The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Furness Railway Trust North London Coach) Exemption Order 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order authorises the use of the vehicle known as the former North London Railway 2nd class passenger coach as owned, rebuilt and operated by the Furness Railway Trust for use on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway in Cumbria, even though it does not comply with certain requirements of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/2456, amended by S.I. 2000/3215) because:

• the colour of the exterior doors does not contrast with that of the vehicle body;

• no audible warning device is fitted to passenger doorways;

• the treads of the steps for use by passengers at the external doorways are not covered in slip-resistant material and do not have a band of colour on the front edge;

• the rear of the steps used by passengers at the external doorways is not closed by a vertical riser;

• the steps used by passengers at external doorways are not illuminated and do not conform to all of the required measurements of height and depth;

• the floor across the width of the doorways is not appropriately marked;

• the provision of priority seats for the use of disabled persons does not meet the required specification;

• there are no handrails on the interior side of the exterior passenger doorway;

• the external handrails do not meet the required specification;

• more force than is permitted is required to operate the door handles;

• there is no passenger information system; and

• there is no wheelchair space.