PART IGENERAL
Citation, commencement and revocation
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Measuring Equipment (Liquid Fuel delivered from Road Tankers) Regulations 1983 and shall come into operation as follows:—
(a)all Regulations except Regulations 4, 5, 6, 14(1) and 36, on 14th October 1983;
(b)Regulations 4, 5, 14(1) and 36, on 1st July 1984; and
(c)Regulation 6, on 1st July 1987.
(2) The Measuring Equipment (Liquid Fuel delivered from Road Tankers) Regulations 1979 and the Measuring Equipment (Liquid Fuel delivered from Road Tankers) (Amendment) Regulations 1980 are hereby revoked.
Interpretation
2.—(1) In these Regulations—
“the Act” means the Weights and Measures Act 1963;
“approved” in the expressions “approved maximum”, “approved minimum” and “approved working conditions” means approved in accordance with a pattern in respect of which a certificate of approval is in force or, if the measuring equipment is not made in accordance with such a pattern, approved in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations;
“certificate of approval” means a certificate of approval of a pattern of measuring equipment granted or renewed by the Secretary of State under section 12 of the Act;
“compartment” means a single container with which a dipstick forming part of a dipstick measuring system may be associated to measure quantities of liquid fuel or a container associated with a contents gauging system, but does not include associated pipework between the foot valve and the outlet valve unless specifically stated on a conspicuous notice adjacent to the outlet valve;
“compartment number” means, in the case of a multi-compartment tank, the position of the compartment relative to the front of the vehicle, numbered sequentially from the front of the vehicle;
“contents gauging system” means any measuring equipment, not being a dipstick measuring system or a meter measuring system, which determines the quantity of liquid fuel delivered from an associated compartment by measuring the height of the free surface of the liquid fuel from a reference point;
“datum face” means the flat surface of the crosspiece of a dipstick at right angles to the axis of the dipstick formed by the lower face of the crosspiece;
“datum point” means a point or area on the road tanker from which the relative height of the datum surface can readily be checked;
“datum surface” means the surface at the top of the dipstick guide tube, on which the datum face of the crosspiece rests when a measurement of liquid fuel is being made;
“dipstick measuring system” means any measuring equipment comprising a compartment with a datum surface and an associated dipstick with a datum face;
“meter measuring system” means any measuring equipment which incorporates a mechanical flowmeter device to determine the quantity of liquid fuel delivered, and comprises all parts and devices from the source, including any anti-swirl device, from which the liquid is drawn to the point of discharge and all associated mechanical, optical, electrical or pneumatic equipment;
“minimum delivery” means the smallest quantity of liquid fuel which the measuring equipment is designed to measure;
“prescribed limits of error” relating to a contents gauging system or a meter measuring system has the meaning set out in Regulation 56(1) below and relating to a dipstick measuring system has the meaning set out in Regulation 56(2) below;
“reference meter” means a meter for use in testing measuring equipment to which these Regulations apply provided pursuant to section 5(1) of the Act for use by inspectors;
“registration mark” in relation to a vehicle means the registration mark assigned to it under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 or the Vehicles (Excise) Act (Northern Ireland) 1972;
“replacement dipstick” means a dipstick which is tested, passed as fit for use for trade and stamped to replace a dipstick which has been broken, lost or destroyed or is otherwise unserviceable;
“road tanker” means any vehicle or trailer which carries liquid fuel in a tank forming part of the vehicle or trailer other than that containing the fuel which is used to propel the vehicle, and also includes any tank with a capacity exceeding 3 m>3> carried on a vehicle;
“spare dipstick” means an additional dipstick which is tested, passed as fit for use for trade and stamped at the same time as an original or replacement dipstick;
“the stamp” means the prescribed stamp() ;
“tank” means a single or multiple container comprising one or more compartments; and
“tank number” means, in the case of a trailer part of a vehicle, the tank manufacturer's serial number and in the case of a rigid vehicle, either the tank manufacturer's serial number or the vehicle registration mark.
(2) In these Regulations, a “calibration chart” in relation to any tank means a table of figures which relates the volume of liquid fuel, for each of the tank's compartments, to the linear distance between the surface of the liquid and the datum surface, and which has been—
(a)prepared by inserting into, or withdrawing from, each compartment known volumes of liquid and determining the linear distance between the surface of the liquid and the datum surface when the road tanker is on a level surface; and
(b)certified as accurate by an inspector, including a chief or other inspector of weights and measures within the meaning of Article 40 of the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981
.
(3) The abbreviations of, and symbols for, units of measurement used in these Regulations refer to the relevant units as follows:—
| Cubic Metre | m>3> |
| Millimetre | mm |
| Square centimetre | cm>2> |
| Degree Celsius | °C |
Application
3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, these Regulations shall apply to all measuring equipment on road tankers for use for trade in the making of any measurement of liquid fuel in a quantity dispensed from the tanker exceeding 20 gallons if the equipment is constructed to measure in imperial units, or 100 litres if it is constructed to measure in metric units.
(2) Nothing in these Regulations shall apply to any of the following measuring equipment—
(a)measuring equipment for use only for the delivery of liquefied gas, lubricating oils, or fuels dispensed at other than ambient temperature; or
(b)measuring equipment for use only for the fuelling of aircraft, ships or hovercraft.
4. Measuring equipment to which these Regulations apply is hereby prescribed for the purposes of section 11(1) of the Act.
Purposes of use for trade
5. No person shall use for trade a contents gauging system or a meter measuring system except for the purpose of measuring delivered quantities of liquid fuel of not less than the minimum delivery marked on or adjacent to the indicator of the system:
Provided that this Regulation does not apply where a measurement is made only for the purpose of payments in respect of any customs or excise duty.
6. No person shall use for trade a dipstick measuring system except for the purpose of measuring delivered quantities of liquid fuel of not less than 30% of the nominal capacity marked on the tank of the compartment with which the dipstick is associated:
Provided that this Regulation does not apply where a measurement is made only for the purpose of payments in respect of any customs or excise duty.