Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 9th March 2015.

Amendment of regulations

2.  The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986(2) are amended as set out in regulations 3 to 22.

Interpretation

3.  In the table in regulation 3(2), after the expression “car transporter”, insert—

Braking systems

4.—(1) In regulation 15(2)(a), for “an agricultural trailer or agricultural trailed appliance that is not, in either case, drawn at a speed exceeding 20 mph”, substitute “an agricultural trailer that is not drawn at a speed exceeding 40 km/h”.

(2) In regulation 15(2), after sub-paragraph (a), insert—

“(aa)an agricultural trailed appliance that is not drawn at a speed exceeding 20 mph;”.

(3) In regulation 15(2)(d), after “agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor,”.

(4) In regulation 15(2), after sub-paragraph (d), insert—

“(da)a category T tractor unless it is first used after 1st June 1986 and is driven at more than 40 km/h;”.

5.—(1) In the table in regulation 16(4), after item 20, in the italicised sub-heading, after “Wheeled agricultural motor vehicles”, insert “(other than category T tractors)”.

(2) In the table in regulation 16(4), after item 27, insert—

6.  In regulation 16(4), after the table—

(a)after “Provided that wheeled agricultural motor vehicles”, insert “, not being category T tractors,”; and

(b)after “other than items 21 to 23”, insert “and provided further that category T tractors not driven at more than 40 km/h are excluded from all items other than items 28 to 30”.

Maintenance and efficiency of brakes

7.—(1) In regulation 18(2)(a), after “an agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor,”.

(2) In regulation 18(2), after sub-paragraph (a), insert—

“(aa)a category T tractor which is not driven at more than 40 km/h;”.

(3) For paragraph (5) of regulation 18, substitute—

“(5) The brakes of—

(a)an agricultural motor vehicle, not being a category T tractor, which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and is not driven at more than 20 mph;

(b)a category T tractor which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and is not driven at more than 40 km/h; and

(c)an 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.”.

Springs and resilient material

8.—(1) In regulation 22(3)(b), after “an agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor,”.

(2) In regulation 22(3), after sub-paragraph (b), insert—

“(ba)a category T tractor which is not driven at more than 40 km/h;”.

Tyres

9.  In the table in regulation 24, for column 2 of item 6, substitute—

“(a)agricultural motor vehicles, not being category T tractors, which are not driven at more than 20 mph; and

(b)category T tractors which are not driven at more than 40 km/h”.

Tyre loads and speed ratings

10.—(1) In table III in regulation 25(7A), in the heading of column 3, after “Speed”, omit “(mph)”.

(2) In table III in regulation 25(7A), in column 2 of item 1, after “Agricultural motor vehicles”, insert “other than category T tractors”.

(3) In table III in regulation 25(7A), in column 3 of each of items 1, 3 and 4, after “20”, insert “mph”.

(4) In table III in regulation 25(7A), in column 3 of item 2, for “20”, substitute “40 km/h”.

(5) In table III in regulation 25(7A), in column 3 of item 5, after “18”, insert “mph”.

(6) In table III in regulation 25(7A), after item 5, insert—

Condition and maintenance of tyres

11.—(1) In paragraph (i) of regulation 27(4)(a), after “an agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor,”.

(2) In paragraph (iii) of regulation 27(4)(a), omit “or”.

(3) In paragraph (iv) of regulation 27(4)(a), for “20mph.”, substitute “20 mph; or”.

(4) After paragraph (iv) of regulation 27(4)(a), add—

“(v)a category T tractor that is not driven at more than 40 km/h.”

Glass

12.—(1) In regulation 32(7)(a), for “(other than agricultural motor vehicles first used on or after 1st June 1986 and driven at more than 20 mph)”, substitute “(save as provided in paragraph (7A))”.

(2) After regulation 32(7), insert—

“(7A) Paragraph (7)(a) does not apply to—

(a)category T tractors first used on or after 1st June 1986 and driven at more than 40 km/h; or

(b)agricultural motor vehicles, not being category T tractors, first used on or after 1st June 1986 and driven at more than 20 mph.”

Mirrors

13.  In column 2 of item 2 of the table in regulation 33, for paragraph (b), substitute—

“(b)an agricultural motor vehicle, not being—

(i)a track laying vehicle with an unladen weight not exceeding 7370 kg (which falls in item 11);

(ii)a category T tractor first used after 1st June 1986 which is driven at more than 40 km/h (which falls in item 8);

(iii)a wheeled agricultural vehicle, other than a category T tractor, first used after 1st June 1986 which is driven at more than 20 mph (which falls in item 8); or”.

Windscreens wipers and washers

14.  In regulation 34(3), for sub-paragraph (a), substitute—

“(a)an agricultural motor vehicle, not being a category T tractor, unless it is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and is driven at more than 20 mph;

(aa)a category T tractor unless it is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and is driven at more than 40 km/h;”.

Speedometers

15.—(1) In regulation 35(2)(c), after “agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor,”.

(2) In regulation 35(2), after sub-paragraph (c), insert—

“(ca)a category T tractor which is not driven at more than 40 km/h;”.

Audible warning instruments

16.—(1) In regulation 37(1)(b), after “agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor”.

(2) In regulation 37(1), after sub-paragraph (b), add—

“(c)Sub-paragraph (a) shall not apply to a category T tractor unless it is being driven at more than 40 km/h.”.

Noise limits

17.—(1) In regulation 55(2)(b), after “agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor,”.

(2) In regulation 55(2), after sub-paragraph (b), insert—

“(ba)a category T tractor which is first used before 1st June 1986 or which is not driven at more than 40 km/h;”.

18.  In regulation 56(1), for sub-paragraph (a), substitute—

“(a)an agricultural motor vehicle, not being a category T tractor, which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and which is driven at more than 20 mph;

(aa)a category T tractor which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and which is driven at more than 40 km/h; or”.

Emissions

19.—(1) In table I in regulation 61, in column 3 of item 2—

(a)after “agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor”;

(b)for “one”, substitute “an agricultural motor vehicle”;

(c)after the closing bracket, insert “, a category T tractor (other than one which is first used after 1st June 1986 and is driven at more than 40 km/h)”.

(2) In table I in regulation 61, in paragraph (b) of column 4 of item 2—

(a)after “agricultural motor vehicle”, insert “, not being a category T tractor”;

(b)for “one”, substitute “an agricultural motor vehicle”;

(c)after the closing bracket, insert “, a category T tractor (other than one which is first used on or after 1st June 1986 and is driven at more than 40 km/h)”.

Wings

20.—(1) For regulation 63(1)(c), substitute—

“(c)agricultural motor vehicles, not being category T tractors, driven at more than 20 mph;

(ca)category T tractors driven at more than 40 km/h; and”.

(2) In regulation 63(4)(d), for “20 mph”, substitute “40 km/h”.

Vehicle combination weights

21.—(1) In the table in regulation 76, after item 2, insert—

(2) In the table in regulation 76, in column 2 of item 3, after “1, 1A, 1AA, 1B, 1C”, for “or 2” substitute “, 2 or 2A”.

Wheel and axle weights

22.  In part III of the table in regulation 78, in column 2 of item 9, for “(not being a road roller or an agricultural motor vehicle which is not driven at more than 20 mph)”, substitute—

“, not being—

(a)a road roller;

(b)an agricultural motor vehicle (other than a category T tractor) which is driven at or below 20 mph; or

(c)a category T tractor which is driven at or below 40 km/h.”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (“the 1986 Regulations”).

Category T tractors are vehicles in “category T”, which is defined in Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 167/2013 and includes wheeled agricultural and forestry vehicles (regulation 3(2)).

The speed threshold at which category T tractors are required to comply with higher standards of vehicle construction and use under the 1986 Regulations is increased from 20 mph to 40 km/h in respect of the following components and characteristics.

• Braking systems (regulations 4 to 6)

• Maintenance and efficiency of brakes (regulation 7)

• Springs and resilient material (regulation 8)

• Tyres (regulation 9)

• Tyre loads and speed rating (regulation 10)

• Condition and maintenance of tyres (regulation 11)

• Glass (regulation 12)

• Mirrors (regulation 13)

• Windscreen wipers and washers (regulation 14)

• Speedometers (regulation 15)

• Audible warning instruments (regulation 16)

• Noise limits (regulations 17 and 18)

• Emissions (regulation 19)

• Wings (regulation 20)

• Wheel and axle weights (regulation 22)

The speed threshold at which most agricultural trailers are required to comply with higher braking standards is increased from 20 mph to 40 km/h (regulation 4).

These Regulations amend the 1986 Regulations to increase the maximum authorised laden weight of a combination comprising a category T tractor and a single agricultural trailer (other than an agricultural trailed appliance conveyor or a wheeled unbalanced agricultural trailer where the distance between the rearmost axle of the unbalanced trailer and the rearmost axle of the drawing vehicle does not exceed 2.9 metres) from 24,390 kg to 31,000 kg (regulation 21).

An impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business, the public sector and voluntary sector is available from the Freight, Operator Licensing and Roadworthiness Division of the Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR. A copy may be obtained from the Department for Transport website (www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport).

A copy of the impact assessment has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament. The impact assessment is annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside the instrument at www.legislation.gov.uk.

A copy of these Regulations was notified to the EU Commission in draft form in accordance with the requirements of Directive 98/34/EC (as amended).