Motor Vehicles (Approval) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

The Motor Vehicles (Approval) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (“the principal Regulations”) established a statutory system for approving the construction of single vehicles before entering into service. The principal Regulations apply to passenger vehicles and dual-purpose vehicles constructed to carry no more than 8 passengers excluding the driver (equivalent to EC category M1) and certain 3-wheeled vehicles having a maximum unladen weight of more than 410 kg (i.e. not motorcycles).

These Regulations replace the Motor Vehicles (Approval) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 124), (the “revoked Regulations”), which were revoked before they came into operation.

These Regulations amend the principal Regulations so as to extend their application to light goods vehicles (maximum gross weight not exceeding 3,500 kg, equivalent to EC category N1) and certain other goods vehicles with a design gross weight not exceeding 5,500 kg.

The Regulations amend regulation 12 of the principal Regulations (which requires appropriate approval certificates issued under Article 31A of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 to be in force before a licence is granted under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994) so as to include approval certificates issued under any corresponding enactment in Great Britain (regulation 5).

The Regulations also correct a minor error in Schedule 4 to the principal Regulations (regulation 8(2)).

The revoked Regulations were notified to the European Commission pursuant to European Parliament and Council Directive 98/34/EC of 22nd June 1998 (O.J. No. L204, 21.7.98, p. 37) as amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 98/48/EC of 20th July 1998 (O.J. No. L217, 5.8.98, p. 18) laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services. The European Commission will also be notified of the revocation of the revoked Regulations and their replacement by these Regulations.

Copies of the EC Directives and ECE Regulations referred to in these Regulations may be obtained from TSO, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GD.