or

(b)the vehicle complies at the time of its first use with ECE Regulation 64.

(4) Paragraph (3) does not apply to a vehicle constructed or assembled by a person not ordinarily engaged in the trade or business of manufacturing vehicles of that description.

Tyre Loads and Speed Ratings

25.—(1) This regulation applies—

(a)to a goods vehicle first used before 1st April 1987 in respect of which a plating certificate has been issued;

(b)to a vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1987, which is a goods vehicle, a bus or a trailer; and,

(c)from 1st April 1990 to every vehicle, whenever first used, which is a goods vehicle, a bus or a trailer.

(2) Each axle of a vehicle to which this regulation applies solely by virtue of paragraph 1(a) shall be equipped with tyres which, as respects strength, are designed and maintained adequately to support the maximum axle weight for that axle.

(3) Each axle of a vehicle to which this regulation applies by virtue of paragraph (1)(b) or (c) shall be equipped with tyres which are designed and maintained adequately to support the maximum axle weight for that axle when the vehicle is driven at the speed shown in column 3 in the Table in the item in which the vehicle is described in column 2 (the lowest relevant speed being applicable to a vehicle which is described in more than one item).

TABLE

(regulation 25(3))

1	2	3
Item	Class of Vehicle	Speed
1	A vehicle of a class for which a maximum speed is prescribed by the 1984 Act.	The speed so prescribed
2	An electrically propelled vehicle having a maximum speed less than 70 mph.	The maximum speed
3	A bus which is not driven at more than 50 mph.	50 mph
4	A low platform trailer, or a municipal vehicle, or a multi-stop local collection and delivery vehicle.	40 mph
5	A vehicle not falling in items 1 to 4.	70 mph

(4) In this regulation—

“low platform trailer” means a trailer fitted with tyres of 20 rim diameter and below carrying a rectangular plate 7″ × 9″ carrying two letters “L” each 5″ high and 3½″ wide with a stroke width of ½″ the letters being black on a white ground.

“maximum axle weight” means—

(a)

in the case of a vehicle equipped with a Ministry plate in accordance with regulation 70 the axle weight shown in column (2) of that plate;

(b)

in the case of a vehicle not equipped with a Ministry plate, but which is equipped with a plate in accordance with regulation 66, the maximum axle weight shown on the plate in respect of item 9 of Part I of Schedule 8 in the case of a motor vehicle and item 7 of Part II of Schedule 8 in the case of a trailer;

(c)

in any other case, the weight which the axle is designed or adapted not to exceed when the vehicle is travelling on a road.

“municipal vehicle” means a motor vehicle or trailer limited at all times to use by a local authority, or a person acting in pursuance of a contract with a local authority, for road cleansing, road watering or the collection and disposal of refuse, night soil or the contents of cesspools, or the purposes of the enactments relating to weights and measures or the sale of food and drugs.

“multi-stop local collection and delivery vehicle” means a motor vehicle or trailer used for multi-stop collection and delivery services to be used only within a radius of 25 miles from the permanent base at which it is normally kept.

Mixing of tyres

26.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (5) pneumatic tyres of different types of structure shall not be fitted to the same axle of a wheeled vehicle.

(2) Save as provided in paragraphs (3) or (5), a wheeled motor vehicle having only two axles each of which is equipped with one or two single wheels shall not be fitted with—

(a)a diagonal-ply tyre or a bias-belted tyre on its rear axle if a radial-ply tyre is fitted on its front axle; or

(b)a diagonal-ply tyre on its rear axle if a bias-belted tyre is fitted on the front axle.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to a vehicle to an axle of which there are fitted wide tyres not specially constructed for use on engineering plant or to a vehicle which has a maximum speed not exceeding 30 mph.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5) pneumatic tyres fitted to—

(a)the steerable axles of a wheeled vehicle; and

(b)the driven axles of a wheeled vehicle, not being steerable axles,

shall all be of the same type of structure.

(5) Paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) do not prohibit the fitting of a temporary use spare tyre to a wheel of a passenger vehicle (not being a bus) unless it is driven at a speed exceeding 50 mph.

(6) In this regulation—

“axle” includes—

(i)

two or more stub axles which are fitted on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so as to form—

(a)

a pair in the case of two stub axles; and

(b)

pairs in the case of more than two stub axles; and

(ii)

a single stub axle which is not one of a pair;

“a bias-belted tyre” means a pneumatic tyre, the structure of which is such that the ply cords extend to the bead so as to be laid at alternate angles of substantially less than 90 degrees to the peripheral line of the tread, and are constrained by a circumferential belt comprising two or more layers of substantially inextensible cord material laid at alternate angles smaller than those of the ply cord structure;

“a diagonal-ply tyre” means a pneumatic tyre, the structure of which is such that the ply cords extend to the bead so as to be laid at alternate angles of substantially less than 90 degrees to the peripheral line of the tread, but not being a bias-belted tyre;

“a driven axle” means an axle through which power is transmitted from the engine of a vehicle to the wheels on that axle;

“a radial-ply tyre” means a pneumatic tyre, the structure of which is such that the ply cords extend to the bead so as to be laid at an angle of substantially 90 degrees to the peripheral line of the tread, the ply cord structure being stabilised by a substantially inextensible circumferential belt;

“stub axle” means an axle on which only one wheel is mounted; and

“type of structure”, in relation to a tyre, means a type of structure of a tyre of a kind defined in the foregoing provisions of this paragraph.

Condition and maintenance of tyres

27.—(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), a wheeled motor vehicle or trailer a wheel of which is fitted with a pneumatic tyre shall not be used on a road, if—

(a)the tyre is unsuitable having regard to the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is being put or to the types of tyres fitted to its other wheels;

(b)the tyre is not so inflated as to make it fit for the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is being put;

(c)the tyre has a cut in excess of 25 mm or 10% of the section width of the tyre, whichever is the greater, measured in any direction on the outside of the tyre and deep enough to reach the ply or cord;

(d)the tyre has any lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure;

(e)the tyre has any of the ply or cord exposed;

(f)the base of any groove which showed in the original tread pattern of the tyre is not clearly visible;

(g)either—

(i) the grooves of the tread pattern of the tyre do not have a depth of at least 1 mm throughout a continuous band measuring at least three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and round the entire outer circumference of the tyre; or

(ii) if the grooves of the original tread pattern of the tyre did not extend beyond three-quarters of the breadth of the tread, any groove which showed in the original tread pattern does not have a depth of at least 1 mm; or

(h)the tyre is not maintained in such condition as to be fit for the use to which the vehicle or trailer is being put or has a defect which might in any way cause damage to the surface of the road or damage to persons on or in the vehicle or to other persons using the road.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not prohibit the use on a road of a motor vehicle or trailer by reason only of the fact that a wheel of the vehicle or trailer is fitted with a tyre which is deflated or not fully inflated and which has any of the defects described in sub-paragraph (c), (d) or (e) of paragraph (1), if the tyre and the wheel to which it is fitted are so constructed as to make the tyre in that condition fit for the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is being put and the outer sides of the wall of the tyre are so marked as to enable the tyre to be identified as having been constructed to comply with the requirements of this paragraph.

(3) Paragraph (1)(a) does not prohibit the use on a road of a passenger vehicle (not being a bus) by reason only of the fact that a wheel of the vehicle is fitted with a temporary use spare tyre, unless the vehicle is driven at a speed exceeding 50 mph.

(4) (a) Nothing in paragraph (1)(a) to (g) applies to—

(i) an agricultural motor vehicle that is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(ii) an agricultural trailer;

(iii) an agricultural trailed appliance; or

(iv) a broken down vehicle or a vehicle proceeding to a place where it is to be broken up, being drawn, in either case, by a motor vehicle at a speed not exceeding 20 mph.

(b)Nothing in paragraph (1)(f) and (g) applies to—

(i) a three-wheeled motor cycle the unladen weight of which does not exceed 102 kg and which has a maximum speed of 12 mph; or

(ii) a pedestrian-controlled works truck.

(c)Nothing in paragraph (1)(g) applies to a motorcycle with an engine capacity which does not exceed 50 cc.

(5) A recut pneumatic tyre shall not be fitted to any wheel of a motor vehicle or trailer if—

(a)its ply or cord has been cut or exposed by the recutting process; or

(b)it has been wholly or partially recut in a pattern other than the manufacturer's recut tread pattern.

(6) (a) In this regulation—

“breadth of tread” means the breadth of that part of the tyre which can contact the road under normal conditions of use measured at 90 degrees to the peripheral line of the tread;

“original tread pattern” means in the case of—

a re-treaded tyre, the tread pattern of the tyre immediately after the tyre was re-treaded;
a wholly recut tyre, the manufacturer's recut tread pattern;
a partially recut tyre, on that part of the tyre which has been recut, the manufacturer's recut tread pattern, and on the other part, the tread pattern of the tyre when new, and
any other tyre, the tread pattern of the tyre when the tyre was new.

“tie-bar” means any part of a tyre moulded in the tread pattern of the tyre for the purpose of bracing two or more features of such tread pattern;

“tread pattern” means the combination of plain surfaces and grooves extending across the breadth of the tread and round the entire outer circumference of the tyre but excludes any—

(i)

tie bars or tread wear indicators;

(ii)

features which are designed to wear out substantially before the rest of the pattern under normal conditions of use; and

(iii)

other minor features; and

“tread wear indicator” means any bar, not being a tie-bar, projecting from the base of a groove of the tread pattern of a tyre and moulded between two or more features of the tread pattern of a tyre for the purpose of indicating the extent of the wear of such tread pattern.

(b)The references in paragraph (1)(g)(i) to grooves are references—

if a tyre has been recut, to the grooves of the manufacturer's recut tread pattern; and
if a tyre has not been recut, to the grooves which showed when the tyre was new.

Tracks

28.—(1) Every part of every track of a track-laying vehicle which comes into contact with the road shall be flat and have a width of not less than 12.5 mm.

(2) The area of the track which is in contact with the road shall not at any time be less than 225 cm² in respect of every 1000 kg of the total weight which is transferred to the road by the tracks.

(3) The tracks of a vehicle shall not have any defect which might damage the road or cause danger to any person on or in the vehicle or using the road, and shall be properly adjusted and maintained in good and efficient working order.

DSTEERING

Maintenance of steering gear

29. All steering gear fitted to a motor vehicle shall at all times while the vehicle is used on a road be maintained in good and efficient working order and be properly adjusted.

EVISION

View to the front

30.—(1) Every motor vehicle shall be so designed and constructed that the driver thereof while controlling the vehicle can at all times have a full view of the road and traffic ahead of the motor vehicle.

(2) Instead of complying with the requirement of paragraph (1) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 77/649, 81/643 or, in the case of an agricultural motor vehicle, 79/1073.

(3) All glass or other transparent material fitted to a motor vehicle shall be maintained in such condition that it does not obscure the vision of the driver while the vehicle is being driven on a road.

Glass

31.—(1) This regulation applies to a motor vehicle which is—

(a) a wheeled vehicle, not being a caravan, first used before 1st June 1978;

(b) a caravan first used before 1st September 1978; or

(2) The glass fitted to any window specified in an item in column 3 of the Table of a vehicle of a class specified in that item in column 2 shall be safety glass.

TABLE

(regulation 31(2))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Windows
1	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1959, being passenger vehicles or dual-purpose vehicles.	Wind screens and all outside windows.
2	Wheeled vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1959, being goods vehicles (other than dual-purpose vehicles), locomotives or motor tractors.	Windscreens and all windows in front of and on either side of the driver's seat.
3	Wheeled vehicles not mentioned in item 1 or 2.	Windscreens and windows facing to the front on the outside, except glass fitted to the upper decks of a double-decked vehicle.
4	Track-laying vehicles.	Windscreens and windows facing to the front.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation any windscreen or window at the front of the vehicle the inner surface of which is at an angle exceeding 30 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle shall be deemed to face to the front.

(4) In this regulation and regulation 32, “safety glass” means glass so constructed or treated that if fractured it does not fly into fragments likely to cause severe cuts.

32.—(1) This regulation applies to—

(a) a caravan first used on or after 1st September 1978, and

(b) a wheeled motor vehicle and a wheeled trailer, not being a caravan, first used on or after 1st June 1978.

(2) Save as provided in paragraphs (3) to (9) the windows specified in column 2 of Table I in relation to a vehicle of a class specified in that column shall be constructed of the material specified in column 3 of that Table.

TABLE I

(regulation 32(2))

1	2	3
Item	Window	Material
1	Windscreens and other windows wholly or partly on either side of the driver's seat fitted to motor vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1985.	Specified safety glass (1980).
2	Windscreens and other windows wholly or partly on either side of the driver's seat fitted to a motor vehicles first used before 1st April 1985.	Specified safety glass, or specified safety glass (1980).
3	All other windows.	Specified safety glass, specified safety glass (1980), or safety glazing.

(3) The windscreens and all other windows of security vehicles or vehicles being used for police purposes shall not be subject to the requirements specified in paragraph (2), but shall be constructed of either safety glass or safety glazing.

(4) The windscreens of motorcycles not equipped with an enclosed compartment for the driver or for a passenger shall not be subject to the requirements specified in paragraph (2), but shall be constructed of safety glazing.

(5) Any windscreens or other windows which are wholly or partly in front of or on either side of the driver's seat, and which are temporarily fitted to motor vehicles to replace any windscreens or other windows which have broken, shall—

(a) be constructed of safety glazing; and

(b) be fitted only while the vehicles are being driven or towed either to premises where new windscreens or other windows are to be permanently fitted to replace the windscreens or other windows which have broken, or to complete the journey in the course of which the breakage occurred.

(6) Windows forming all or part of a screen or door in the interior of a bus first used on or after 1st April 1988, shall be constructed either of safety glazing or of specified safety glass (1980).

(7) Windows being—

(a) windows (other than windscreens) of motor vehicles being engineering plant, industrial tractors, agricultural motor vehicles (other than agricultural motor vehicles first used on or after 1st June 1986 and driven at more than 20 mph) which are wholly or partly in front of or on either side of the driver's seat;

(b) windows of the upper deck of a double-decked bus; or

shall be constructed of either specified safety glass, specified safety glass (1980) or safety glazing.

(8) In the case of motor vehicles and trailers which have not at any time been fitted with permanent windows and which are being driven or towed to a place where permanent windows are to be fitted, any temporary windscreens and any other temporary windows shall be constructed of either specified safety glass, specified safety glass (1980) or safety glazing.

(9) No requirement in this regulation that a windscreen or other window shall be constructed of specified safety glass or of specified safety glass (1980) shall apply to a windscreen or other window which is—

(a) manufactured in France;

(b) marked with a marking consisting of the letters “TP GS” or “TP GS E”; and

(10) Save as provided in paragraph (11), the windscreens or other windows constructed in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this regulation of specified safety glass, specified safety glass (1980) or safety glazing and specified in column 3 of Table II in relation to a vehicle of a class specified in column 2 of that Table shall have a visual transmission for light of not less than the percentage specified in relation to those windows in column 4 when measured perpendicular to the surface in accordance with the procedure specified in a document specified in relation to those windows in column 5.

TABLE II

(regulation 32(10))

1	2	3	4	5
Item	Class of Vehicles	Windows	Percentage	Documents specifying procedure
1	Motor vehicles first used before 1st April 1985	All windows	70	British Standard Specification No. 857 or No. 5282
2	Motor vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1985 and trailers	(a) Windscreens	75	The documents mentioned in sub-paragraph (i), (ii) or (iii) of the definition in paragraph (13) of “specified safety glass (1980).”
		(b) All other windows	70

(11) Paragraph (10) does not apply to—

(a) any part of any windscreen which is outside the vision reference zone;

(b) windows through which the driver when in the driver's seat is unable at any time to see any part of the road on which the vehicle is waiting or proceeding;

(c) windows in any motor ambulance which are not wholly or partly in front of or on either side of any part of the driver's seat; or

(d) windows in any bus, goods vehicle, locomotive, or motor tractor other than windows which—

(i) are wholly or partly in front of or on either side of any part of the driver's seat;

(ii)face the rear of the vehicle; or

(iii)form the whole or part of a door giving access to or from the exterior of the vehicle.

(12) For the purposes of this regulation any window at the rear of the vehicle is deemed to face the rear of the vehicle if the inner surface of such window is at an angle exceeding 30 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

(13) In this regulation, unless the context otherwise requires—

“British Standard Specification No. 857” means the British Standard Specification for Safety Glass for Land Transport published on 30th June 1967 under the number BS 857 as amended by Amendment Slip No. 1 published on 15th January 1973 under the number AMD 1088;

“British Standard Specification No. 5282” means the British Standard Specification for Road Vehicle Safety Glass published in December 1975 under the number BS 5282 as amended by Amendment Slip No. 1 published on 31st March 1976 under the number AMD 1927, and as amended by Amendment Slip No. 2 published on 31st January 1977 under the number AMD 2185;

“British Standard Specification BS AU 178” means the British Standard Specification for Road Vehicle Safety Glass published on 28th November 1980 under the number BS AU 178;

“caravan” means a trailer which is constructed (and not merely adapted) for human habitation;

“safety glass” has the meaning given to it in regulation 31;

“safety glazing” means material (other than glass) which is so constructed or treated that if fractured it does not fly into fragments likely to cause severe cuts;

“security vehicle” means a motor vehicle which is constructed (and not merely adapted) for the carriage of either—

(i)

persons who are likely to require protection from any criminal offence involving violence; or

(ii)

dangerous substances, bullion, money, jewellery, documents or other goods or burden which, by reason of their nature or value, are likely to require protection from any criminal offence;

“specified safety glass” means glass complying with the requirements of either—

(i)

British Standard Specification No. 857 (including the requirements as to marking); or

(ii)

British Standard Specification No. 5282 (including the requirements as to marking);

“specified safety glass (1980)” means glass complying with the requirements of either—

(i)

the British Standard Specification for Safety Glass for Land Transport published on 30th June 1967 under the number BS 857 as amended by Amendment Slip No. 1 published on 15th January 1973 under the number AMD 1088, Amendment Slip No. 2 published on 30th September 1980 under the number AMD 3402, and Amendment Slip No. 4 published on 15th February 1981 under the number AMD 3548 (including the requirements as to marking); or

(ii)

British Standard Specification BS AU 178 (including the requirements as to marking); or

(iii)

ECE Regulation 43 (including the requirements as to marking).

“vision reference zone” means either—

(i)

the primary vision area as defined in British Standard Specification No. 857;

(ii)

Zone 1, as defined in British Standard Specification No. 5282;

(iii)

Zone B (as regards passenger vehicles other than buses) and Zone 1 (as regards all other vehicles) as defined in British Standard Specification BS AU 178 and in ECE Regulation 43; and

“windscreen” includes a windshield;

Mirrors

33.—(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (5) and (6), a motor vehicle (not being a road roller) which is of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall be fitted with such mirror or mirrors, if any, as are specified in that item in column 3; and any mirror which is fitted to such a vehicle shall, whether or not it is required to be fitted, comply with the requirements, if any, specified in that item in column 4.

(2) Save as provided in paragraph (5), each exterior mirror with which a vehicle is required to be fitted in accordance with item 2 or 6 of the Table shall, if the vehicle has a technically permissible maximum weight (as mentioned in Annex 1 to Community Directive 71/127) exceeding 3500 kg, be a Class II mirror (as described in that Annex) and shall in any other case be a Class II or a Class III mirror (as described in that Annex).

(3) Save as provided in paragraph (5), in the case of a wheeled motor vehicle described in item 1, 2, 7 or 8 of the Table which is first used on or after 1st April 1969 the edges of any mirror fitted internally shall be surrounded by some material such as will render it unlikely that severe cuts would be caused if the mirror or that material were struck by any occupant of the vehicle.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5), in the case of a motor vehicle falling within paragraph (a) in column 4 of items 1 and 5, or within item 6, of the Table—

(a) each mirror shall be fixed to the vehicle in such a way that it remains steady under normal driving conditions;

(b) each exterior mirror on a vehicle fitted with windows and a windscreen shall be visible to the driver, when in his driving position, through a side window or through the portion of the windscreen which is swept by the windscreen wiper;

(c) where the bottom edge of an exterior mirror is less than 2 m above the road surface when the vehicle is laden, that mirror shall not project more than 20 cm beyond the overall width of the vehicle or, in a case where the vehicle is drawing a trailer which has an overall width greater than that of the drawing vehicle, more than 20 cm beyond the overall width of the trailer;

(d) each interior mirror shall be capable of being adjusted by the driver when in his driving position; and

(e) except in the case of a mirror which, if knocked out of its alignment, can be returned to its former position without needing to be adjusted, each exterior mirror on the driver's side of the vehicle shall be capable of being adjusted by the driver when in his driving position, but this requirement shall not prevent such a mirror from being locked into position from the outside of the vehicle.

TABLE

(regulation 33(1))

1	2	3	4
Item	Class of vehicle	Mirrors to be fitted	Requirements to be complied with by any mirrors fitted
1	A motor vehicle which is— (a) drawing a trailer, if a person is carried on the trailer so that he has an uninterrupted view to the rear and has an efficient means of communicating to the driver the effect of signals given by the drivers of other vehicles to the rear; (b) (i) a works truck; (ii) a track-laying agricultural motor vehicle; and (iii) a wheeled agricultural motor vehicle first used before 1st June 1978, if, in each case, the driver can easily obtain a view to the rear; (c) a pedestrian-controlled vehicle; (d) a chassis being driven from the place where it has been manufactured to the place where it is to receive a vehicle body; or (e) an agricultural motor vehicle which has an unladen weight exceeding 7370 kg and which— (i) is a track-laying vehicle or (ii) is a wheeled vehicle first used before 1st June 1978	No requirement	(a) If the vehicle is a wheeled vehicle first used on or after 1st June 1978, Item 2 of Annex I to Community Directive 71/127 or 79/795 or Annex II to Community Directive 85/205 and paragraph (4) of this regulation. (b) In other cases, none, except as specified in paragraph (3).
2	A motor vehicle, not included in Item 1, which is— (a) a wheeled locomotive or a wheeled motor tractor first used in either case on or after 1st June 1978; (b) an agricultural motor vehicle, not being a track-laying vehicle with an unladen weight not exceeding 7370 kg (which falls in item 8) or a wheeled agricultural motor vehicle first used after 1st June 1986 which is driven at more than 20 mph (which falls in item (6)); or (c) a works truck.	At least one mirror fitted externally on the offside	None except as specified in paragraphs (2) and (3).
3	A wheeled motor vehicle not included in item 1 first used on or after 1st April 1983 which is— (a) a bus; or (b) a goods vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg (not being an agricultural motor vehicle or one which is not driven at more than 20 mph) other than a vehicle described in item 4.	Mirrors complying with item 3 of Annex I to Community Directive 79/795 or with paragraph 2.1 of Annex III to Community Directive 85/205 or, except in the case of a goods vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1985, mirrors as required in the entry in this column in item 6	Item 2 of Annex I to Community Directive 71/127 or 79/795 or Annex II to Community Directive 85/205.
4	A goods vehicle not being an agricultural motor vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 12,000 kg which is first used on or after 1st October 1988	Mirrors complying with paragraph 2.1 of Annex III to Community Directive 85/205	Annex II to Community Directive 85/205.
5	A two-wheeled motor cycle with or without a sidecar attached	No requirement	(a) If the vehicle is first used on or after 1st October 1978, Item 2 of Annex I to Community Directive 71/127, 79/795 or 80/780 or Annex II to Community Directive 85/205 and paragraph (4) of this regulation. (b) In other cases, none.
6	A wheeled motor vehicle not in items 1 to 5, which is first used on or after 1st June 1978 (or, in the case of a Ford Transit motor car, 10th July 1978)	(i) At least one mirror fitted externally on the offside of the vehicle; and (ii) at least one mirror fitted internally, unless a mirror so fitted would give the driver no view to the rear of the vehicle; and (iii) at least one mirror fitted externally on the nearside of the vehicle unless a mirror which gives the driver an adequate view to the rear is fitted internally	Item 2 of Annex I to Community Directive 71/127 or 79/795 or Annex II to Community Directive 85/205 and paragraphs (2) and (4) of this regulation.
7	A wheeled motor vehicle, not in items 1 to 5, first used before 1st June 1978 (or in the case of a Ford Transit motor car, 10th July 1978) and a track-laying motor vehicle which is not an agricultural motor vehicle first used on or after 1st January 1958, which in either case is— (a) a bus; (b) a dual-purpose vehicle; or (c) a goods vehicle.	At least one mirror fitted externally on the offside of the vehicle and at least one mirror fitted either internally or externally on the near-side of the vehicle	None, except as specified in paragraph (3).
8	A motor vehicle, whether wheeled or track-laying, not in items 1 to 7	At least one mirror fitted either internally or externally	None, except as specified in paragraph (3).

(5) Instead of complying with paragraphs (1) to (4) a vehicle may comply—

(a) if it is a goods vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg first used on or after 1st April 1985, with Community Directive 79/795 or 85/205; or

(b) in any other case, with Community Directive 71/127, 79/795 or 85/205 or, in the case of an agricultural motor vehicle, 74/346.

(6) Instead of complying with the provisions of column 4 in items 3, 5 or 6 of the Table a mirror may comply with the requirements as to construction and testing set out either in Annex I to Community Directive 71/127, excluding paragraphs 2.3.4 and 2.6, or in Annex I to Community Directive 79/795, excluding paragraphs 2.3.3 and 2.6.

(7) In this regulation “mirror” means a mirror to assist the driver of a vehicle to become aware of traffic—

(i)if it is an internal mirror, to the rear of the vehicle; and

(ii)if it is an external mirror fitted on one side of the vehicle, rearwards on that side of the vehicle.

In the case of an agricultural motor vehicle or a vehicle described in items 2 or 6 in the Table when drawing a trailer, the references to a vehicle in sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) include references to the trailer so drawn.

Windscreen wipers and washers

34.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), every vehicle fitted with a windscreen shall, unless the driver can obtain an adequate view to the front of the vehicle without looking through the windscreen, be fitted with one or more efficient automatic windscreen wipers capable of clearing the windscreen so that the driver has an adequate view of the road in front of both sides of the vehicle and to the front of the vehicle.

(2) Save as provided in paragraphs (3), (4) and (5), every wheeled vehicle required by paragraph (1) to be fitted with a wiper or wipers shall also be fitted with a windscreen washer capable of cleaning, in conjunction with the windscreen wiper, the area of the windscreen swept by the wiper of mud or similar deposit.

(3) The requirement specified in paragraph (2) does not apply in respect of—

(a) an agricultural motor vehicle (other than a vehicle first used on or after 1st June 1986 which is driven at more than 20 mph);

(b) a track-laying vehicle;

(d) a vehicle being used to provide a local service, as defined in the Transport Act 1985.

(4) Instead of complying with paragraphs (1) and (2), a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 78/318.

(5) Instead of complying with paragraph (1) an agricultural motor vehicle may comply with Community Directive 79/1073.

(6) Every wiper and washer fitted in accordance with this regulation shall at all times while a vehicle is being used on a road be maintained in efficient working order and be properly adjusted.

FINSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT

Speedometers

35.—(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), every motor vehicle shall be fitted with a speedometer which, if the vehicle is first used on or after 1st April 1984, shall be capable of indicating speed in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour, either simultaneously or, by the operation of a switch, separately.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to—

(a)a vehicle having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph;

(b)a vehicle which it is at all times unlawful to drive at more than 25 mph;

(c)an agricultural motor vehicle which is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(d)a motor cycle first used before 1st April 1984 the engine of which has a cylinder capacity not exceeding 100 cc;

(e)an invalid carriage first used before 1st April 1984;

(f)a works truck first used before 1st April 1984;

(g)a vehicle first used before 1st October 1937; or

(h)a vehicle equipped with recording equipment marked with a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 3 in Schedule 4 to those Regulations (whether or not the vehicle is required to be equipped with that equipment) and which, as regards the visual indications given by that equipment of the speed of the vehicle, complies with the requirements relating to the said indications and installations specified in the Community Recording Equipment Regulation.

(3) Instead of complying with paragraph (1) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 75/443 or with ECE Regulation 39.

Maintenance of speedometers

36.—(1) Every instrument for indicating speed fitted to a motor vehicle—

(a)in compliance with the requirements of regulation 35(1) or (3); or

(b)to which regulation 35(2)(h) relates and which is not, under the Community Recording Equipment Regulation, required to be equipped with the recording equipment mentioned in that paragraph,

shall be kept free from any obstruction which might prevent its being easily read and shall at all material times be maintained in good working order.

(2) In this regulation “all material times” means all times when the motor vehicle is in use on a road except when—

(a)the vehicle is being used on a journey during which, as a result of a defect, the instrument ceased to be in good working order; or

(b) as a result of a defect, the instrument has ceased to be in good working order and steps have been taken to have the vehicle equipped with all reasonable expedition, by means of repairs or replacement, with an instrument which is in good working order.

Audible warning instruments

37.—(1) (a) Subject to sub-paragraph (b), every motor vehicle which has a maximum speed of more than 20 mph shall be fitted with a horn, not being a reversing alarm or a two-tone horn.

(b)Sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply to an agricultural motor vehicle, unless it is being driven at more than 20 mph.

(2) Subject to paragraph (6), the sound emitted by any horn, other than a reversing alarm or a two-tone horn, fitted to a wheeled vehicle first used on or after 1st August 1973 shall be continuous and uniform and not strident.

(3) A reversing alarm fitted to a wheeled vehicle shall not be strident.

(4) Subject to paragraphs (5), (6) and (7) no motor vehicle shall be fitted with a bell, gong, siren or two-tone horn.

(5) The provisions of paragraph (4) shall not apply to motor vehicles—

(a)used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;

(b)owned by a body formed primarily for the purposes of fire salvage and used for those or similar purposes;

(c)owned by the Forestry Commission or by local authorities and used from time to time for the purposes of fighting fires;

(d)owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used for the purposes of the disposal of bombs or explosives;

(e)used for the purposes of the Blood Transfusion Service provided under the National Health Service Act 1977 or under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947;

(f)used by Her Majesty's Coastguard or the Coastguard Auxiliary Service to aid persons in danger or vessels in distress on or near the coast;

(g)owned by the National Coal Board and used for the purposes of rescue operations at mines;

(h)owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used by the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service for the purposes of rescue operations in connection with crashed aircraft or any other emergencies; or

(i)owned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and used for the purposes of launching lifeboats.

(6) The provisions of paragraphs (2) and (4) shall not apply so as to make it unlawful for a motor vehicle to be fitted with an instrument or apparatus (not being a two-tone horn) designed to emit a sound for the purpose of informing members of the public that goods are on the vehicle for sale.

(7) Subject to paragraph (8), the provisions of paragraph (4) shall not apply so as to make it unlawful for a vehicle to be fitted with a bell, gong or siren—

(a)if the purpose thereof is to prevent theft or attempted theft of the vehicle or its contents; or

(b)in the case of a bus, if the purpose thereof is to summon help for the driver, the conductor or an inspector.

(8) Every bell, gong or siren fitted to a vehicle by virtue of paragraph (7)(a), and every device fitted to a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st October 1982 so as to cause a horn to sound for the purpose mentioned in paragraph (7)(a), shall be fitted with a device designed to stop the bell, gong, siren or horn emitting noise for a continuous period of more than five minutes; and every such device shall at all times be maintained in good working order.

(9) Instead of complying with paragraphs (1), (2) and (4) to (8), a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 70/388 or ECE Regulation 28 or, if the vehicle is an agricultural motor vehicle, with Community Directive 74/151.

(10) In this regulation and in regulation 99—

(a)“horn” means an instrument, not being a bell, gong or siren, capable of giving audible and sufficient warning of the approach or position of the vehicle to which it is fitted;

(b) references to a bell, gong or siren include references to any instrument or apparatus capable of emitting a sound similar to that emitted by a bell, gong or siren;

(c)“reversing alarm” means a device fitted to a motor vehicle and designed to warn persons that the vehicle is reversing or is about to reverse; and

(d)“two-tone horn” means an instrument which, when operated, automatically produces a sound which alternates at regular intervals between two fixed notes.

Motor cycle sidestands

38.—(1) No motor cycle first used on or after 1st April 1986 shall be fitted with any sidestand which is capable of—

(a)disturbing the stability or direction of the motor cycle when it is in motion under its own power; or

(b)closing automatically if the angle of the inclination of the motor cycle is inadvertently altered when it is stationary.

(2) In this regulation “sidestand” means a device fitted to a motor cycle which, when fully extended or pivoted to its open position, supports the vehicle from one side only and so that both the wheels of the motor cycle are on the ground.

GFUEL

Petrol tanks

39.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), every tank containing petroleum spirit (as defined in section 23 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 which is fitted to a wheeled vehicle first used on or after 1st July 1973, and is used either for the propulsion of the vehicle or for driving an ancillary engine or equipment forming part of the vehicle shall be—

(a)made only of metal;

(b)fixed in such a position and so maintained as to be reasonably secure from damage; and

(c)constructed and maintained so that the leakage of any liquid or vapour from the tank is adequately prevented, so, however, that the tank may be fitted with a device which, by the intake of air or the emission of vapour, relieves changes of pressure in the tank.

(2) Instead of complying with the requirements of paragraph (1) as to construction, a vehicle may comply with the requirements of Community Directive 70/221 (insofar as they relate to fuel tanks) or ECE Regulation 34 or 34.01 or, if the vehicle is an agricultural motor vehicle, of Community Directive 74/151.

Gas propulsion systems and gas-fired appliances

40.—(1) A vehicle which is—

(a)a motor vehicle which first used gas as a fuel for its propulsion before 19th November 1982; or

(b)a trailer manufactured before 19th November 1982 to which there is fitted a gas container,

shall be so constructed that it complies either with the provisions of Schedule 4 or with the provisions of Schedule 5.

(2) A vehicle which is—

(a)a motor vehicle which first used gas as a fuel for its propulsion on or after 19th November 1982; or

(b)a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st May 1984 or a trailer manufactured on or after 19th November 1982 which is in either case equipped with a gas container or a gas-fired appliance,

shall comply with the provisions of Schedule 5.

(3) The requirements of this regulation are in addition to, and not in derogation from, the requirements of any regulations made under powers conferred by the petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Control of Pollution Act 1974 or any other Act or of any codes of practice issued under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

(4) In this regulation “gas container” has the meaning given in Schedule 4 where compliance with the provisions of that Schedule is concerned and otherwise has the meaning given in Schedule 5.

HMINIBUSES

Minibuses

41. The requirements specified in Schedule 6 shall apply to every minibus first used on or after 1st April 1988 except a vehicle—

(a)manufactured by Land Rover U.K. Limited and known as the Land Rover; or

(b)constructed or adapted for the secure transport of prisoners.

Fire extinguishing apparatus

42.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a minibus first used on or after 1st April 1988 unless it carries suitable and efficient apparatus for extinguishing fire which is of a type specified in Part I of Schedule 7.

(2) The apparatus referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be—

(a)readily available for use;

(b)clearly marked with the appropriate British Standards Institution specification number; and

(c)maintained in good and efficient working order.

(3) This regulation does not apply to a vehicle manufactured by Land Rover U.K. Limited and known as the Land Rover.

First aid equipment

43.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a minibus first used on or after 1st April 1988 unless it carries a receptacle which contains the items specified in Part II of Schedule 7.

(2) The receptacle referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be—

(a)maintained in a good condition;

(b)suitable for the purpose of keeping the items referred to in the said paragraph in good condition;

(c)readily available for use; and

(d)prominently marked as a first aid receptacle.

(3) The items referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be maintained in good condition and shall be of a good and reliable quality and of a suitable design.

(4) This regulation does not apply to a vehicle manufactured by Land Rover U.K. Limited and known as the Land Rover.

Carriage of dangerous substances

44.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road a minibus by which any highly inflammable or otherwise dangerous substance is carried unless that substance is carried in containers so designed and constructed, and unless the substance is so packed, that, notwithstanding an accident to the vehicle, it is unlikely that damage to the vehicle or injury to passengers in the vehicle will be caused by the substance.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to the electrolyte of a battery installed in an electric wheelchair provided that the wheelchair is securely fixed to the vehicle.

(3) This regulation does not apply to a vehicle manufactured by Land Rover U.K. Limited and known as the Land Rover.

IPOWER TO WEIGHT RATIO

Power to weight ratio

45.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), every wheeled vehicle which is propelled by a compression ignition engine and which is required to be equipped with a plate by regulation 66(1) shall be so constructed that the power of its engine, calculated in accordance with paragraph I of Part III of Schedule 8, is at least 4.4 k W for every 1000 kg of the relevant weight.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to—

(a)a heavy motor car or motor car first used before 1st April 1973;

(b)a vehicle manufactured before 1st April 1973 and powered by a Perkins 6.354 engine; or

(c)a bus.

(3) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall—

(a)if it is equipped with machinery or apparatus forming part of the vehicle or mounted on it and used for purposes not connected with the driving of the vehicle;

(b)if that machinery or apparatus is designed for use, or is likely to be used, when the vehicle is in motion on a road at a speed exceeding 5 mph; and

(c)if the power absorbed by that use is provided by the engine propelling the vehicle,

be so constructed that, when that machinery or apparatus is being used, the power of the engine remaining available to drive the vehicle is at least 4.4 kW for every 1000 kg of the relevant weight.

(4) In this regulation “relevant weight” means—

(a)if the vehicle is equipped with a plate in accordance with regulation 66(2)(a), the maximum train weight shown at item 8 on that plate or, if no such weight is shown, the maximum gross weight in Great Britain shown at item 10 on that plate; or

(b) if the vehicle is equipped with a plate in accordance with regulation 66(2)(b) and—

(i) is constructed to draw a trailer, the higher of the weights referred to in column 3 in item 2.1.5 in the Table in regulation 66; or

(ii) is not constructed to draw a trailer, the higher of the weights for motor vehicles referred to in columns 3 and 4 in item 2.1.4 in the Table in regulation 66.

JPROTECTIVE SYSTEMS

Seat belt anchorage points

46.—(1) Save as provided by paragraph (2), this regulation applies to—

(a)every wheeled motor car first used on or after 1st January 1965; and

(b)every three-wheeled motor cycle the unladen weight of which exceeds 255 kg and which was first used on or after 1st September 1970.

(2) This regulation does not apply to—

(a)a goods vehicle (other than a dual-purpose vehicle) which was first used—

(i) before 1st April 1967; or

(ii) on or after 1st April 1980 and has a maximum gross weight in Great Britain (determined in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 11) exceeding 3500 kg; or

(iii) before 1st April 1980 or, if the vehicle is of a model manufactured before 1st October 1979, was first used before 1st April 1982 and, in either case, has an unladen weight exceeding 1525 kg;

(b)a passenger or dual-purpose vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than twelve passengers exclusive of the driver;

(c)an agricultural motor vehicle;

(d)an industrial tractor;

(e)a works truck;

(f)an electrically-propelled goods vehicle;

(g)a pedestrian-controlled vehicle;

(h)a vehicle which has been used on roads outside Great Britain and has been imported into Great Britain, whilst it is being driven from the place where it has arrived in Great Britain to a place of residence of the owner or driver of the vehicle, or from any such place to a place where, by previous arrangement, it will be provided with such anchorage points as are required by this regulation and such seat belts as are required by regulation 47;

(i)a vehicle which is incapable by reason of its construction of exceeding a speed of 16 mph on the level under its own power; or

(j)a motor cycle equipped with a driver's seat of a type requiring the driver to sit astride it, and which is constructed or assembled by a person not ordinarily engaged in the trade or business of manufacturing vehicles of that description.

(3) A vehicle which was first used before 1st April 1982 shall be equipped with anchorage points which are designed to hold securely in position on the vehicle seat belts for the driver's seat and specified passenger's seat (if any).

(4) A vehicle which is first used on or after 1st April 1982 shall be equipped with anchorage points which—

(a)are designed to hold securely in position on the vehicle seat belts for—

(i) in the case of a bus, a motor ambulance or a motor caravan, the driver's seat and the specified passenger's seat (if any); and

(ii) in any other case, every forward-facing seat constructed or adapted to accommodate one adult, and

(b)comply with Community Directive 76/115 or 81/575 or 82/318 or ECE Regulation 14 whether or not those instruments apply to the vehicle, so however, that the requirements in those instruments which relate to testing shall not apply.

(5) A vehicle of a type mentioned in paragraph (4)(a)(i), which is first fitted with anchorage points for seats other than the driver's and the specified passenger's (if any) on or after 1st April 1986 shall comply with the requirements in paragraph (4)(b) in respect of such additional anchorage points as well as those required by paragraph (4)(a)(i) to be provided.

(6) In this regulation—

(a)the expressions “forward-facing seat”, “seat belt” and “specified passenger's seat” have the same meaning as in regulation 47(8); and

(b)the expression “motor caravan” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(2) of the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations.

Seat belts

47.—(1) This regulation applies to every vehicle to which regulation 46 applies.

(2) Save as provided in paragraph (4) a vehicle to which—

(a)this regulation applies which was first used before 1st April 1981 shall be provided with—

(i) a body-restraining seat belt, designed for use by an adult, for the driver's seat; and

(ii) a body-restraining seat belt for the specified passenger's seat (if any);

(b)this regulation applies which is first used on or after 1st April 1981 shall be provided with three-point seat belts for the driver's seat and for the specified passenger's seat (if any);

(c)regulation 46(4)(a)(ii) applies which is first used on or after 1st April 1987 shall be fitted with seat belts additional to those required by sub-paragraph (b) as follows—

(i) for any forward-facing front seat alongside the driver's seat, not being a specified passenger's seat, a seat belt which is a three-point belt, or a lap belt installed in accordance with paragraph 3.1.2.1 of Annex 1 to Community Directive 77/541 or a disabled person's belt;

(ii) in the case of a passenger or dual-purpose vehicle having not more than two forward-facing seats behind the driver's seat with either—

(A) an inertia reel belt for at least one of those seats, or

(B) a three-point belt, a lap belt, a disabled person's belt or a child restraint for each of those seats;

(iii) in the case of a passenger or dual-purpose vehicle having more than two forward-facing seats behind the driver's seat, with either—

(A) an inertia reel belt for one of those seats being an outboard seat and a three-point belt, a lap belt, a disabled person's belt or a child restraint for at least one other of those seats;

(B) a three-point belt for one of those seats and either a child restraint or a disabled person's belt for at least one other of those seats; or

(3) Every seat belt for an adult, other than a disabled person's belt, provided for a vehicle in accordance with paragraph (2)(b) or (c) shall, except as provided in paragraph (6), comply with the installation requirements specified in paragraph 3.2.2 to 3.3.4 of Annex I to Community Directive 77/541 whether or not that Directive applies to the vehicle.

(4) The requirements specified in paragraph (2) do not apply—

(a)to a vehicle while it is being used under a trade licence within the meaning of section 16 of the 1971 Act;

(b)to a vehicle, not being a vehicle to which the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations apply, while it is being driven from premises of the manufacturer by whom it was made, or of a distributor of vehicles or dealer in vehicles—

(i) to premises of a distributor of or dealer in vehicles or of the purchaser of the vehicle, or

(ii) to premises of a person obtaining possession of the vehicle under a hiring agreement or hire-purchase agreement;

(c)in relation to any seat for which there is provided—

(i) a seat belt which bears a mark including the specification number of the British Standard for Passive Belt Systems, namely BS AU 183:1983 and including the registered certification trade mark of the British Standards Institution; or

(ii) a seat belt designed for use by an adult which is a harness belt comprising a lap belt and shoulder straps which bears a British Standard mark or a mark including the specification number for the British Standard for Seat Belt Assemblies for Motor Vehicles, namely BS 3254:1960 and including the registered certification trade mark of the British Standards Institution, or the marking designated in item 16 in Schedule 2 to the Approval Marks Regulations;

(d)in relation to the driver's seat or the specified passenger's seat (if any) of a vehicle which has been specially designed and constructed, or specially adapted, for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or disability, in a case where a disabled person's belt for an adult person is provided for use for that seat.

(5) Every seat belt provided in pursuance of paragraph (2) shall be properly secured to the anchorage points provided for it in accordance with regulation 46; or, in the case of a child restraint, to anchorages specially provided for it or, in the case of a disabled person's belt, secured to the vehicle or to the seat which is being occupied by the person wearing the belt.

(6) Paragraph (3), in so far as it relates to the second paragraph of paragraph 3.3.2 of the Annex there mentioned (which concerns the locking or releasing of a seat belt by a single movement) does not apply in respect of a seat belt fitted for—

(a)a seat which is treated as a specified passenger's seat by virtue of the provisions of sub-paragraph (ii) in the definition of “specified passenger's seat” in paragraph (8); or

(b)any forward-facing seat for a passenger alongside the driver's seat of a goods vehicle which has an unladen weight of more than 915 kg and has more than one such seat, any such seats for passengers being joined together in a single structure.

(7) Every seat belt, other than a disabled person's belt or a seat belt of a kind mentioned in paragraph 4(c)(i) or (ii) above, provided for any person in a vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be legibly and permanently marked—

(a)if the vehicle was first used before 1st April 1981 or if the belt is a child restraint, with a British Standard mark or a designated approval mark; or

(b)in any other case, with a designated approval mark.

Provided this paragraph shall not operate so as to invalidate the exception permitted in paragraph (6).

(8) In this regulation—

“body-restraining seat belt” means a seat belt designed to provide restraint for both the upper and lower parts of the trunk of the wearer in the event of an accident to the vehicle;

“British Standard mark” means a mark consisting of—

(i)

the specification number of one of the following British Standards for Seat Belt Assemblies for Motor Vehicles, namely—

(a)

if it is a seat belt for an adult, BS 3254; 1960 and BS AU 160a or 160b; or

(b)

if it is a child restraint, BS 3254:1960, BS AU 157 or 157a, BS AU 185, BS AU 186 or 186a, BS AU 202; and, in either case,

(ii)

the registered certification trade mark of the British Standards Institution;

“child restraint” means a seat belt for the use of a young person which is designed either to be fitted directly to a suitable anchorage or to be used in conjunction with a seat belt for an adult and held in place by the restraining action of that belt: Provided that for the purposes of paragraph (2) (c)(ii)(B) and (2)(c)(iii) it means only such seat belts fitted directly to a suitable anchorage and excludes belts marked with the specification numbers BS AU 185 and BS AU 186 or 186a.

“designated approval mark” means

(a)

if it is a seat belt other than a child restraint, the marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 16 of Schedule 2 to those Regulations or the marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of those Regulations and shown at item 23 and 23A in Schedule 4 to those Regulations, and

(b)

if it is a child restraint, either of the markings designated as approval marks by regulation 4 of those Regulations and shown at item 44 and 44A in Schedule 2 to those Regulations.

“disabled person's belt” means a seat belt which has been specially designed or adapted for use by an adult or young person suffering from some physical defect or disability and which is intended for use solely by such a person;

“forward-facing seat” means a seat which is attached to a vehicle so that it faces towards the front of the vehicle in such a manner that a line passing through the centre of both the front and the back of the seat is at an angle of 30° or less to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

“inertia reel belt” means a three-point belt of either of the types required for a front outboard seating position by paragraph 3.1.1. of Annex 1 to Community Directive 77/541;

“lap belt” means a seat belt which passes across the front of the wearer's pelvic region;

“seat” includes any part designed for the accommodation of one adult of a continuous seat designed for the accommodation of more than one adult;

“seat belt” means a belt intended to be worn by a person in a vehicle and designed to prevent or lessen injury to its wearer in the event of an accident to the vehicle and includes, in the case of a child restraint, any special chair to which the belt is attached;

“specified passenger's seat” means—

(i)

in the case of a vehicle which has one forward-facing front seat alongside the driver's seat, that seat, and in the case of a vehicle which has more than one such seat, the one furthest from the driver's seat; or

(ii)

if the vehicle normally has no seat which is the specified passenger's seat under sub-paragraph (i) of this definition the forward-facing front seat for a passenger which is foremost in the vehicle and furthest from the driver's seat, unless there is a fixed partition separating that seat from the space in front of it alongside the driver's seat;

and

“three-point belt” means a seat belt which—

(i)

restrains the upper and lower parts of the torso;

(ii)

includes a lap belt;

(iii)

is anchored at not less than three points; and

(iv)

is designed for use by an adult.

Maintenance of seat belts and anchorage points

48.—(1) This regulation applies to every seat belt with which a motor vehicle is required to be provided in accordance with regulation 47 and to the anchorages, fastenings, adjusting device and retracting mechanism (if any) of every such seat belt.

(2) For the purposes of this regulation the anchorages and anchorage points of a seat belt shall, in the case of a seat which incorporates integral seat belt anchorages, include the system by which the seat assembly itself is secured to the vehicle structure.

(3) The anchorage points provided for seat belts shall be used only as anchorages for the seat belts for which they are intended to be used or capable of being used.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5) below—

(a)all load-bearing members of the vehicle structure or panelling within 30 cms of each anchorage point shall be maintained in a sound condition and free from serious corrosion, distortion or fracture;

(b)the adjusting device and (if fitted) the retracting mechanism of the seat belt shall be so maintained that the belt may be readily adjusted to the body of the wearer, either automatically or manually, according to the design of the device and (if fitted) the retracting mechanism;

(c)the seat belt and its anchorages, fastenings and adjusting device shall be maintained free from any obvious defect which would be likely to affect adversely the performance by the seat belt of the function of restraining the body of the wearer in the event of an accident to the vehicle;

(d)the buckle or other fastening of the seat belt shall—

(i) be so maintained that the belt can be readily fastened or unfastened;

(ii) be kept free from any temporary or permanent obstruction; and

(iii) except in the case of a disabled person's seat belt, be readily accessible to a person sitting in the seat for which the seat belt is provided;

(e)the webbing or other material which forms the seat belt shall be maintained free from cuts or other visible faults (as, for example, extensive fraying) which would be likely to affect adversely the performance of the belt when under stress;

(f)the ends of every seat belt, other than a disabled person's seat belt, shall be securely fastened to the anchorage points provided for them; and

(g)the ends of every disabled person's seat belt shall, when the seat belt is being used for the purpose for which it was designed and constructed, be securely fastened either to some part of the structure of the vehicle or to the seat which is being occupied by the person wearing the belt so that the body of the person wearing the belt would be restrained in the event of an accident to the vehicle.

(5) No requirement specified in paragraph (4) above applies if the vehicle is being used—

(a)on a journey after the start of which the requirement ceased to be complied with; or

(b)after the requirement ceased to be complied with and steps have been taken for such compliance to be restored with all reasonable expedition.

(6) Expressions which are used in this regulation and are defined in regulation 47 have the same meaning in this regulation as they have in regulation 47.

Rear under-run protection

49.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), this regulation applies to a wheeled goods vehicle being either—

(a)a motor vehicle with a maximum gross weight which exceeds 3500 kg and which was first used on or after 1st April 1984; or

(b)a trailer manufactured on or after 1st May 1983 with an unladen weight which exceeds 1020 kg.

(2) This regulation does not apply to—

(a)a motor vehicle which has a maximum speed not exceeding 15 mph;

(b)a motor car or a heavy motor car constructed or adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle;

(c)an agricultural trailer;

(d)engineering plant;

(e)a fire engine;

(f)an agricultural motor vehicle;

(g)a vehicle fitted at the rear with apparatus specially designed for spreading material on a road;

(h)a vehicle so constructed that it can be unloaded by part of the vehicle being tipped rearwards;

(i)a vehicle owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used for naval, military or air force purposes;

(j)a vehicle to which no bodywork has been fitted and which is being driven or towed—

(i) for the purpose of a quality or safety check by its manufacturer or a dealer in, or distributor of, such vehicles; or

(ii) to a place where, by previous arrangement, bodywork is to be fitted or work preparatory to the fitting of bodywork is to be carried out; or

(iii) by previous arrangement to premises of a dealer in, or distributor of, such vehicles;

(k)a vehicle which is being driven or towed to a place where by previous arrangement a device is to be fitted so that it complies with this regulation;

(l)a vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, to carry other vehicles loaded onto it from the rear;

(m)a trailer specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, to carry round timber, beams or girders, being items of exceptional length;

(n)a vehicle fitted with a tail lift so constructed that the lift platform forms part of the floor of the vehicle and this part has a length of at least 1 m measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

(o)a trailer having a base or centre in a country outside Great Britain from which it normally starts its journeys, provided that a period of not more than 12 months has elapsed since the vehicle was last brought into Great Britain;

(p)a vehicle specially designed, and not merely adapted, for the carriage and mixing of liquid concrete;

(q)a vehicle designed and used solely for the delivery of coal by means of a special conveyor which is carried on the vehicle and when in use is fitted to the rear of the vehicle so as to render its being equipped with a rear under-run protective device impracticable; or

(r)an agricultural trailed appliance.

(3) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (4), (5) and (6), every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with a rear under-run protective device.

(4) A vehicle to which this regulation applies and which is fitted with a tail lift, bodywork or other part which renders its being equipped with a rear under-run protective device impracticable shall instead be equipped with one or more devices which do not protrude beyond the overall width of the vehicle (excluding any part of the device or the devices) and which comply with the following requirements—

(a)where more than one device is fitted, not more than 50 cm shall lie between one device and the device next to it;

(b)not more than 30 cm shall lie between the outermost end of a device nearest to the outermost part of the vehicle to which it is fitted and a longitudinal plane passing through the outer end of the rear axle of the vehicle on the same side of the vehicle or, in a case where the vehicle is fitted with more than one rear axle, through the outer end of the widest rear axle on the same side of the vehicle, and paragraph II.5.4.2 in the Annex to Community Directive 79/490 shall not have effect in a case where this requirement is met; and

(c)the device or, where more than one device is fitted, all the devices together, shall have the characteristics specified in paragraphs II.5.4.5.1 to II.5.4.5.5.2 in the Annex to the said Directive save—

(i) as provided in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) above;

(ii) that for the reference in paragraph II.5.4.5.1 in that Annex to 30 cm there is substituted a reference to 35 cm; and

(iii) that the distance of 40 cm specified in paragraph II.5.4.5 in that Annex may be measured exclusive of the said tail-lift, bodywork or other part.

(5) The provisions of paragraph (3) shall have effect so that in the case of—

(a)a vehicle which is fitted with a demountable body, the characteristics specified in paragraph II.5.4.2 in the Annex to the said Directive have effect as if the reference to 10 cm were a reference to 30 cm and as if in paragraph II.5.4.5.1 the reference to 30 cm were a reference to 35 cm; and

(b)a trailer with a single axle or two close-coupled axles, the height of 55 cm referred to in paragraph II.5.4.5.1 in that Annex is measured when the coupling of the trailer to the vehicle by which it is drawn is at the height recommended by the manufacturer of the trailer.

(6) Instead of complying with paragraphs (3) to (5) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 79/490.

(7) In this regulation—

“rear under-run protective device” means a device within the description given in paragraph II.5.4 in the Annex to Community Directive 79/490.

Maintenance of rear under-run protective device

50. Every device fitted to a vehicle in compliance with the requirements of regulation 49 shall at all times when the vehicle is on a road be maintained free from any obvious defect which would be likely to affect adversely the performance of the device in the function of giving resistance in the event of an impact from the rear.

Sideguards

51.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), this regulation applies to a wheeled goods vehicle being—

(a)a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1984 with a maximum gross weight which exceeds 3500 kg; or

(b)a trailer manufactured on or after 1st May 1983 with an unladen weight which exceeds 1020 kg; or

(c)a semi-trailer manufactured before 1st May 1983 which has a relevant plate showing a gross weight exceeding 26,000 kg and which forms part of an articulated vehicle with a relevant train weight exceeding 32,520 kg.

(2) This regulation does not apply to—

(a)a motor vehicle which has a maximum speed not exceeding 15 mph;

(b)an agricultural trailer;

(c)engineering plant;

(d)a fire engine;

(e)an agricultural motor vehicle;

(f)a vehicle so constructed that it can be unloaded by part of the vehicle being tipped sideways or rearwards;

(g)a vehicle owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used for naval, military or air force purposes;

(h)a vehicle to which no bodywork has been fitted and which is being driven or towed—

(i) for the purpose of a quality or safety check by its manufacturer or a dealer in, or distributor of, such vehicles;

(ii) to a place where, by previous arrangement, bodywork is to be fitted or work preparatory to the fitting of bodywork is to be carried out; or

(iii) by previous arrangement to premises of a dealer in, or distributor of, such vehicles;

(i)a vehicle which is being driven or towed to a place where by previous arrangement a sideguard is to be fitted so that it complies with this regulation;

(j)a refuse vehicle;

(k)a trailer specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, to carry round timber, beams or girders, being items of exceptional length;

(l)a motor car or a heavy motor car constructed or adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle;

(m)a vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, to carry other vehicles loaded onto it from the front or the rear;

(n)a trailer with a load platform—

(i) no part of any edge of which is more than 60 mm inboard from the tangential plane; and

(ii) the upper surface of which is not more than 750 mm from the ground throughout that part of its length under which a sideguard would have to be fitted in accordance with paragraph (5)(d) to (g) if this exemption did not apply to it;

(p)an agricultural trailed appliance.

(3) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be securely fitted with a sideguard to give protection on any side of the vehicle where—

(a)if it is a semi-trailer, the distance between the transverse planes passing through the centre of its foremost axle and through the centre of its king pin or, in the case of a vehicle having more than one king pin, the rearmost one, exceeds 4.5 m; or

(b)if it is any other vehicle, the distance between the centres of any two consecutive axles exceeds 3 m.

(4) Save as provided in paragraphs (6) and (7), a sideguard with which a vehicle is by this regulation required to be fitted shall comply with all the specifications listed in paragraph (5).

(5) Those specifications are—

(a)the outermost surface of every sideguard shall be smooth, essentially rigid and either flat or horizontally corrugated, save that—

(i) any part of the surface may overlap another provided that the overlapping edges face rearwards or downwards;

(ii) a gap not exceeding 25 mm measured longitudinally may exist between any two adjacent parts of the surface provided that the foremost edge of the rearward part does not protrude outboard of the rearmost edge of the forward part; and

(iii) domed heads of bolts or rivets may protrude beyond the surface to a distance not exceeding 10 mm;

(b)no part of the lowest edge of a sideguard shall be more than 550 mm above the ground when the vehicle to which it is fitted is on level ground and, in the case of a semi-trailer, when its load platform is horizontal;

(c)in a case specified in an item in column 2 of the Table the highest edge of a sideguard shall be as specified in that item in column 3;

(d)the distance between the rearmost edge of a sideguard and the transverse plane passing through the foremost part of the tyre fitted to the wheel of the vehicle nearest to it shall not exceed 300 mm;

(e)the distance between the foremost edge of a sideguard fitted to a semi-trailer and a transverse plane passing through the centre of the vehicle's king pin or, if the vehicle has more than one king pin, the rearmost one, shall not exceed 3 m;

(f)the foremost edge of a sideguard fitted to a semi-trailer with landing legs shall, as well as complying with sub-paragraph (e), not be more than 250 mm to the rear of a transverse plane passing through the centre of the leg nearest to that edge;

(g)the distance between the foremost edge of a sideguard fitted to a vehicle other than a semi-trailer and a transverse plane passing through the rearmost part of the tyre fitted to the wheel of the vehicle nearest to it shall not exceed 300 mm if the vehicle is a motor vehicle and 500 mm if the vehicle is a trailer;

(h)the external edges of a sideguard shall be rounded at a radius of at least 2.5 mm;

(i)no sideguard shall be more than 30 mm inboard from the tangential plane;

(j)no sideguard shall project beyond the longitudinal plane from which, in the absence of a sideguard, the vehicle's overall width would fall to be measured;

(k)every sideguard shall cover an area extending to at least 100 mm upwards from its lowest edge 100 mm downwards from its highest edge, and 100 mm rearwards and inwards from its foremost edge, and no sideguard shall have a vertical gap measuring more than 300 mm nor any vertical surface measuring less than 100 mm; and

(l)except in the case of a vehicle described in paragraph (1) (c) every sideguard shall be capable of withstanding a force of 2 kilonewtons applied perpendicularly to any part of its surface by the centre of a ram the face of which is circular and not more than 220 mm in diameter, and during such application—

(i) no part of the sideguard shall be deflected by more than 150 mm, and

(ii) no part of the sideguard which is less than 250 mm from its rearmost part shall be deflected by more than 30 mm.

TABLE

(regulation 51(5))

1	2	3
Item	Case	Requirement about highest edge of sideguard
1	Where the floor of the vehicle to which the sideguard is fitted— (i) extends laterally outside the tangential plane; (ii) is not more than 1.85 m from the ground; (iii) extends laterally over the whole of the length of the sideguard with which the vehicle is required by this regulation to be fitted; and (iv) is wholly covered at its edge by a side-rave the lower edge of which is not more than 150 mm below the underside of the floor.	Not more than 350 mm below the lower edge of the side-rave.
2	Where the floor of the vehicle to which the sideguard is fitted— (i) extends laterally outside the tangential plane; and (ii) does not comply with all of the provisions specified in sub-paragraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv) in item 1 above, and any part of the structure of the vehicle is cut within 1.85 m of the ground by the tangential plane.	Not more than 350 mm below the structure of the vehicle where it is cut by the tangential plane.
3	Where— (i) no part of the structure of the vehicle is cut within 1.85 m of the ground by the tangential plane; and (ii) the upper surface of the load carrying structure of the vehicle is less than 1.5 m from the ground.	Not less than the height of the upper surface of the load carrying structure of the vehicle.
4	A vehicle specially designed, and not merely adapted, for the carriage and mixing of liquid concrete.	Not less than 1 m from the ground.
5	Any other case.	Not less than 1.5 m from the ground.

(6) The provisions of paragraph (4) apply—

(a)in the case of an extendible trailer when it is, by virtue of the extending mechanism, extended to a length greater than its minimum, so as not to require, in respect of any additional distance solely attributable to the extension, compliance with the specifications mentioned in paragraph (5) (d) to (g);

(b)in the case of a vehicle designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, to be fitted with a demountable body or to carry a container, when it is not fitted with a demountable body or carrying such a container as if it were fitted with such a body or carrying such a container; and

(c)only so far as it is practicable in the case of—

(i) a vehicle designed solely for the carriage of a fluid substance in a closed tank which is permanently fitted to the vehicle and provided with valves and hose or pipe connections for loading or unloading; and

(ii) a vehicle which requires additional stability during loading or unloading or while being used for operations for which it is designed or adapted and is fitted on one or both sides with an extendible device to provide such stability.

(7) In the case of a motor vehicle to which this regulation applies and which is of a type which was required to be approved by the Type Approval for Goods Vehicles Regulations before 1st October 1983—

(a)if the bodywork of the vehicle covers the whole of the area specified as regards a sideguard in paragraph (5)(b), (c), (d) and (g) above the other provisions of that paragraph do not apply to that vehicle; and

(b)if the bodywork of the vehicle covers only part of that area the part of that area which is not so covered shall be fitted with a sideguard which complies with the provisions of paragraph (5) above save that there shall not be a gap between—

(i) the rearmost edge of the sideguard or the rearmost part of the bodywork (whichever is furthest to the rear) and the transverse plane mentioned in paragraph (5)(d) of more than 300 mm;

(ii) the foremost edge of the sideguard or the foremost part of the bodywork (whichever is furthest to the front) and the transverse plane mentioned in paragraph (5)(g) of more than 300 mm; or

(iii) any vertical or sloping edge of any part of the bodywork in question and the edge of the sideguard immediately forwards or rearwards thereof of more than 25 mm measured horizontally.

(8) In this regulation

“relevant plate” means a Ministry plate, where fitted, and in other cases a plate fitted in accordance with regulation 66;

“relevant train weight” means the train weight shown in column 2 of the Ministry plate, where fitted, and in other cases the maximum train weight shown at item 8 of the plate fitted in accordance with regulation 66; and

“tangential plane”, in relation to a sideguard, means the vertical plane tangential to the external face of the outermost part of the tyre (excluding any distortion caused by the weight of the vehicle) fitted to the outermost wheel at the rear and on the same side of the vehicle.

Maintenance of sideguards

52. Every sideguard fitted to a vehicle in compliance with the requirements of regulation 51 shall at all times when the vehicle is on a road be maintained free from any obvious defect which would be likely to affect adversely its effectiveness.

Mascots

53.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), no mascot, emblem or other ornamental object shall be carried by a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st October 1937 in any position where it is likely to strike any person with whom the vehicle may collide unless the mascot is not liable to cause injury to such person by reason of any projection thereon.

(2) Instead of complying with the requirements of paragraph (1) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 74/483 or 79/488 or ECE Regulation 26.01.

KCONTROL OF EMISSIONS

Silencers

54.—(1) Every vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine shall be fitted with an exhaust system including a silencer and the exhaust gases from the engine shall not escape into the atmosphere without first passing through the silencer.

(2) Every exhaust system and silencer shall be maintained in good and efficient working order and shall not be altered so as to increase the noise made by the escape of exhaust gases.

(3) Instead of complying with paragraph (1) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 77/212, 81/334, 84/372 or 84/424 or, in the case of a motor cycle other than a moped, 78/1015.

(4) In this regulation “moped” has the meaning given to it in paragraph (5) of Schedule 9.

Noise limits—general

55.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2) and regulation 59, this regulation applies to every wheeled motor vehicle having at least three wheels and first used on or after 1st October 1983 which is—

(a)a vehicle, not falling within sub-paragraph (b) or (c), with or without bodywork;

(b)a vehicle not falling within sub-paragraph (c) which is—

(i) engineering plant;

(ii) a locomotive other than an agricultural motor vehicle;

(iii) a motor tractor other than an industrial tractor or an agricultural motor vehicle;

(iv) a public works vehicle;

(v) a works truck; or

(vi) a refuse vehicle; or

(c)a vehicle which—

(i) has a compression ignition engine;

(ii) is so constructed or adapted that the driving power of the engine is, or by appropriate use of the controls can be, transmitted to all wheels of the vehicle; and

(iii) falls within category I.1.1., I.1.2, or I.1.3 specified in Article 1 of Community Directive 77/212.

(2) This regulation does not apply to—

(a)a motorcycle with a sidecar attached;

(b)an agricultural motor vehicle which is first used before 1st June 1986 or which is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(c)an industrial tractor;

(d)a road roller;

(e)a vehicle specially constructed, and not merely adapted, for the purposes of fighting fires or salvage from fires at or in the vicinity of airports, and having an engine power exceeding 220 kW;

(f)a vehicle which runs on rails; or

(g)a vehicle manufactured by Leyland Vehicles Ltd. and known as the Atlantean Bus, if first used before 1st October 1984.

(3) Save as provided in paragraphs (4) and (5), every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be so constructed that it complies with the requirements set out in item 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the Table; a vehicle complies with those requirements if—

(a)its sound level does not exceed the relevant limit specified in column 2(a), (b) or (c), as the case may be, in the relevant item when measured under the conditions specified in column 3 in that item and by the method specified in column 4 in that item using the apparatus prescribed in paragraph (6); and

(b)in the case of a vehicle referred to in paragraph 1(a) (other than one having less than four wheels or a maximum speed not exceeding 25 km/h) or 1(c), the device designed to reduce the exhaust noise meets the requirements specified in column 5 in that item.

TABLE

(regulation 55(3))

1	2			3	4	5
	Limits of sound level
Item	(a) Vehicle referred to in paragraph (1)(a)	(b) Vehicle referred to in paragraph (1)(b)	(c) Vehicle referred to in paragraph (1)(c)	Conditions of measurement	Method of measurement	Requirements for exhaust device
1	Limits specified in paragraph I.1 of the Annex to Community Directive 77/212.	89dB(A)	82dB(A)	Conditions specified in paragraph I.3 of the Annex to Community Directive 77/212	Method specified in paragraph I.4.1 of the Annex to Community Directive 77/212	Requirements specified in heading II of the Annex to Community Directive 77/212 (except paragraphs II.2 and II.5).
2	Limits specified in paragraph 5.2.2.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 81/334.	89dB(A)	82dB(A)	Conditions specified in paragraph 5.2.2.3 of Annex I to Community Directive 81/334.	Method specified in paragraph 5.2.2.4 of Annex I to Community Directive 81/334. Interpretation of results as specified in paragraph 5.2.2.5 of that Annex.	Requirements specified in section 3 and paragraphs 5.1 and 5.3.1 of Annex 1 to Community Directive 81/334.
3	Limits specified in paragraph 5.2.2.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/372	89dB(A)	82dB(A)	Conditions specified in paragraph 5.2.2.3 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/372	Method specified in paragraph 5.2.2.4 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/372, except that vehicles with 5 or more forward gears and a maximum power to maximum gross weight ratio not less than 75 kW per 1000 kg may be tested in 3rd gear only. Interpretation of results as specified in paragraph 5.2.2.5 of that Annex.	Requirements specified in section 3 and paragraphs 5.1 and 5.3.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/372.
4	Limits specified in paragraph 5.2.2.1 of the Annex I to Community Directive 84/424	Vehicles with engine power— –less than 75kW – 84dB(A) –not less than 75kW –86dB(A)	Limits specified in paragraph 5.2.2.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/424.	Conditions specified in paragraph 5.2.2.3 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/424	Method specified in paragraph 5.2.2.4 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/424, except that vehicles with 5 or more forward gears and a maximum power to maximum gross weight ratio not less than 75 kW per 1000 kg may be tested in 3rd gear only. Interpretation of results as specified in paragraph 5.2.2.5 of that Annex	Requirements specified in section 3 and paragraphs 5.1 and 5.3.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 84/424.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5), paragraph (3) applies to every vehicle to which this regulation applies and which is first used on or after 1st April 1990, unless it is equipped with 5 or more forward gears and has a maximum power to maximum gross weight ratio not less than 75 kW per 1000 kg, and is of a type in respect of which a type approval certificate has been issued under the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations as if, for the reference to items 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the Table there were substituted a reference to item 4 of the Table.

(5) Paragraph (4) does not apply to a vehicle in category 5.2.2.1.3 as defined in Annex I to Directive 84/424 and equipped with a compression ignition engine, a vehicle in category 5.2.2.1.4 as defined in that Annex, or a vehicle referred to in paragraph 1(b) unless it is first used on or after 1st April 1991.

(6) The apparatus prescribed for the purposes of paragraph 3(a) and regulations 56(2)(a) and 57(2)(a) is a sound level meter of the type described in Publication No. 179 of the International Electrotechnical Commission, in either its first or second edition, a sound level meter complying with the specification for Type 0 or Type 1 in Publication No. 651 (1979) “Sound Level Meters” of the International Electrotechnical Commission, or a sound level meter complying with the specifications of the British Standard Number BS 5969:1981 which came into effect on 29th May 1981.

(7) Instead of complying with the preceding provisions of this regulation a vehicle may comply at the time of its first use with Community Directive 77/212, 81/334, 84/372 or 84/424.

Noise limits—agricultural motor vehicles and industrial tractors

56.—(1) Save as provided in regulation 59, this regulation applies to every wheeled vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1983 being an agricultural motor vehicle or an industrial tractor, other than—

(a)an agricultural motor vehicle which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and which is driven at more than 20 mph; or

(b)a road roller.

(2) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be so constructed—

(a)that its sound level does not exceed—

(i) if it is a vehicle with engine power of less than 65kW, 89 dB(A);

(ii) if it is a vehicle with engine power of 65kW or more, and first used before 1st October 1991, 92 dB(A); or

(iii) if it is a vehicle with engine power of 65kW or more, and first used on or after 1st October 1991, 89 dB(A),

when measured under the conditions specified in paragraph I.3 of Annex VI of Community Directive 74/151 by the method specified in paragraph I.4.1 of that Annex using the apparatus prescribed in regulation 55(6); and

(b)that the device designed to reduce the exhaust noise meets the requirements specified in paragraph II.1 of that Annex and, if fibrous absorbent material is used, the requirements specified in paragraphs II.4.1 to II.4.3 of that Annex.

Noise limits—motor cycles

57.—(1) Save as provided in regulation 59, paragraph (2) of this regulation applies to every motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1983 which is—

(a)a moped; or

(b)a two-wheeled motorcycle, whether or not with sidecar attached, which is not a moped.

(2) Every vehicle to which this paragraph applies shall be so constructed that—

(a)its sound level does not exceed the relevant limit specified in column 2(a) or (b), as the case may be, in item 1 of the Table when measured under the conditions specified in column 3 in that item by the method specified in column 4 in that item using the apparatus prescribed in regulation 55(6); and

(b)the device designed to reduce the exhaust noise meets the requirements specified in column 5.

(3) The silencer which forms part of the exhaust system of a motorcycle first used on or after 1st January 1985 shall be either—

(a)that with which the vehicle was fitted when it was manufactured; or

(b)clearly and indelibly marked with either—

(i) the British Standard marking indicating that it has been tested in accordance with test 2; or

(ii) a reference to its make and type specified by the manufacturer of the vehicle.

(4) A motor cycle shall not be used on a road if it is fitted with an exhaust system any part of which is marked with the words “NOT FOR ROAD USE” or words to the like effect.

(5) Instead of complying with the provisions of paragraph (2), a vehicle referred to in paragraph (1)(b) may comply at the time of its first use with Community Directive 78/1015.

(6) In this regulation—

“British Standard marking” means a marking specified in paragraph 6.1 of the British Standard Specification for replacement motorcycle and moped exhaust systems, which came into effect on 30th September 1983, issued by the British Standards Institution under reference number BS AU 193:1983, and “test 2” means the test so described in that Specification and therein specified; and

“moped” has the meaning given to it in paragraph 5 of Schedule 9.

TABLE

(regulation 57(2))

1	2		3	4	5
	Limits of sound level
Item	Vehicle referred to in paragraph (1)(a)	Vehicle referred to in paragraph (1)(b)	Conditions of measurement	Method of measurement	Requirements for exhaust device
1	73dB(A)	Limits specified in paragraph 2.1.1 of Annex I to Community Directive 78/1015	Conditions specified in paragraph 2.1.3 of Annex I to Community Directive 78/1015	Method specified in paragraph 2.1.4 of Annex I to Community Directive 78/1015. Interpretation of results as in paragraphs 2.1.5.2, 2.1.5.3 and 2.1.5.4 of that Annex	Requirements as specified in paragraph 3 of Annex I to Community Directive 78/1015 except for sub-paragraph 3.2.

Noise limits—vehicles not subject to regulations 55 to 57, first used on or after 1st April 1970

58.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2) and in regulation 59, every wheeled motor vehicle which was first used on or after 1st April 1970 and which is not subject to regulations 55, 56 or 57 shall be so constructed that the sound level (A weighting) in decibels does not exceed the maximum permitted level shown in column 2 of the Table for the relevant class of vehicle shown in column 1, when the noise emitted by it is measured under the specified conditions using the prescribed apparatus.

(2) A vehicle to which this regulation applies is not required to comply with paragraph (1) if at the time of its first use it complied with Community Directive 70/157, 73/350 or 77/212 or, in the case of an agricultural motor vehicle, 74/151, or if it is—

(a)a road roller;

(b)a vehicle specially constructed, and not merely adapted, for the purposes of fighting fires or salvage from fires at or in the vicinity of airports, and having an engine power exceeding 220 kW;

(c)a vehicle propelled by a compression ignition engine and which is of a type in respect of which a type approval certificate has been issued under the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations;

(d)a motorcycle first used on or after 1st October 1980, with an engine capacity not exceeding 50 cc which complies with the requirements specified in regulation 57(2); or

(e)an agricultural motor vehicle manufactured on or after 7th February 1975 which complies with the requirements specified in regulation 56(2).

(3) The definition of sound level (A weighting) in decibels contained in clause 2 of the British Standard Specification for Sound Level Meters published by the British Standards Institution on 7th September 1962 under the number BS 3539: 1962, as amended by Amendment Slip No. 1, numbered AMD22 and published on 1st July 1968, applies for the purposes of this regulation.

(4) In this regulation, “the specified conditions” means the method described by the British Standard Method for the Measurement of Noise Emitted by Motor Vehicles published on 24th June 1966 under the number BS 3425:1966.

(5) In this regulation “the prescribed apparatus” means a noise meter—

(a)which is in good working order and complies with the requirements laid down for vehicle noise meters in Part I of the said British Standard Specification numbered BS 3539:1962, as amended by the said Amendment Slip No. 1;

(b) which has, not more than 12 months before the date of the measurement made in accordance with paragraph (1), undergone all the tests for checking calibration applicable in accordance with the Appendix to the said British Standard Specification; and

(c) in respect of which there has been issued by the National Physical Laboratory, the British Standards Institution or the Secretary of State a certificate recording the date on which as a result of those tests the meter was found to comply with the requirements of clauses 8 and 9 of the said British Standard Specification.

TABLE

(regulation 58(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Maximum permitted sound level in dB(A)
1	Motor cycle of which the cylinder capacity of the engine does not exceed 50 cc	77
2	Motor cycle of which the cylinder capacity of the engine exceeds 50 cc but does not exceed 125 cc	82
3	Motor cycle of which the cylinder capacity of the engine exceeds 125 cc	86
4	Goods vehicle to which regulation 66 applies and which is equipped with a plate complying with the requirements of regulation 66 and showing particulars of a maximum gross weight of more than 3560 kg	89
5	Motor car not being a goods vehicle of the kind described in item 4 above	85
6	Motor tractor	89
7	Locomotive	89
8	Agricultural motor vehicle	89
9	Works truck	89
10	Engineering plant	89
11	Passenger vehicle constructed for the carriage of more than 12 passengers exclusive of the driver	89
12	Any other passenger vehicle	84
13	Any other vehicle	85

Exceptions to regulations 55 to 58

59. Regulations 55, 56, 57(2) and 58 do not apply to a motor vehicle which is—

(a)proceeding to a place where, by previous arrangement—

(i)noise emitted by it is about to be measured for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the vehicle complies with such of those provisions as apply to it; or

(ii) the vehicle is about to be mechanically adjusted, modified or equipped for the purpose of securing that it so complies; or

(b)returning from such a place immediately after the noise has been so measured.

Radio interference suppression

60.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), every wheeled motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1974 which is propelled by a spark ignition engine shall comply at the time of its first use with Community Directive 72/245 or ECE Regulation 10 or 10.01 or, in the case of an agricultural motor vehicle, Community Directive 75/322.1

(2) This regulation does not apply to a vehicle constructed or assembled by a person not ordinarily engaged in the trade or business of manufacturing vehicles of that description, but nothing in this paragraph affects the application to such vehicles of the Wireless Telegraphy (Control of Interference from Ignition Apparatus) Regulations 1973.

Emission of smoke, vapour, gases, oily substances etc

61.—(1) Subject to paragraph (4), every vehicle shall be constructed so as not to emit any avoidable smoke or avoidable visible vapour.

(2) Every motor vehicle using solid fuel shall be fitted with—

(a)a tray or shield to prevent ashes and cinders from falling onto the road; and

(b)an efficient appliance to prevent any emission of sparks or grit.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4) and to the exemptions specified in an item in column 4 of the Table, every wheeled vehicle of a class specified in that item in column 2 shall be constructed so as to comply with the requirements specified in that item in column 3.

(4) Instead of complying with such provisions of paragraph (1) and items 1, 2 and 3 in the Table as apply to it, a vehicle may at the time of its first use comply—

(a)if it is propelled by a compression ignition engine, with Community Directive 72/306 (or, in the case of an agricultural vehicle, 77/537) or ECE Regulation 24.01, 24.02 or 24.03; or

(b)if it is propelled by a spark ignition engine, with Community Directive 78/665 or 83/351 or ECE Regulation 15.03 or 15.04.

(5) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any motor vehicle—

(a)from which any smoke, visible vapour, grit, sparks, ashes, cinders or oily substance is emitted if that emission causes, or is likely to cause, damage to any property or injury or danger to any person who is, or who may reasonably be expected to be, on the road;

(b)which is subject to the requirement in item 2 of the Table (whether or not it is deemed to comply with that requirement by virtue of paragraph (4)), if the fuel injection equipment, the engine speed governor or any other parts of the engine by which it is propelled have been altered or adjusted so as to increase the emission of smoke; or

(c)which is subject to the requirement in item 1 of the Table if the device mentioned in column 2 in that item is used while the vehicle is in motion.

(6) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a motor vehicle to which item 3 of the Table applies unless it is so maintained that the means specified in column 3 of that item are in good working order.

TABLE

(regulation 61(3))

1	2	3	4
Item	Class of vehicle	Requirements	Exemptions
1	Vehicles propelled by a compression ignition engine and equipped with a device designed to facilitate starting the engine by causing it to be supplied with excess fuel.	Provision shall be made to ensure the device cannot readily be operated by a person inside the vehicle.	(a) a work truck; (b) a vehicle on which the device is so designed and maintained that— (i) its use after the engine has started cannot cause the engine to be supplied with excess fuel, or (ii) it does not cause any increase in the smoke or visible vapour emitted from the vehicle.
2	Vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1973 and propelled by a compression ignition engine.	The engine of the vehicle shall be of a type for which there has been issued by a person authorised by the Secretary of State a type test certificate in accordance with the British Standard Specification for the Performance of Diesel Engines for Road Vehicles published on 19th May 1971 under number BS AU 141a: 1971. In the case of an agricultural motor vehicle (other than one which is first used after 1st June 1986 and is driven at more than 20 mph), an industrial tractor, a works truck or engineering plant, for the purposes of that Specification as to the exhaust gas opacity, measurements shall be made with the engine running at 80% of its full load over the speed range from maximum speed down to the speed at which maximum torque occurs as declared by the manufacturer of the vehicle for those purposes.	(a) a vehicle manufactured before 1st April 1973 and propelled by an engine known as the Perkins 6.354 engine; (b) a vehicle propelled by an engine having not more than 2 cylinders and being an agricultural motor vehicle (other than one which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and which is driven at more that 20 mph), an industrial tractor, a works truck or engineering plant.
3	Vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1972 and propelled by a spark ignition engine other than a 2-stroke engine.	The engine shall be equipped with means sufficient to ensure that, while the engine is running, any vapours or gases in the engine crank case, or in any other part of the engine to which vapours or gases may pass from that case, are prevented, so far as is reasonably practicable, from escaping into the atmosphere otherwise than through the combustion chamber of the engine.	(a) a two-wheeled motor cycle with or without a sidecar attached; (b) a vehicle to which item 4 below applies.
4	Vehicles first used on or after 1st October 1982 and propelled by a spark ignition engine.	The vehicle shall comply at the time of its first use with Community Directive 78/665 or 83/351 or ECE Regulation 15.03 or 15.04.	(a) a vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg; (b) a vehicle which has only two wheels; (c) a vehicle with an unladen weight of less than 400 kg; (d) a vehicle with less than 4 wheels and having a maximum speed not exceeding 30 mph.

Closets etc

62.—(1) No wheeled vehicle first used after 15th January 1931 shall be equipped with any closet or urinal which can discharge directly on to a road.

(2) Every tank into which a closet or urinal with which a vehicle is equipped empties, and every closet or urinal which does not empty into a tank, shall contain chemicals which are non-inflammable and non-irritant and provide an efficient germicide.

Wings

63.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (4), this regulation applies to—

(a)invalid carriages;

(b)heavy motor cars, motor cars and motor cycles, not being agricultural motor vehicles or pedestrian-controlled vehicles;

(c)agricultural motor vehicles driven at more than 20 mph; and

(d)trailers.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (5), every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with wings or other similar fittings to catch, so far as practicable, mud or water thrown up by the rotation of its wheels or tracks.

(3) The requirements specified in paragraph (2) apply, in the case of a trailer with more than two wheels, only in respect of the rearmost two wheels.

(4) Those requirements do not apply in respect of—

(a)a works truck;

(b)a living van;

(c)a water cart;

(d)an agricultural trailer drawn by a motor vehicle which is not driven at a speed in excess of 20 mph;

(e)an agricultural trailed appliance;

(f)an agricultural trailed appliance conveyor;

(g)a broken down vehicle;

(h)a heavy motor car, motor car or trailer in an unfinished condition which is proceeding to a workshop for completion;

(i)a trailer used for or in connection with the carriage of round timber and the rear wheels of any heavy motor car or motor car drawing a semi-trailer so used; or

(j)a trailer drawn by a motor vehicle the maximum speed of which is restricted to 20 mph or less under Schedule 6 to the 1984 Act.

(5) Instead of complying with paragraph (2) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 78/549.

Spray suppression devices

64.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), this regulation applies to every wheeled goods vehicle which is—

(a)a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1986 having a maximum gross weight exceeding 12,000 kg;

(b)a trailer manufactured on or after 1st May 1985 having a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg; or

(c)a trailer, whenever manufactured, having a maximum gross weight exceeding 16,000 kg and 2 or more axles.

(2) This regulation does not apply to—

(a)a motor vehicle so constructed that the driving power of its engine is, or can by use of its controls be, transmitted to all the wheels on at least one front axle and on at least one rear axle;

(b)a motor vehicle of which no part which lies within the specified area is less than 400 mm vertically above the ground when the vehicle is standing on reasonably flat ground;

(c)a works truck;

(d)a works trailer;

(e)a broken down vehicle;

(f)a motor vehicle which has a maximum speed not exceeding 30 mph;

(g)a vehicle of a kind specified in sub-paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (j), (k), (o) or (p) of regulation 51(2);

(h)a vehicle specially designed, and not merely adapted, for the carriage and mixing of liquid concrete; or

(i)a vehicle which is being driven or towed to a place where by previous arrangement a device is to be fitted so that it complies with the requirements specified in paragraph (3).

(3) A vehicle to which this regulation applies and which is of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not be used on a road on or after the date specified in column 3 in that item, unless it is fitted in relation to the wheels on each of its axles, with such containment devices as satisfy the technical requirements and other provisions about containment devices specified in the British Standard Specification, provided that in the case of a containment device fitted before 1st January 1985 the said requirements shall be deemed to be complied with if that containment device substantially conforms to those requirements.

TABLE

(regulation 64(3))

1	2	3
Item	Class of Vehicle	Date
1	A trailer manufactured before 1st January 1975	1st October 1987
2	A trailer manufactured on or after 1st January 1975 but before 1st May 1985	1st October 1986
3	A trailer manufactured on or after 1st May 1985	1st May 1985
4	A motor vehicle	1st April 1986

(4) In this regulation—

“the British Standard Specification” means the British Standard Specification for Spray Reducing Devices for Heavy Goods Vehicles published under the reference BS AU 200: Part I: 1984 and BS AU 200: Part 2: 1984 and references to a “containment device” are references to the device so described in the British Standard Specification;

“the specified area” means the area formed by the overall length of the vehicle and the middle 80% of the shortest distance between the inner edges of any two wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle (such distance being ascertained when the vehicle is fitted with suitable tyres inflated to a pressure recommended by the manufacturer, but excluding any bulging of the tyres near the ground) .

(5) Nothing in this regulation derogates from any requirement specified in regulation 63.

Maintenance of spray suppression devices

65. Every part of every containment device with which a vehicle is required to be fitted by the provisions of regulation 64 shall at all times when the vehicle is on a road be maintained free from any obvious defect which would be likely to affect adversely the effectiveness of the device.

PART IIIPLATES, MARKINGS, TESTING AND INSPECTION

Plates for goods vehicles and buses

66.—(1) This regulation applies to—

(a)a wheeled heavy motor car or motor car first used on or after 1st January 1968 not being—

(i)a dual-purpose vehicle;

(ii)an agricultural motor vehicle;

(iii)a works truck;

(iv)a pedestrian-controlled vehicle; or

(v)save as provided in sub-paragraph (b) below, a passenger vehicle;

(b)a bus (whether or not it is an articulated bus) first used on or after 1st April 1982;

(c)a wheeled locomotive or motor tractor first used on or after 1st April 1973 not being—

(i)an agricultural motor vehicle;

(ii)an industrial tractor;

(iii)a works truck;

(iv)engineering plant; or

(v)a pedestrian-controlled vehicle;

(d)a wheeled trailer manufactured on or after 1st January 1968 which exceeds 1020 kg in weight unladen not being—

(i)a trailer not constructed or adapted to carry any load, other than plant or special appliances or apparatus which is a permanent or essentially permanent fixture, and not exceeding 2290 kg in total weight;

(ii)a living van not exceeding 2040 kg in weight unladen and fitted with pneumatic tyres;

(iii)a works trailer;

(iv)a trailer mentioned in regulation 16(3)(b) to (g); or

(v)a trailer which was manufactured and used outside Great Britain before it was first used in Great Britain; and

(e)a converter dolly manufactured on or after 1st January 1979.

(2) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with a plate securely attached to the vehicle in a conspicuous and readily accessible position which either—

(a)contains the particulars required, in the case of a motor vehicle by Part I of Schedule 8 or, in the case of a trailer, by Part II of that Schedule, and complies with the provisions of Part III of that Schedule; or

(b)complies with the requirements specified in the Annex to Community Directive 78/507 or, in the case of a vehicle first used before 1st October 1982, in the Annex to Community Directive 76/114, such requirements being in any case modified as provided in paragraph (3).

(3) Instead of the particulars required by items 2.1.4 to 2.1.7 of that Annex, the plate required by paragraph (2)(b) shall show, for a vehicle of a class specified in column 2 of the Table against an item of that Annex so specified in column 1, the following particulars—

(a)the maximum permitted weight for that class, if any, shown in column 3 of the Table;

(b)where the maximum weight shown in column 4 of the Table exceeds the maximum permitted weight, the maximum weight in a column on the plate to the right of the maximum permitted weight; and

(c)if no weight is shown in column 3 of the Table, the maximum weight shown in column 4 of the Table, in the right hand column of the plate.

TABLE

(regulation 66(3))

1	2	3	4
Item in Annex to Directive	Class of vehicle	Maximum permitted weight	Maximum weight
2.1.4 (Laden weight of vehicle)	(i) Motor vehicles	The maximum gross weight in Great Britain referred to in item 10 in Part I of Schedule 8.	The maximum gross weight referred to in item 7 in Part I of Schedule 8 .
	(ii) Trailers, other than semi-trailers	The maximum gross weight in Great Britain referred to in item 8 in Part II of Schedule 8.	The maximum gross weight referred to in item 6 in Part II of Schedule 8.
	(iii) Semi-trailers		The maximum gross weight referred to in item 6 in Part II of Schedule 8.
2.1.5 (Train weight of motor vehicle)	Motor vehicles constructed to draw a trailer	The lower of— (a) the maximum train weight referred to in item 8 in Part I of Schedule 8; and (b) the maximum laden weight specified, in the case of vehicles constructed to form part of an articulated vehicle, in regulation 77, and, in other cases, in regulation 76.	The maximum train weight referred to in item 8 in Part I of Schedule 8.
2.1.6 (Axle weight of vehicle)	(i) Motor vehicles	The maximum weight in Great Britain for each axle referred to in item 9 in Part I of Schedule 8 .	The maximum weight for each axle referred to in item 6 in Part I of Schedule 8 .
	(ii) Trailers	The maximum weight in Great Britain for each axle referred to in item 7 in Part II of Schedule 8.	The maximum weight for each axle referred to in item 4 in Part II of Schedule 8.
2.1.7 (Load imposed by semi-trailer)	Semi-trailers		The maximum load imposed on the drawing vehicle referred to in item 5 in Part II of Schedule 8.

(4) Part III of Schedule 8 applies for determining the relevant weights to be shown on a plate in accordance with this regulation.

Vehicle identification numbers

67.—(1) This regulation applies to a wheeled vehicle which is first used on or after 1st April 1980 and to which the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations apply.

(2) A vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with a plate which is in a conspicuous and readily accessible position, is affixed to a vehicle part which is not normally subject to replacement and shows clearly and indelibly—

(a)the vehicle identification number in accordance with the requirements specified—

(i)in the case of a vehicle first used before 1st April 1987, in paragraphs 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 of the Annex to Community Directive 76/114/EEC ; or

(ii)in any case, in sections 3 and 4 of the Annex to Community Directive 78/507/EEC;

(b)the name of the manufacturer; and

(c)the approval reference number of either—

(i)the type approval certificate which relates to the vehicle model or the model variant of the vehicle model, as the case may be, issued in accordance with the provisions of regulation 9(1) of, and Part I of Schedule 3 to, the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations; or

(ii)the Minister's approval certificate which relates to the vehicle, issued in accordance with the provisions of regulation 9(2) of, and Part 1A of Schedule 4 to, the said Regulations.

Provided that the information required under sub-paragraph (c) above may be shown clearly and indelibly on an additional plate which is fitted in a conspicuous and readibly accessible position and which is affixed to a vehicle part which is not normally subject to replacement.

(3) The vehicle identification number of every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be marked on the chassis, frame or other similar structure, on the off side of the vehicle, in a clearly visible and accessible position, and by a method such as hammering or stamping, in such a way that it cannot be obliterated or deteriorate.

Plates—agricultural trailed appliances

68.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (3) below, every wheeled agricultural trailed appliance manufactured on or after 1st December 1985 shall be equipped with a plate affixed to the vehicle in a conspicuous and readily accessible position and which is clearly and indelibly marked with the particulars specified in paragraph (2) below.

(2) Those particulars are—

(a)the name of the manufacturer of the appliance;

(b)the year in which the appliance was manufactured;

(c)the maximum gross weight;

(d)the unladen weight; and

(e)the maximum load which would be imposed by the appliance on the drawing vehicle.

(3) In the case of a towed roller consisting of several separate rollers used in combination, a single plate shall satisfy the requirement specified in paragraph (2) above.

Plates—motor cycles

69.—(1) This regulation applies to every motor cycle first used on or after 1st August 1977 which is not—

(a)propelled by an internal combustion engine with a cylinder capacity exceeding 150 cc if the vehicle was first used before 1st January 1982 or 125 cc if it was first used on or after 1st January 1982;

(b)a mowing machine; or

(c)a pedestrian-controlled vehicle.

(2) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with a plate which is securely affixed to the vehicle in a conspicuous and readily accessible position and which complies with the requirements of Schedule 9.

Ministry plates

70.—(1) Every goods vehicle to which the Plating and Testing Regulations apply and in respect of which a plating certificate has been issued shall, from the date specified in paragraph (2), be equipped with a Ministry plate securely affixed, so as to be legible at all times, in a conspicuous and readily accessible position, and in the cab of the vehicle if it has one.

(2) That date is in the case of—

(a)a vehicle to which the Type Approval for Goods Vehicles Regulations apply, the date of the fourteenth day after the plate was issued; or

(b)any other vehicle, the date by which it is required, by the said Regulations, to be submitted for examination for plating.

Marking of weights on certain vehicles

71.—(1) This regulation applies to a vehicle (other than an agricultural motor vehicle which is either a track-laying vehicle not exceeding 3050 kg in unladen weight or a wheeled vehicle) which is—

(a)a locomotive;

(b)a motor tractor;

(c)a heavy motor car which is registered under the 1971 Act (or any enactment repealed thereby) if the unladen weight of the vehicle is not shown on its Ministry plate; or

(d)an unbraked wheeled trailer, other than one mentioned in regulation 16(3)(b)(i), (iii), (iv) or (v) or (c) to (g).

(2) There shall be plainly marked in a conspicuous place on the outside of a vehicle to which this regulation applies, on its near side—

(a)if it is a vehicle falling in paragraph (1)(a), (b), or (c), its unladen weight; and

(b)if it is a vehicle falling in paragraph (1)(d), its maximum gross weight.

Additional markings

72.—(1) This regulation applies to every goods vehicle to which the Plating and Testing Regulations apply and for which a plating certificate has been issued.

(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of regulation 70, any weight which by virtue of regulation 80 may not be exceeded in the case of a goods vehicle to which this regulation applies may be marked on either side, or on both sides, of the vehicle.

(3) Where at any time by virtue of any provision contained in regulation 75 a goods vehicle to which this regulation applies may not be used in excess of a weight which is less than the gross weight which may not be exceeded by that vehicle by virtue of regulation 80, the first mentioned weight may be marked on either side, or on both sides, of the vehicle.

(4) Where at any time by virtue of any provision contained in regulation 76 and 77 a goods vehicle to which this regulation applies is drawing, or being drawn by, another vehicle and those vehicles may not be used together in excess of a laden weight applicable to those vehicles by virtue of any such provision, that weight may be marked on either side, or on both sides, of that goods vehicle.

Test date discs

73.—(1) Every Ministry test date disc which is issued, following the issue of a goods vehicle test certificate, in respect of a trailer to which the Plating and Testing Regulations apply and for which a plating certificate has been issued shall be carried on the trailer in a legible condition and in a conspicuous and readily accessible position in which it is clearly visible by daylight from the near side of the road, from the date of its issue until but not beyond the date of expiry of that test certificate or the date of issue of a further test certificate for that trailer, whichever date is the earlier.

(2) In this regulation “Ministry test date disc” means a plate issued by the Secretary of State for a goods vehicle, being a trailer, following the issue of a goods vehicle test certificate for that trailer under the Plating and Testing Regulations and containing the following particulars—

(a)the identification mark allotted to that trailer and shown in that certificate;

(b)the date until which that certificate is valid; and

(c)the number of the vehicle testing station shown in that certificate.

Testing and Inspection

74.—(1) Subject to the conditions specified in paragraph (2), the following persons are hereby empowered to test and inspect the brakes, silencers, steering gear and tyres of any vehicle, on any premises where that vehicle is located—

(a)a police constable in uniform;

(b)a person appointed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to inspect public carriages for the purpose of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869;

(c)a person appointed by the police authority for a police area to act for the purposes of section 53 of the 1972 Act;

(d)a goods vehicle examiner as defined in section 56 of the 1972 Act;

(e)a certifying officer as defined in section 7(1) of the 1981 Act; and

(f)a public service vehicle examiner appointed as mentioned in section 7(2) of the 1981 Act.

(2) Those conditions are—

(a)any person empowered as there mentioned shall produce his authorisation if required to do so;

(b)no such person shall enter any premises unless the consent of the owner of those premises has first been obtained;

(c)no such person shall test or inspect any vehicle on any premises unless—

(i)the owner of the vehicle consents thereto;

(ii)notice has been given to that owner personally or left at his address not less than 48 hours before the time of the proposed test or inspection, or has been sent to him at least 72 hours before that time by the recorded delivery service to his address last known to the person giving the notice; or

(iii)the test or inspection is made within 48 hours of an accident to which section 25 of the 1972 Act applies and in which the vehicle was involved.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation, the owner of the vehicle shall be deemed to be in the case of a vehicle—

(a)which is for the time being registered under the 1971 Act, and is not being used under a trade licence under that Act the person appearing as the owner of the vehicle in the register kept by the Secretary of State under that Act;

(b)used under a trade licence, the holder of the licence; or

(c)exempt from excise duty by virtue of the Motor Vehicles (International Circulation) Order 1975, the person resident outside the United Kingdom who has brought the vehicle into Great Britain;

and in cases (a) and (b) the address of the owner as shown on the said register or, as the case may be, on the licence may be treated as his address.

PART IVCONDITIONS RELATING TO USE

ALADEN WEIGHT

Maximum permitted laden weight of a vehicle

75.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), the laden weight of a vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the maximum permitted laden weight specified in that item in column 3.

(2) The maximum permitted laden weight of a vehicle first used before 1st June 1973 which falls in item 1 or 2 shall not be less than would be the case if the vehicle fell in item 9.

TABLE

(regulation 75(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Maximum permitted laden weight
		(kg)
1	A wheeled heavy motor car or motor car which is not described in items 2, 4 or 5 and which complies with the relevant braking requirement	The weight specified in column (5) of Part I of Schedule 11 in the item which is appropriate, having regard to columns (2), (3) and (4) in that Part
2	A wheeled heavy motor car or motor car (not being an agricultural motor vehicle) which forms part of an articulated vehicle and which complies with the relevant braking requirement	The weight specified in column (5) in Part II of Schedule 11 in the item which is appropriate having regard to columns (2), (3) and (4) in that Part
3	A wheeled trailer, including a composite trailer, but not including a semi-trailer, which is drawn by a motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car which complies with the relevant braking requirement, other than a trailer described in items 6, 7, 8 or 11	As for item 1
4	A bus	The weight specified in column (5) of Part I of Schedule 11 in the item which is appropriate having regard to columns (2), (3) and (4) in that Part, the laden weight of the bus being calculated in the manner described in regulation 78(3) to (5)
5	A wheeled agricultural motor vehicle	As for item 1, but subject to a maximum of 24,390
6	A balanced agricultural trailer, as defined in paragraph (4), which is not described in items 8, 11 or 16	As for item 1, but subject to a maximum of 18,290
7	An unbalanced agricultural trailer, as defined in paragraph (4) which is not described in items 8, 11 or 16	18,290 inclusive of the weight imposed by the trailer on the drawing vehicle
8	A wheeled trailer manufactured on or after 27th February 1977 and fitted with brakes which automatically come into operation on the over-run of the trailer (whether or not it is fitted with any other brake), except an agricultural trailer which is being drawn by an agricultural motor vehicle, which complies with the requirements specified in items 3, 14 and 17 of Schedule 3 and of which the brakes can be applied either by the driver of the drawing vehicle or by some other person on that vehicle or on the trailer	3,500
9	A wheeled heavy motor car or motor car not described in items 1, 2, 4 or 5—
	(a) with not more than 4 wheels	14,230
	(b) with more than 4 but not more than 6 wheels	20,330
	(c) with more than 6 wheels	24,390
10	A wheeled trailer not described in items 3, 6, 7, 8 or 11 having less than 6 wheels, and not forming part of an articulated vehicle; and an agricultural trailed appliance	14,230
11	A trailer manufactured before 27th February 1977 and having no brakes other than— (i) a parking brake and (ii) brakes which come into operation on the overrun of the trailer	3,560
12	A wheeled locomotive, not described in item 5, which is equipped with suitable and sufficient springs between each wheel and the vehicle's frame and with a pneumatic tyre or a tyre of soft or elastic material fitted to each wheel—
	(a) if having less than 6 wheels	22,360
	(b) if having 6 wheels	26,420
	(c) if having more than 6 wheels	30,490
13	A track-laying locomotive with resilient material interposed between the rims of the weight-carrying rollers and the road so that the weight of the vehicle (other than that borne by any wheels and the portion of the track in contact with the road) is supported by the resilient material.	22,360
14	A locomotive not described in items 5, 12 or 13	20,830
15	A track-laying heavy motor car or motor car	22,360
16	A track-laying trailer	13,210

(3) The maximum total weight of all trailers, whether laden or unladen, drawn at any one time by a locomotive shall not exceed 40,650 kg.

(4) In this regulation and regulation 76—

“balanced agricultural trailer” means an agricultural trailer the whole of the weight of which is borne by its own wheels; and

“unbalanced agricultural trailer” means an agricultural trailer of which some, but not more than 35%, of the weight is borne by the drawing vehicle and the rest of the weight is borne by its own wheels.

Maximum permitted laden weight of a vehicle and trailer, other than an articulated vehicle

76.—(1) The total laden weight of a motor vehicle and the trailer or trailers (other than semi-trailers) drawn by it shall not, in a case specified in an item in column 2 of the Table, exceed the maximum permitted train weight specified in that item in column 3.

(2) In this regulation the expression `unbalanced agricultural trailer' has the meaning given to it in regulation 75.

TABLE

(regulation 76(1))

1	2	3
Item	Vehicle Combination	Maximum permitted train weight
		(kg)
1	A wheeled trailer which is drawn by a wheeled motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car, (not being in any case an agricultural motor vehicle) and which— (a) is fitted with power-assisted brakes which can be operated by the driver of the drawing vehicle and are not rendered ineffective by the non-rotation of its engine; and (b) is drawn by a vehicle which is equipped with a warning device so placed as to be readily visible to the driver when in the driving seat in order to indicate an impending deficiency or failure in the vacuum or pressure system	32,520
2	A wheeled agricultural motor vehicle drawing a wheeled unbalanced agricultural trailer, if the distance between the rearmost axle of the trailer and the rearmost axle of the drawing vehicle does not exceed 2.9 m	20,000
3	A wheeled trailer or trailers drawn by a wheeled motor tractor, heavy motor car, motor car or agricultural motor vehicle, not being a combination of vehicles mentioned in items 1 or 2	24,390
4	A track-laying trailer drawn by a motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car, whether wheeled or track-laying and a wheeled trailer, drawn by a track-laying vehicle being a motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car	22,360

Maximum permitted laden weight of an articulated vehicle

77.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the laden weight of an articulated vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the weight specified in column 3 in that item.

TABLE

(regulation 77(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Maximum permitted laden weight
		(kg)
1	An articulated vehicle which complies with the relevant braking requirement.	Whichever is the lower of— (a) the weight specified in column (3) of Part III of Schedule 11 in the item in which the spacing between the rearmost axles of the motor vehicle and the semi-trailer is specified in column (2), provided that the weights in items 13 to 18 shall not apply unless the overall length of the articulated vehicle is at least that specified in column (4) in those items; and (b) if the vehicle is of a description specified in an item in column (2) of Part IV of Schedule 11, the weight specified in column (3) of that item
2	An articulated vehicle which does not comply with the relevant braking requirement if the trailer has—
	(a) less than 4 wheels	20,330
	(b) 4 wheels or more	24,390

(2) This regulation does not apply to an agricultural motor vehicle, an agricultural trailer or an agricultural trailed appliance.

Maximum permitted wheel and axle weights

78.—(1) The weight transmitted to the road by one or more wheels of a vehicle as mentioned in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the maximum permitted weight specified in that item in column 3.

(2) The Parts of the Table have the following application—

(a)Part I applies to wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers which comply with the relevant braking requirement and to wheeled agricultural motor vehicles, agricultural trailers and agricultural trailed appliances; items 1(b) and 2 also apply to buses;

(b)Part II applies to wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers which do not fall in Part I;

(c)Part III applies to wheeled locomotives; and

(d)Part IV applies to track-laying vehicles.

PART I

(wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers which comply with the relevant braking requirement and wheeled agricultural motor vehicles, agricultural trailers and agricultural trailed appliances; and, in respect of items 1(b) and 2, buses)

TABLE

(regulation 78(1))

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
1	Two wheels in line transversely each of which is fitted with a wide tyre or with two pneumatic tyres having the centres of their areas of contact with the road not less than 300 mm apart, measured at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle—
	(a) if the wheels are on the sole driving axle of a motor vehicle and the relevant train weight shown on the plate of that vehicle exceeds 32,520 kg,	10,500
	(b) if the vehicle is a bus which has 2 axles and of which the weight transmitted to the road surface by its wheels is calculated in accordance with regulation 78(5),	10,500
	(c) in any other case	10,170
2	Two wheels in line transversely otherwise than as mentioned in item 1	9,200
3	More than two wheels in line transversely—
	(a) in the case of a vehicle manufactured before 1st May 1983 if the wheels are on one axle of a group of two closely spaced axles or on one of three adjacent axles as mentioned inregulation 79 (4),	10,170
	(b) in the case of a vehicle manufactured on or after 1st May 1983,	10,170
	(c) in any other case	11,180
4	One wheel not transversely in line with any other wheel—
	(a) if the wheel is fitted as described in item 1,	5,090
	(b) in any other case	4,600

PART II

(wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers not failing in Part I)

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
5	More than two wheels transmitting weight to a strip of the road surface on which the vehicle rests contained between two parallel lines at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle—
	(a) less than 1.02 m apart,	11,180
	(b) 1.02 m or more apart but less than 1.22 m apart,	16,260
	(c) 1.22 m or more apart but less than 2.13 m apart	18,300
6	Two wheels in line transversely	9,200
7	One wheel, where no other wheel is in the same line transversely.	4,600

PART III

(wheeled locomotives)

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
8	Two wheels in line transversely (except in the case of a road roller, or a vehicle with not more than four wheels first used before 1st June 1955)	11,180
9	Any two wheels in the case of a wheeled locomotive having not more than four wheels first used before 1st June 1955 (not being a road roller or an agricultural motor vehicle which is not driven at more than 20 mph)	Three quarters of the total weight of the locomotive.

PART IV

(track-laying vehicles)

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
10	The weight of a heavy motor car, motor car or trailer transmitted to any strip of the road surface on which the vehicle rests contained between two parallel lines 0.6 m apart at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle	10,170
11	Two wheels in line—
	(a) heavy motor cars or motor cars with 2 wheels,	8,130
	(b) heavy motor cars or motor cars with more than 2 wheels	7,630
12	One wheel, where no other wheel is in the same line transversely, on a heavy motor car or a motor car	4,070

(3) In the case of an articulated bus, or, subject to paragraph (4), of a bus first used before 1st April 1988, the laden weight, for the purposes of item 4 in the Table in regulation 75, and the weight transmitted to the road surface by wheels of the vehicle, for the purposes of items 1 and 2 of the Table in this regulation, shall be calculated with reference to the vehicle when it is complete and fully equipped for service with—

(a)a full supply of water, oil and fuel; and

(b)weights of 63.5 kg for each person (including crew)—

(i) for whom a seat is provided in the position in which he may be seated; and

(ii) who may by or under any enactment be carried standing, the total of such weights being reasonably distributed in the space in which such persons may be carried, save that in the case of a bus (not being an articulated bus) only the number of such persons exceeding 8 shall be taken into account.

(4) The weights for the purposes referred to in paragraph (3) may, in the case of a bus to which that paragraph applies, be calculated in accordance with paragraph (5) instead of paragraph (3).

(5) In the case of a bus first used on or after 1st April 1988, the weights for the purposes referred to in paragraph (3) shall be calculated with reference to the vehicle when it is complete and fully equipped for service with—

(a)a full supply of water, oil and fuel;

(b)a weight of 65 kg for each person (including crew)—

(i) for whom a seat is provided, in the position in which he may be seated; and

(ii) who may by or under any enactment be carried standing, the total of such weights being reasonably distributed in the space in which such persons may be so carried, save that in the case of a bus (not being an articulated bus) only the number of such persons exceeding 4 shall be taken into account;

(c)all luggage space within the vehicle but not within the passenger compartment loaded at the rate of 100 kg per m³ or 10 kg per person mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) above, whichever is the less; and

(d)any area of the roof of the vehicle constructed or adapted for the storage of luggage loaded with a uniformly distributed load at the rate of 75 kg per m².

Maximum permitted weights for certain closely-spaced axles etc

79.—(1) This regulation applies to—

(a)a wheeled motor vehicle which complies with the relevant braking requirement;

(b)a wheeled trailer which is drawn by such a motor vehicle; and

(c)an agricultural motor vehicle, an agricultural trailer and an agricultural trailed appliance.

(2) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where two closely spaced axles of a vehicle to which this regulation applies are spaced at a distance specified in an item in column 2 of Part V of Schedule 11, the total weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of those axles shall not exceed in a case—

(a)where the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of either of the axles does not in either case exceed one half of the weight specified in that item in column 3, the weight so specified;

(b)where the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of one of the axles exceeds one half of the weight shown in that item in column 3 of that Part but does not exceed 10,170 kg, the weight specified in that item in column 4; or

(c)other than one mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) above, the weight specified in that item in column 5.

(3) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where any two adjoining axles of three closely spaced axles of a vehicle to which this regulation applies are spaced at such a distance apart as is specified in an item in column 2 of Part VI of Schedule 11, the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of each of those axles shall not exceed the weight shown in that item in column 3.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where—

(a)the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of any one of three adjacent axles of a semi-trailer to which this regulation applies exceeds 7,500 kg;

(b)the foremost and rearmost of the three adjacent axles are spaced at a distance specified in an item in column 2 of Part VII of Schedule 11; and

(c)the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of the intermediate axle does not exceed the weight shown in column 3 in that item,

the total weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of those axles shall not exceed the weight shown in column 4 in that item.

(5) Nothing in paragraphs (2), (3) or (4) of this regulation shall apply so as to prevent a vehicle first used before 1st June 1973 from being used on a road at a weight as respects those axles at which it could be used if it fell within item 5 in the Table in regulation 78 and nothing in paragraph (3) of this regulation shall apply so as to prevent a vehicle being used on a road with axle weights shown on the plating certificate issued for the vehicle current on 30th April 1983.

Over-riding weight restrictions

80.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle—

(a)fitted with a plate in accordance with regulation 66, but for which no plating certificate has been issued, if any of the weights shown on the plate is exceeded;

(b)for which a plating certificate has been issued, if any of the weights shown in column (2) of the plating certificate is exceeded; or

(c)required by regulation 68 to be fitted with a plate, if the maximum gross weight referred to in paragraph (2)(c) of that regulation is exceeded.

(2) Where any two or more axles are fitted with a compensating arrangement in accordance with regulation 23 the sum of the weights shown for them in the plating certificate shall not be exceeded. In a case where a plating certificate has not been issued the sum of the weights referred to shall be that shown for the said axles in the plate fitted in accordance with regulation 66.

(3) Nothing in regulations 75 to 79 shall permit any such weight as is mentioned in the preceding provisions of this regulation to be exceeded and nothing in this regulation shall permit any weight prescribed by regulations 75 to 79 in relation to the vehicle in question to be exceeded.

BDIMENSIONS OF LADEN VEHICLES

Restrictions on use of vehicles carrying wide or long loads or having fixed appliances or apparatus

81. For the purposes of this regulation, regulation 82 and Schedule 12—

(a)“lateral projection”, in relation to a load carried by a vehicle, means that part of the load which extends beyond a side of the vehicle;

(b) the width of any lateral projection shall be measured between longitudinal planes passing through the extreme projecting point of the vehicle on that side on which the projection lies and that part of the projection furthest from that point;

(c) references to a special appliance or apparatus, in relation to a vehicle, are references to any crane or other special appliance or apparatus fitted to the vehicle which is a permanent or essentially permanent fixture;

(d)“forward projection” and “rearward projection”—

(i)in relation to a load carried in such a manner that its weight rests on only one vehicle, mean respectively that part of the load which extends beyond the foremost point of the vehicle and that part which extends beyond the rearmost point of the vehicle;

(ii)in relation to a load carried in such a manner that part of its weight rests on more than one vehicle, mean respectively that part of the load which extends beyond the foremost point of the foremost vehicle by which the load is carried except where the context otherwise requires and that part of the load which extends beyond the rearmost point of the rearmost vehicle by which the load is carried; and

(iii)in relation to any special appliance or apparatus, mean respectively that part of the appliance or apparatus which, if it were deemed to be a load carried by the vehicle, would be a part of a load extending beyond the foremost point of the vehicle and that part which would be a part of a load extending beyond the rearmost point of the vehicle,

and references in regulation 82 and Schedule 12 to a forward projection or to a rearward projection in relation to a vehicle shall be construed accordingly;

(e) the length of any forward projection or of any rearward projection shall be measured between transverse planes passing—

(i) in the case of a forward projection, through the foremost point of the vehicle and that part of the projection furthest from that point; and

(ii) in the case of a rearward projection, through the rearmost point of the vehicle and that part of the projection furthest from that point;

In this and the foregoing sub-paragraph “vehicle” does not include any special appliance or apparatus or any part thereof which is a forward projection or a rearward projection;

(f) references to the distance between vehicles, in relation to vehicles carrying a load, are references to the distance between the nearest points of any two adjacent vehicles by which the load is carried, measured when the longitudinal axis of each vehicle lies in the same vertical plane.

For the purposes of this sub-paragraph, in determining the nearest point of two vehicles any part of either vehicle designed primarily for use as a means of attaching the one vehicle to the other and any fitting designed for use in connection with any such part shall be disregarded;

(g) references to a combination of vehicles, in relation to a motor vehicle which is drawing one or more trailers, are references to the motor vehicle and the trailer or trailers drawn thereby, including any other motor vehicle which is used for the purpose of assisting in the propulsion of the trailer or the trailers on the road;

(h) the overall length of a combination of vehicles shall be taken as the distance between the foremost point of the drawing vehicle comprised in the combination and the rearmost point of the rearmost vehicle comprised therein, measured when the longitudinal axis of each vehicle comprised in the combination lies in the same vertical plane;

(i) the extreme projecting point of a vehicle is the point from which the overall width of the vehicle is calculated in accordance with the definition of overall width contained in regulation 3(2);

(j) without prejudice to sub-paragraph (e) the foremost or, as the case may be, the rearmost point of a vehicle is the foremost or rearmost point from which the overall length of the vehicle is calculated in accordance with the definition of overall length contained in regulation 3(2); and

(k) an agricultural, horticultural or forestry implement rigidly but not permanently mounted on an agricultural motor vehicle, agricultural trailer or agricultural trailed appliance, whether or not part of its weight is supported by one or more of its own wheels, shall not be treated as a load, or special appliance, on that vehicle.

82.—(1) No load shall be carried on a vehicle so that the overall width of the vehicle together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of its load exceeds 4.3m.

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, no load shall be carried on a vehicle so that—

(a) the load has a lateral projection or projections on either side exceeding 305mm; or

(b) the overall width of the vehicle and of any lateral projection or projections of its load exceeds 2.9m.

Provided that this paragraph does not apply to the carriage of—

(i)loose agricultural produce not baled or crated; or

(ii)an indivisible load if—

(A)it is not reasonably practicable to comply with this paragraph and the conditions specified in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12 are complied with; and

(B)where the overall width of the vehicle together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of its load exceeds 3.5m, the conditions specified in paragraph 2 of Schedule 12 are complied with.

(3) Where a load is carried so that its weight rests on a vehicle or vehicles, the length specified in paragraph (5) shall not exceed 27.4m.

(4) Where a load is so carried and either—

(a) the length specified in paragraph (5) exceeds 18.3m; or

(b) the load rests on a trailer or trailers and the length specified in paragraph (6) exceeds 25.9m,

the conditions specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part I of Schedule 12 shall be complied with.

(5) The length referred to in paragraphs (3) and (4)(a) is—

(a) where the load rests on a single vehicle, the overall length of the vehicle together with the length of any forward and rearward projection of the load;

(b) where the load rests on a motor vehicle and one trailer, whether or not forming an articulated vehicle, the overall length of the trailer together with the length of any projection of the load in front of the foremost point of the trailer and of any rearward projection of the load; and

(c) in any other case, the overall length of all the vehicles on which the load rests, together with the length of any distance between them and of any forward or rearward projection of the load.

(6) The length referred to in paragraph (4)(b) is the overall length of the combination of vehicles, together with the length of any forward or rearward projection of the load.

(7) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle, not being a straddle carrier, carrying a load or fitted with a special appliance or apparatus if the load, appliance or apparatus has a forward projection of a length specified in an item in column 2 of the Table, or rearward projection of a length specified in an item in column 3, unless the conditions specified in that item in column 4 are complied with.

TABLE

(regulation 82(7))

1	2	3	4
Item	Length of forward projection	Length of rearward projection	Conditions to be complied with
			(a)	(b)
			if the load consists of a racing boat propelled solely by oars.	in any other case
1	Exceeding 1 m but not exceeding 2 m	—	Para 4 of Schedule 12	—
2	Exceeding 2 m but not exceeding 3.05 m	—	Para 4 of Schedule 12	Paras 2 and 3 of Schedule 12
3	Exceeding 3.05 m	—	Paras 1 and 4 of Schedule 12	Paras 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12
4	—	Exceeding 1 m but not exceeding 2 m	Para 4 of Schedule 12	Para 4 of Schedule 12
5	—	Exceeding 2 m but not exceeding 3.05 m	Para 4 of Schedule 12	Para 4 of Schedule 12
6	—	Exceeding 3.05 m	Paras 1 and 4 of Schedule 12	Paras 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12

(8) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a straddle carrier carrying a load if—

(a) the load has a rearward projection exceeding 1 m unless the conditions specified in paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 are met;

(b) the load has a forward projection exceeding 2 m or a rearward projection exceeding 3m; or

(c) the overall length of the vehicle together with the length of any forward projection and of any rearward projection of its load exceeds 12.2m

Provided that—

(i)sub-paragraph (a) does not apply to a vehicle being used in passing from one part of private premises to another part thereof or to other private premises in the immediate neighbourhood;

(ii)sub-paragraphs (b) and (c) do not apply to a vehicle being used as in proviso (i) above if—

(A)the vehicle is not being driven at a speed exceeding 12 mph; and

(B)where the overall length of the vehicle together with the length of any forward projection and of any rearward projection of its load exceeds 12.2m, the conditions specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12 are complied with.

(9) Where another vehicle is attached to that end of a vehicle from which a projection extends, then for the purposes of any requirement in this regulation to comply with paragraph 3 or 4 of Schedule 12, that projection shall be treated as a forward or rearward projection only if, and to the extent that it extends beyond the foremost point or, as the case may be, the rearmost point, of that other vehicle, measured when the longitudinal axis of each vehicle lies in the same vertical plane.

(10) In the case of a vehicle being used—

(a) for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or for defence purposes (including civil defence purposes); or

(b) in connection with the removal of any obstruction to traffic,

if compliance with any provision of this regulation would hinder or be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used, that provision does not apply to that vehicle while it is being so used.

(11) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road an agricultural, horticultural or forestry implement rigidly, but not permanently, mounted on a wheeled agricultural motor vehicle, agricultural trailer, or agricultural trailed appliance, whether or not part of its weight is supported by one or more of its own wheels if—

(a) the overall width of the vehicle together with the lateral projection of the implement exceeds 2.5m; or

(b) the implement projects more than 1m forwards or rearwards of the vehicle,

so however, that this restriction shall not apply in a case where—

(i) part of the weight of the implement is supported by one or more of its own wheels; and

(ii) the longitudinal axis of the greater part of the implement is capable of articulating in the horizontal plane in relation to the longitudinal axis of the rear portion of the vehicle.

CTRAILERS AND SIDECARS

Number of trailers

83.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a wheeled vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table drawing a trailer, subject to any exceptions which may be specified in that item in column 3.

TABLE

(regulation 83(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicles	Exceptions
1	A straddle carrier	—
2	An invalid carriage	—
3	An articulated bus	—
4	A bus not being an articulated bus or a minibus	(a) 1 broken down bus where no person other than the driver is carried in either vehicle or (b) 1 trailer having an overall length, including the draw-bar, not exceeding 5 m provided that the overall length of the combination does not exceed 15 m
5	A locomotive	3 trailers
6	A motor tractor	1 trailer if laden, 2 trailers if neither is laden
7	A heavy motor car or a motor car not described in item 1, 3 or 4	2 trailers if one of them is a towing implement and part of the other is secured to and either rests on or is suspended from that implement 1 trailer in any other case
8	An agricultural motor vehicle	(a) in respect of trailers other than agricultural trailers and agricultural trailed appliances, such trailers as are permitted under items 5, 6, or 7 above, as the case may be; or (b) in respect of agricultural trailers and agricultural trailed appliances— (i) 2 unladen agricultural trailers, or (ii) 1 agricultural trailer and I agricultural trailed appliance, or (iii) 2 agricultural trailed appliances

(2) For the purposes of items 5, 6 and 7 of the Table—

(a)an unladen articulated vehicle, when being drawn by another motor vehicle because it has broken down, shall be treated as a single trailer; and

(b)a towed roller used for the purposes of agriculture, horticulture or forestry and consisting of several separate rollers shall be treated as one agricultural trailed appliance.

(3) No track-laying motor vehicle which exceeds 8 m in overall length shall draw a trailer other than a broken down vehicle which is being drawn in consequence of the breakdown.

Trailers drawn by motor cycles

84.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a motor cycle—

(a)drawing behind it more than one trailer;

(b)drawing behind it any trailer carrying a passenger;

(c)drawing behind it a trailer with an unladen weight exceeding 254 kg;

(d)with not more than 2 wheels, without a sidecar, and with an engine capacity which does not exceed 125 cc, drawing behind it any trailer; or

(e)with not more than 2 wheels, without a sidecar and with an engine capacity exceeding 125 cc, drawing behind it any trailer unless—

(i) the trailer has an overall width not exceeding 1 m;

(ii) the distance between the rear axle of the motor cycle and the rearmost part of the trailer does not exceed 2.5 m;

(iii) the motor cycle is clearly and indelibly marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible position with its kerbside weight;

(iv) the trailer is clearly and indelibly marked in a conspicuous and readily accessible position with its unladen weight; and

(v) the laden weight of the trailer does not exceed 150 kg or two thirds of the kerbside weight of the motor cycle, whichever is the less.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1)(b), (d) and (e) do not apply if the trailer is a broken down motorcycle and one passenger is riding it.

Trailers drawn by agricultural motor vehicles

85.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a wheeled agricultural motor vehicle drawing one or more wheeled trailers if the weight of the drawing vehicle is less than a quarter of the weight of the trailer or trailers, unless the brakes fitted to each trailer in compliance with regulation 15 or 16 are operated directly by the service braking system fitted to the motor vehicle.

(2) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road, any motor vehicle drawing an agricultural trailer of which—

(a)more than 35% of the weight is borne by the drawing vehicle; or

(b)the gross weight exceeds 14,230 kg, unless it is fitted with brakes as mentioned in paragraph (1).

(3) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road an agricultural trailer manufactured on or after 1st December 1985 which is drawn by a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st June 1986 unless the brakes fitted to the trailer—

(a)in accordance with regulation 15 can be applied progressively by the driver of the drawing vehicle, from his normal driving position and while keeping proper control of that vehicle, using a means of operation mounted on the drawing vehicle; or

(b)automatically come into operation on the over-run of the trailer.

Distance between motor vehicles and trailers

86.—(1) Where a trailer is attached to the vehicle immediately in front of it solely by means of a rope or chain, the distance between the trailer and that vehicle shall not in any case exceed 4.5 m, and shall not exceed 1.5 m unless the rope or chain is made clearly visible to any other person using the road within a reasonable distance from either side.

(2) For the purpose of determining the said distance any part of either vehicle designed primarily for use as a means of attaching the one vehicle to the other and any fitting designed for use in connection with any such part shall be disregarded.

Unbraked trailers

87.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road an unbraked wheeled trailer if—

(a)its laden weight exceeds its maximum gross weight; or

(b)it is drawn by a vehicle of which the kerbside weight is less than twice the sum of the unladen weight of the trailer and the weight of any load which the trailer is carrying.

(2) This regulation does not apply to—

(a)an agricultural trailer; or

(b)a trailer mentioned in regulation 16(3)(b) to (g).

Use of bridging plates between motor vehicle and trailer

88.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road a motor vehicle constructed for the purpose of carrying other vehicles or any trailer constructed for that purpose so that while such vehicle or trailer is on a road any part of the weight of any vehicle which is being carried rests on a plate of a kind mentioned in paragraph (h) in the definition in regulation 3(2) of “overall length”.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) do not apply—

(a)while the motor vehicle or trailer constructed for the purpose of carrying other vehicles is being loaded or unloaded; or

(b)if the plate is folded or withdrawn so that it does not bridge the gap between the motor vehicle and the trailer.

Leaving trailers at rest

89. No person in charge of a motor vehicle, or trailer drawn thereby, shall cause or permit such trailer to stand on a road when detached from the drawing vehicle unless one at least of the wheels of the trailer is (or, in the case of a track-laying trailer, its tracks are) prevented from revolving by the setting of the brake or the use of a chain, chock or other efficient device.

Passengers in trailers

90.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any trailer for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) do not apply in respect of a wheeled trailer which is, or is carrying, a broken down motor vehicle if—

(a)the trailer is drawn at a speed not exceeding 30 mph; and

(b)where the trailer is, or is carrying, a broken down bus, it is attached to the drawing vehicle by a rigid draw bar.

(3) Save as provided in paragraph (4), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a wheeled trailer in which any person is carried and which is a living van having either—

(a)less than 4 wheels; or

(b)4 wheels consisting of two close-coupled wheels on each side.

(4) The provisions of paragraph (3) do not apply in respect of a trailer which is being tested by—

(a)its manufacturer;

(b)a person by whom it has been, or is being, repaired; or

(c)a distributor of, or dealer in, trailers.

Attendants on trailers and certain other vehicles

91.—(1) The requirements of section 34 of the 1972 Act with regard to the employment of drivers and attendants shall not apply in respect of the following vehicles—

(a)an articulated vehicle;

(b)an agricultural motor vehicle which is drawing an agricultural trailer or an agricultural trailed appliance;

(c)a trailer with not more than two wheels drawn by a motor car or a motor cycle or a four-wheeled trailer having two close-coupled wheels on each side drawn by a motor car;

(d)a motor tractor drawing any—

(i) closed trailer specially constructed and used for the conveyance of meat between docks and railway stations or between wholesale markets and docks or railway stations;

(ii) machine or implement used for the purpose of the maintenance, repair or cleansing of roads; or

(iii) refuse vehicle;

(e)a works truck drawing any works trailer where the unladen weight of each vehicle does not exceed 1525 kg;

(f)a motor vehicle drawing a trailer which has no brakes other than a parking brake and brakes which automatically come into operation on the overrun of the trailer;

(g)a road roller;

(h)a motor vehicle belonging to the Secretary of State for Defence and being used for naval, military or air force purposes drawing a trailer fitted with brakes which can be applied by the driver of the drawing vehicle;

(i)a motor vehicle drawing a broken down vehicle, whether or not in consequence of a breakdown, in such a manner that the broken down vehicle cannot be steered by its own steering gear;

(j)a motor vehicle drawing another vehicle in the exercise of a statutory power of removal in such a manner that the vehicle being so drawn cannot be steered by its own steering gear;

(k)a motor vehicle which is drawing a towing implement not attached to any other vehicle; or

(l)a motor vehicle drawing a trailer or trailers where every such trailer is fitted with power-assisted or power-operated brakes which can be operated by the driver of the drawing vehicle and are not rendered ineffective by the non-rotation of the engine of the drawing vehicle—

(i) where one such trailer is drawn; or

(ii) where two or more such trailers are drawn, if one attendant is carried on either the drawing vehicle or a trailer for the purpose of attending to the trailers.

(2) The requirements of the said section 34 with regard to the employment of persons to drive or attend a locomotive whilst being driven on a highway shall not apply in the case of a locomotive propelled by the combustion of liquid fuel or by electrical power, whether or not the locomotive is drawing a trailer or trailers.

(3) The provisions of this regulation shall not be treated as prejudicing the operation of any provision of regulation 82 in so far as it provides, in relation to the use of a vehicle on a road, for compliance with the conditions specified in paragraph 2 of Schedule 12 (which relates to the employment of persons in attending to vehicles and their load).

Attachment of sidecars

92. Every sidecar fitted to a motor cycle shall be so attached that the wheel thereof is not wholly outside the space between transverse planes passing through the extreme projecting points at the front and at the rear of the motor cycle.

Use of sidecars

93. No person shall use or cause or permit to be used on a road any two-wheeled motor cycle registered on or after 1st August 1981, not being a motor cycle brought temporarily into Great Britain by a person resident abroad, if there is a sidecar attached to the right (or off) side of the motor cycle.

DUSE OF GAS PROPULSION SYSTEMS AND GAS-FIRED APPLIANCES

Use of gas propulsion systems

94.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle with a gas propulsion system unless the whole of such system is in a safe condition.

(2) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, in any gas supply system for the propulsion of a vehicle when the vehicle is on a road any fuel except liquefied petroleum gas.

(3) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle which is propelled by gas unless the gas container in which such fuel is stored is on the motor vehicle, and not on any trailer, and in the case of an articulated vehicle on the portion of the vehicle to which the engine is fitted.

(4) In this regulation and in regulation 95 “liquefied petroleum gas” means—

(a)butane gas in any phase which meets the requirements contained in the specification of commercial butane and propane issued by the British Standards Institution under the number BS4250: 1975 and published on 29th August 1975; or

(b) propane gas in any phase which meets the requirements contained in the said specification; or

Use of gas-fired appliances—general

95.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, in or on a vehicle on a road any gas-fired appliance unless the whole of such appliance and the gas system attached thereto is in an efficient and safe condition.

(2) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, in any gas-fired appliance in or on a vehicle on a road any fuel except liquefied petroleum gas as defined in regulation 94(4).

(3) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, in or on a vehicle on a road any gas-fired appliance unless the vehicle is so ventilated that—

(a)an ample supply of air is available for the operation of the appliance;

(b)the use of the appliance does not adversely affect the health or comfort of any person using the vehicle; and

(c)any unburnt gas is safely disposed of to the outside of the vehicle.

(4) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle in or on which there is—

(a)one gas-fired appliance unless the gas supply for such appliance is shut off at the point where it leaves the container of containers at all times when the appliance is not in use;

(b)more than one gas-fired appliance each of which has the same supply of gas unless the gas supply for such appliances is shut off at the point where it leaves the container or containers at all times when none of such appliances is in use; or

(c)more than one gas-fired appliance each of which does not have the same supply of gas unless each gas supply for such appliances is shut off at the point where it leaves the container or containers at all times when none of such appliances which it supplies is in use.

Use of gas-fired appliances when a vehicle is in motion

96.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), this regulation applies to every motor vehicle and trailer.

(2) Paragraphs (3) and (4) do not apply to a vehicle constructed or adapted for the conveyance of goods under controlled temperatures.

(3) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, in any vehicle to which this paragraph applies, while the vehicle is in motion on a road, any gas-fired appliance except—

(a)a gas-fired appliance which is fitted to engineering plant while the plant is being used for the purposes of the engineering operations for which it was designed;

(b)a gas-fired appliance which is permanently attached to a bus, provided that any appliance for heating or cooling the interior of the bus for the comfort of the driver and any passengers does not expose a naked flame on the outside of the appliance; or

(c)in any other vehicle, a refrigerating appliance or an appliance which does not expose a naked flame on the outside of the appliance and which is permanently attached to the vehicle and designed for the purpose of heating any part of the interior of the vehicle for the comfort of the driver and any passengers.

(4) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, in any vehicle to which this paragraph applies, while the vehicle is in motion on a road, any gas-fired appliance to which—

(a)sub-paragraph (3)(a) refers, unless the appliance complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs 12 and 13 of Schedule 5 and the gas system to which it is attached complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs 2 to 9 and 15 of Schedule 5; or

(b)sub-paragraph (3)(b) refers, unless the appliance complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs 12, 13 and 14 of Schedule 5 and the gas system to which it is attached complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs 2 to 9, 11 and 15 of Schedule 5; or

(c)sub-paragraph (3)(c) refers, unless the appliance complies—

(i) if it is fitted to a motor vehicle, with the requirements specified in paragraphs 12, 13 and 14 of Schedule 5; and

(ii) in any other case, with the requirements specified in paragraphs 12 and 13 of Schedule 5;

and the gas system to which the appliance is attached complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs 2 to 9 and 15 of Schedule 5.

(5) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, in a vehicle to which this regulation applies which is in motion on a road any gas-fired appliance unless it is fitted with a valve which stops the supply of gas to the appliance if the appliance fails to perform its function and causes gas to be emitted.

ECONTROL OF NOISE

Avoidance of excessive noise

97. No motor vehicle shall be used on a road in such manner as to cause any excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care on the part of the driver.

Stopping of engine when stationary

98.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), the driver of a vehicle shall, when the vehicle is stationary, stop the action of any machinery attached to or forming part of the vehicle so far as may be necessary for the prevention of noise.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) do not apply—

(a)when the vehicle is stationary owing to the necessities of traffic;

(b)so as to prevent the examination or working of the machinery where the examination is necessitated by any failure or derangement of the machinery or where the machinery is required to be worked for a purpose other than driving the vehicle; or

(c)in respect of a vehicle propelled by gas produced in plant carried on the vehicle, to such plant.

Use of audible warning instruments

99.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs, no person shall sound, or cause or permit to be sounded, any horn, gong, bell or siren fitted to or carried on a vehicle which is—

(a)stationary on a road, at any time, other than at times of danger due to another moving vehicle on or near the road; or

(b)in motion on a restricted road, between 23.30 hours and 07.00 hours in the following morning.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1)(a) do not apply in respect of the sounding of a reversing alarm when the vehicle to which it is fitted is about to move backwards and its engine is running.

(3) No person shall sound, or cause or permit to be sounded, on a road any reversing alarm fitted to a vehicle—

(a)unless the vehicle is a goods vehicle which has a maximum gross weight not less than 2000 kg, a bus, engineering plant, or a works truck; or

(b)if the sound of the alarm is likely to be confused with a sound emitted in the operation of a pedestrian crossing established, or having effect as if established, under Part III of the 1984 Act.

(4) Subject to the provisions of the following paragraphs, no person shall sound, or cause or permit to be sounded a gong, bell, siren or two-tone horn, fitted to or otherwise carried on a vehicle (whether it is stationary or not).

(5) Nothing in paragraph (1) or (4) shall prevent the sounding of—

(a)an instrument or apparatus fitted to, or otherwise carried on, a vehicle at a time when the vehicle is being used for one of the purposes specified in regulation 37(5) and it is necessary or desirable to do so either to indicate to other road users the urgency of the purposes for which the vehicle is being used, or to warn other road users of the presence of the vehicle on the road; or

(b)a horn (not being a two-tone horn), bell, gong or siren—

(i) to raise alarm as to the theft or attempted theft of the vehicle or its contents; or

(ii) in the case of a bus, to summon help for the driver, the conductor or an inspector.

(6) Subject to the provisions of section 62 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (4) above, a person may, between 12.00 hours and 19.00 hours, sound or cause or permit to be sounded an instrument or apparatus, other than a two-tone horn, fitted to or otherwise carried on a vehicle, being an instrument or apparatus designed to emit a sound for the purpose of informing members of the public that the vehicle is conveying goods for sale, if, when the apparatus or instrument is sounded, it is sounded only for that purpose.

(7) For the purposes of this regulation the expressions which are referred to in regulation 37(10) have the meanings there given to them and the expression “restricted road” in paragraph (1) means a road which is a restricted road for the purpose of section 81 of the 1984 Act.

FAVOIDANCE OF DANGER

Maintenance and use of vehicle so as not to be a danger, etc

100.—(1) A motor vehicle, every trailer drawn thereby and all parts and accessories of such vehicle and trailer shall at all times be in such condition, and the number of passengers carried by such vehicle or trailer, the manner in which any passengers are carried in or on such vehicle or trailer, and the weight, distribution, packing and adjustment of the load of such vehicle or trailer shall at all times be such, that no danger is caused or is likely to be caused to any person in or on the vehicle or trailer or on a road.

Provided that the provisions of this regulation with regard to the number of passengers carried shall not apply to a vehicle to which the Public Service Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations 1984 apply.

(2) The load carried by a motor vehicle or trailer shall at all times be so secured, if necessary by physical restraint other than its own weight, and be in such a position, that neither danger nor nuisance is likely to be caused to any person or property by reason of the load or any part thereof falling or being blown from the vehicle or by reason of any other movement of the load or any part thereof in relation to the vehicle.

(3) No motor vehicle or trailer shall be used for any purpose for which it is so unsuitable as to cause or be likely to cause danger or nuisance to any person in or on the vehicle or trailer or on a road.

Parking in darkness

101.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2) no person shall, except with the except with the permission of a police officer in a uniform, cause or permit any motor vehicle to stand on a road at any time between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise unless the near side of the vehicle is as close as may be to the edge of the carriageway.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) do not apply in respect of any motor vehicle—

(a) being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or for defence purposes (including civil defence purposes) if compliance with those provisions would hinder or be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion;

(b) being used in connection with—

(i) any building operation or demolition;

(ii) the repair of any other vehicle;

(iii) the removal of any obstruction to traffic;

(iv) the maintenance, repair or reconstruction of any road; or

(v) the laying, erection, alteration or repair in or near to any road of any sewer, main, pipe or apparatus for the supply of gas, water or electricity, of any telecommunication apparatus as defined in Schedule 2 to the Telecommunication Act 1984 or of the apparatus of any electric transport undertaking,

if, in any such case, compliance with those provisions would hinder or be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion;

(d) standing on a part of a road set aside for the parking of vehicles or as a stand for hackney carriages or as a stand for buses or as a place at which such vehicles may stop for a longer time than is necessary for the taking up and setting down of passengers where compliance with those provisions would conflict with the provisions of any order, regulations or byelaws governing the use of such part of a road for that purpose; or

(e) waiting to set down or pick up passengers in accordance with regulations made or directions given by a chief officer of police in regard to such setting down or picking up.

Passengers on motor cycles

102. If any person in addition to the driver is carried astride a two-wheeled motor cycle on a road (whether a sidecar is attached to it or not) suitable supports or rests for the feet shall be available on the motor cycle for that person.

Obstruction

103. No person in charge of a motor vehicle or trailer shall cause or permit the vehicle to stand on a road so as to cause any unnecessary obstruction of the road.

Driver's control

104. No person shall drive or cause or permit any other person to drive, a motor vehicle on a road if he is in such a position that he cannot have proper control of the vehicle or have a full view of the road and traffic ahead.

Opening of doors

105. No person shall open, or cause or permit to be opened, any door of a vehicle on a road so as to injure or endanger any person.

Reversing

106. No person shall drive, or cause or permit to be driven, a motor vehicle backwards on a road further than may be requisite for the safety or reasonable convenience of the occupants of the vehicle or other traffic, unless it is a road roller or is engaged in the construction, maintenance or repair of the road.

Leaving motor vehicles unattended

107.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall leave, or cause or permit to be left, on a road a motor vehicle which is not attended by a person licensed to drive it unless the engine is stopped and any parking brake with which the vehicle is required to be equipped is effectively set.

(2) The requirement specified in paragraph (1) as to the stopping of the engine shall not apply in respect of a vehicle—

(a) being used for ambulance, fire brigade or police purposes; or

(b) in such a position and condition as not to be likely to endanger any person or property and engaged in an operation which requires its engine to be used to—

(i) drive machinery forming part of, or mounted on, the vehicle and used for purposes other than driving the vehicle; or

(ii) maintain the electrical power of the batteries of the vehicle at a level required for driving that machinery or apparatus.

(3) In this regulation “parking brake” means a brake fitted to a vehicle in accordance with requirement 16 or 18 in Schedule 3.

Securing of suspended implements

108. Where a vehicle is fitted with any apparatus or appliance designed for lifting and part of the apparatus or appliance consists of a suspended implement, the implement shall at all times while the vehicle is in motion on a road and when the implement is not attached to any load supported by the appliance or apparatus be so secured either to the appliance or apparatus or to some part of the vehicle that no danger is caused or is likely to be caused to any person on the vehicle or on the road.

Television sets

109.—(1) No person shall drive, or cause or permit to be driven, a motor vehicle on a road, if the driver is in such a position as to be able to see, whether directly or by reflection, a television receiving apparatus or other cinematographic apparatus used to display anything other than information—

(a) about the state of the vehicle or its equipment;

(b) about the location of the vehicle and the road on which it is located;

(d) to assist the driver to reach his destination.

(2) In this regulation “television receiving apparatus” means any cathode ray tube carried on a vehicle and on which there can be displayed an image derived from a television broadcast, a recording or a camera or computer.

John Moore

Secretary of State for Transport

25th June 1986

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The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

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PART IPRELIMINARY

Commencement and citation

Revocation

Interpretation

TABLE

Application and Exemptions

TABLE

Trade Descriptions Act 1968

Compliance with Community Directives and ECE Regulations

PART IIREGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLES

ADIMENSIONS AND MANOEUVRABILITY

Length

TABLE

Width

TABLE

Height

Indication of overall travelling height

Overhang

TABLE

Minimum ground clearance

Turning circle

Connecting sections and direction-holding of articulated buses

BBRAKES

Braking systems of certain vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1983

TABLE

Braking systems of vehicles to which regulation 15 does not apply

TABLE

Vacuum or pressure brake warning devices

Maintenance and efficiency of brakes

TABLE I

TABLE II

Application of brakes of trailers

CWHEELS, SPRINGS, TYRES AND TRACKS

General requirement as to wheels and tracks

Diameter of wheels

Springs and resilient material

Wheel loads

Tyres

TABLE

Tyre Loads and Speed Ratings

TABLE

Mixing of tyres

Condition and maintenance of tyres

Tracks

DSTEERING

Maintenance of steering gear

EVISION

View to the front

Glass

TABLE

TABLE I

TABLE II

Mirrors

TABLE

Windscreen wipers and washers

FINSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT

Speedometers

Maintenance of speedometers

Audible warning instruments

Motor cycle sidestands

GFUEL

Petrol tanks

Gas propulsion systems and gas-fired appliances

HMINIBUSES

Minibuses

Fire extinguishing apparatus

First aid equipment

Carriage of dangerous substances

IPOWER TO WEIGHT RATIO

Power to weight ratio

JPROTECTIVE SYSTEMS

Seat belt anchorage points