Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Steps

4.—(1) Steps for use by passengers on a regulated public service vehicle shall, except as provided in sub-paragraph (4), comply with the following requirements–

(a) the surface of each tread shall be covered in a slip-resistant material;

(b) step nosings shall be designed to minimise the risk of tripping;

(c) across the front edge of each tread there shall be a band of colour not less than 45mm and not more than 50mm in width, which shall contrast with the remainder of the tread;

(d) any steps, other than an external step, in any part of a gangway or staircase between every passenger seat and an entrance or exit complying with sub-paragraph (5) shall–

(i) not be less than 120mm and not more than 225mm, in height, and

(ii) the surface of a tread shall not be less than 250mm deep;

(e) any steps between a gangway and a passenger seat or a row of passenger seats shall not be more than 250mm in height; and

(f) in a flight of steps, the difference in height between any two steps shall not be more than 10mm.

(2) The height of a step in sub-paragraph (1) shall be measured vertically from the surface of the tread, and at the centre of the tread width, to an imaginary line extended horizontally from the surface of the next tread or floor of the vehicle.

(3) Where one flight of steps connects with another, there shall be an area of floor at the point where the two flights connect, on which it is possible to inscribe a circle of a diameter of not less than 450mm.

(4) Where–

(a) a regulated public service vehicle is a double-deck coach; and

(b) that vehicle has, for the use of passengers, more than one means of access from the lower deck to the upper deck,

the requirements of sub-paragraphs (1)(d) and (3) shall only apply to one of those means of access if that means of access can be used for both access to and from the upper deck and it provides access to an entrance and exit which complies with sub-paragraph (5). In this sub-paragraph “means of access from the lower deck to the upper deck” means a flight of steps, or two or more connecting flights of steps, which lead from the lower deck to the upper deck of a double-deck coach.

(5) An external step leading from not less than one entrance and to not less than one exit, not being an entrance or exit on the off-side of the vehicle shall–

(a) not be more than 320mm in height measured–

(i) from the surface of the tread of the external step to the ground,

(ii) if the vehicle is fitted with a kneeling system, with the regulated public service vehicle at its minimum height, and

(iii) at the centre of the tread width; and

(b) not be less than 250mm deep.

(6) A regulated public service vehicle shall not be fitted with a step which can project beyond the side of the vehicle adjacent to the step unless–

(a) the step is protected by parts of the vehicle or otherwise so that it is not liable to injure pedestrians; or

(b) the step can fold or retract so that it does not project beyond the side face of the vehicle and the vehicle is not capable in the normal course of being driven away unless the step is so folded or retracted.

(7) Where a regulated public service vehicle is fitted with a power-operated step, that step shall–

(a) not be capable of operation whilst the vehicle is in motion; and

(b) be fitted with a safety device which stops the motion of the step if the step is subject to a reactive force not exceeding 150N in any direction and if that motion could cause injury to a passenger.