Severn Bridges Act 1992

8 Vehicles subject to tolls. U.K.

(1) Tolls may be levied in respect of the following descriptions of vehicles (and no others)—

(a) motor cars and motor caravans (category 1 vehicles),

(b) small goods vehicles and small buses (category 2 vehicles), and

(c) other goods vehicles and buses (category 3 vehicles);

and where a vehicle would otherwise fall within more than one category it shall be taken for the purposes of this Act to fall only within that with the lower or lowest number.

(2) In this section—

[ “ F1 motor car” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being a motor cycle, constructed or adapted primarily for the carriage of passengers and so constructed or adapted as to carry not more than eight passengers, ]

“motor caravan” means a motor vehicle constructed or adapted for the carriage of passengers and their effects which contains, as permanently installed equipment, the facilities which are reasonably necessary for enabling the vehicle to provide mobile living accommodation for its users,

[ “ F2 motor cycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle having less than four wheels and, in a case where a cabin is provided, the cabin is not so constructed as to enclose the driver and any passenger, ]

• “goods vehicle” means a motor vehicle constructed or adapted for use for the carriage or haulage of goods or burden of any description, and

• “bus” means a motor vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than eight passengers.

(3) For the purposes of this section—

(a) a small goods vehicle is a goods vehicle which has an operating weight for the purposes of section 138 of the M1 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 not exceeding 3,500 kilograms, F3 . . .

(b) a small bus is a bus constructed or adapted to carry not more than sixteen passengers

F4 [ and

(c) a reference to the number of passengers in relation to a vehicle does not include a reference to the driver of the vehicle]

(4) The Secretary of State may by order make such amendments of subsections (2) and (3) above as he considers necessary or expedient.

(5) Tolls may not be levied in respect of—

(a) a vehicle being used in the discharge of the functions of a [F5 fire and rescue authority],

(b) a vehicle being used for police purposes,

F6 [( c ) a vehicle which is exempt from vehicle excise duty under—

(i) paragraph 6 (ambulances),

(ii) paragraph 19 (vehicles for use by or for purposes of certain disabled people), or

(iii) paragraph 20 (vehicles used for carriage of disabled people by recognised bodies),

of Schedule 2 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994,]

(e) a vehicle being driven by a disabled person, or being used for the carriage of one or more disabled persons, which displays a current disabled person’s badge issued under—

(i) section 21 of the M2 Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, or

(ii) section 14 of the M3 Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland) Act 1978,

(f) a vehicle being used in connection with—

(i) the collection of tolls, or

(ii) the inspection, maintenance, improvement or renewal of, or other dealing with, either of the bridges or toll plaza areas or any of the highways carried by the bridges, within the toll plaza areas or connecting the new toll plaza area and the new bridge (or any structure, works or apparatus on, under or over any of those highways),

(g) a vehicle which, having broken down on either of the bridges while travelling in one direction, is travelling in the opposite direction otherwise than under its own power, or

(h) a vehicle of a description specified in an order made by the Secretary of State as a description of vehicle in respect of which tolls may not be levied.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 8(2) substituted (23.5.1992) by S.I. 1992/1207, art. 2(a)

F2 Words in s. 8(2) inserted (23.5.1992) by S.I. 1992/1207, art. 2(b)

F3 Word in s. 8(3) omitted (23.5.1992) by virtue of S.I. 1992/1207, art. 3

F4 Words in s. 8(3) inserted (23.5.1992) by S.I. 1992/1207, art. 3

F5 Words in s. 8(5)(a) substituted (7.9.2004 for E. for specified purposes, 1.10.2004 for E. in so far as not already in force, 10.11.2004 for W.) by Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), s. 61, Sch. 1 para. 80; S.I. 2004/2304, art. 2; S.I. 2004/2917, art. 2

F6 S. 8(5)(c) substituted (1.9.1994) for (5)(c)(d) by 1994 c. 22, ss. 63, 66(1), Sch. 3 para.31 (with s. 57(4))

Marginal Citations

M1 1984 c. 27.

M2 1970 c. 44.

M3 1978 c. 53.