The Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 1992

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981.

Regulation 20 of the 1981 Regulations enables a re-examination to be carried out free of charge after a failure if the re-examination is on the same or the next day, at the same station as the original examination and limited to certain items. The amendments extend the list of items by adding:

• doors and other openings;

• glass and field of vision;

• hazard warning signal device;

• mirrors;

• registration marks; and

• vehicle identification numbers.

The purpose of a test under the 1981 Regulations is to ascertain whether a vehicle meets the “prescribed statutory requirements”. The prescribed statutory requirements are set out in Schedule 2 to those Regulations. Regulation 10 of the Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/2229) amended the 1981 Regulations by substituting a new Schedule 2 with effect from the 1st January 1992. Regulation 11 of the 1991 Regulations substituted another new Schedule 2 with effect from the 1st January 1993.

These Regulations amend Schedule 2, as substituted by regulation 11 of the 1991 Regulations, as follows:

(a) A new item 20A is inserted and is made to apply to Class III, IV and VII vehicles. It prescribes the requirements of regulation 66 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (S.I. 1986/1806) ( “the C & U Regulations”) which relates to plates for goods vehicles and buses.

(b) Paragraph 4 is amended so that item 21 no longer applies to Class V vehicles. The item prescribes regulation 67 of the C & U Regulations which relates to vehicle identification numbers.

(c) Item 24 is extended to Class VI vehicles. The item prescribes regulations 18 and 23 of the Road Vehicles (Lighting) Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/1796) which relates to rear registration plate lamps.

(d) Item 27 originally prescribed regulations 18, 19 and 20 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971 (S.I. 1971/450). The item is amended so that it also prescribes regulation 17 of the 1971 Regulations which relates to the form of registration marks. The item already applies to Class III, IV and VII vehicles, which are accordingly affected by the amendment.

(e) Item 28 is extended to Class V and VII vehicles. The item prescribes regulation 61 of the C & U Regulations which relates to exhaust emissions.

(f) Item 29 is extended to Class VII vehicles and paragraph 6 is amended so that item 14 no longer applies to vehicles of that Class. The effect is that regulation 17 of the C & U Regulations becomes a prescribed statutory requirement for Class VII vehicles. Regulation 17 relates to brake warning devices.

(g) Item 34 prescribed regulation 25 of the C & U Regulations, which relates to tyre load and speed capacity. Item 34 has been revoked and re-enacted as item 29A. The provision is extended to Class V vehicles.