Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

G — Fuel

Fuel tanks

46.—(1) This regulation applies to every fuel tank which is fitted to a wheeled vehicle for the purpose of supplying fuel to the propulsion unit or to an ancillary engine or to any other equipment forming part of the vehicle.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) every fuel tank to which this regulation applies—

(a) shall be constructed and maintained so that the leakage of any liquid from the tank is adequately prevented;

(b) shall be constructed and maintained so that the leakage of vapour from the tank is adequately prevented; and

(c) if it contains petroleum spirit (as defined in section 23 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929(1)) and is fitted to a vehicle first used on or after 1st July 1973, shall be—

(i) made only of metal; and

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

(3) Notwithstanding the requirement of paragraph (2)(b), the fuel 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.

(4) Head (i) of paragraph (2)(c) shall not have effect in relation to a two-wheeled motor cycle (with or without a sidecar) first used on or after 1st August 1999.

(5) Instead of complying with paragraphs (2) and (3) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 70/221 (insofar as it relates to fuel tanks) or ECE Regulation 34 or 34.01 or, if the vehicle is an agricultural motor vehicle, of Community Directive 74/151.

Unleaded petrol

47.—(1) Every vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be designed and constructed for running on unleaded petrol.

(2) A person shall not use, or cause or permit to be used, a vehicle to which this regulation applies on a road if it—

(a) has been deliberately altered or adjusted for running on leaded petrol, and

(b) as a direct result of such alteration or adjustment it is incapable of running on unleaded petrol.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4) this regulation applies to a motor vehicle which is—

(a) propelled by a spark ignition engine which is capable of running on petrol, and

(b) is first used on or after 1st April 1991.

(4) Part I of Schedule 17 shall have effect for the purpose of excluding certain vehicles first used before specified dates from the application of this regulation.

(5) In this regulation “petrol”, “leaded petrol” and “unleaded petrol” have the same meaning as in Community Directive 85/210.

(6) A vehicle shall be regarded for the purposes of this regulation as incapable of running on unleaded petrol at any particular time if and only if in its state of adjustment at that time prolonged continuous running on such petrol would damage the engine.

48.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a fuel tank fitted to a vehicle to which regulation 47 applies shall be so constructed and fitted that it cannot readily be filled from a petrol pump delivery nozzle which has an external diameter of 23.6mm or greater without the aid of a device (such as a funnel) not fitted to the vehicle.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a vehicle in respect of which both of the following conditions are satisfied, that is to say—

(a) that at the time of its first use the vehicle is so designed and constructed that prolonged continuous running on leaded petrol would not cause any device designed to control the emission of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons or nitrogen oxides to malfunction, and

(b) that it is conspicuously and legibly marked in a position immediately visible to a person filling the fuel tank with—

(i) the word “UNLEADED”, or

(ii) the symbol shown in Part II of Schedule 17.

(3) In this regulation “fuel tank”, in relation to a vehicle, means a fuel tank used in connection with the propulsion of the vehicle.

Gas propulsion systems and gas-fired appliances

49.—(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 with either Schedule 4 or 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 Schedule 5.

(3) The requirements of this regulation are in addition to, and not in derogation from, the requirements of any regulations made under section 6 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929, Article 17 of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978(2), or any other Act or of any codes of practice issued under the said Order of 1978.

(4) In this regulation “gas container” has the meaning given in Part I of Schedule 4 where compliance with that Schedule is concerned and otherwise has the meaning given in paragraph 1 of Schedule 5.

(1)

1929 c. 13 (N.I.)

(2)

S.I. 1978/1039 (N.I. 9)