Statutory Instruments

2006 No. 142

ROAD TRAFFIC

The Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 2006

Made

26th January 2006

Laid before Parliament

1st February 2006

Coming into force

21st April 2006

The Secretary of State for Transport is a Minister designated(1) for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(2) for the regulation of the type, description, construction or equipment of vehicles, and of components of vehicles, and in particular any vehicle type approval scheme.

Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by that section, he makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 21st April 2006.

(2) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) Regulations 1998(3).

Amendments to Schedule 1 (separate directives)

2.—(1) The table in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations shall be amended as follows.

(2) In item 15 (seat strength), there shall be added in the third and fourth columns after the last entry—

2005/39/EC†L255, 30.09.2005, p.143

(3) In item 19 (seat belt anchorages), there shall be added in the third and fourth columns after the last entry—

2005/41/EC†L255, 30.09.2005, p.149

(4) In item 31 (seat belts), there shall be added in the third and fourth columns after the last entry—

2005/40/EC†L255, 30.09.2005, p.146

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State 26th January 2006

S.J. Ladyman

Minister of State

Department for Transport

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2051) (“the principal Regulations”), which set out the procedure and technical requirements for the type approval of what the Road Traffic Act 1988 terms “light passenger vehicles”. Generally speaking, these are passenger vehicles with less than 8 seats (not including the driver’s seat) regardless of their maximum weight.

The Table in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations (“the Table”) lists separate Directives under the Framework Directive, which lay down technical standards for vehicle components or features of construction. Directives 2005/39/EC(4), 2005/40/EC(5) and 2005/41/EC(6) amend the separate Directives relating to seat strength, seat belt and seat belt anchorage respectively. By inserting references to these Directives at the appropriate place in the Table, regulation 2 requires the original separate Directives to be read together with the amending Directives for the purposes of the type-approval of light vehicles.

In line with the principal Regulations, the use of the symbol † denotes that the Directive specified is a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the costs of businesses.

A Transposition Note has been prepared, and is available from Gus Gander of the Vehicle Certification Agency of the Department for Transport, 1 Eastgate Office Centre, Eastgate Road, Bristol BS5 6XX (Tel: 01179 524119; e-mail ggander@vca.gov.uk).

Copies of the Transposition Note may also be accessed on the Office of Public Sector Information website: www.opsi.gov.uk.

(1)

S.I. 1972/1811.

(3)

S.I. 1998/2051; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1999/778, 1999/2324, 2000/869, 2000/2730, 2001/2809, 2002/1835, 2002/2743, 2003/1019, 2003/2428, 2004/73, 2004/2186 and 2005/2454.

(4)

OJ No. L255, 30.09.2005, p.143.

(5)

OJ No. L255, 30.09.2005, p.146.

(6)

OJ No. L255, 30.09.2005, p.149.