These Regulations amend the Goods Vehicles (Testing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”) to exempt goods vehicles which are of historical interest to Northern Ireland from periodic roadworthiness testing.

They facilitate the implementation of Directive 2014/45/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3^rd April 2014 (OJ L 127, 29. 4. 2014, p51 – 128) on periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers which permits Member States to exempt vehicles that meet certain conditions from the testing requirements.

These Regulations amend Schedule 2 to the 2003 Regulations (classes of vehicles to which these Regulations do not apply) to exempt goods vehicles with a maximum gross weight not exceeding 3,500 kilograms that are of historical interest from periodic roadworthiness testing. To be classed as of historical interest a goods vehicle must be manufactured or first registered at least 40 years previously, be of a type no longer in production and have been historically preserved or maintained in its original state with no substantial changes in the technical characteristics of its main components.

The Regulations also amend the current exemption from periodic roadworthiness testing in Schedule 2 for goods vehicles with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3,500 kilograms first used before 1^st January 1960 and also trailers of the same age. That exemption has been further restricted to now only apply where such a goods vehicle or trailer has not undergone substantial changes in the technical characteristics of their main components.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment and Explanatory Memorandum have been produced and are available from Safe and Accessible Travel Division, Department for Infrastructure, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Town Parks, Belfast BT2 8GB or online alongside this Statutory Rule athttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr