The Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) Regulations 1981

Driver's accommodation

31.  Subject to paragraph 15 of Schedule 2, the following conditions shall be complied with in the case of every vehicle—

(a) the vehicle shall be so designed that the driver, when sitting in his seat, has adequate room and can readily reach and operate the controls;

(b) the controls shall be so placed as to allow reasonable access to the driver's seat;

(c) the accommodation for the driver shall be so arranged as to afford adequate protection from the weather;

(d) means shall be provided to prevent light from the interior of the vehicle from incommoding the driver and, in respect of any window placed on that side of the centre line of the vehicle occupied by the driver, the means so provided shall be capable of being operated by the driver when in his seat;

(e) except in the case of a vehicle which has a seating capacity not exceeding 12 passengers, the driver's seat shall be capable of being and adjusted in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and of being firmly secured in any desired position within the limits of such adjustments: the range of such adjustments shall permit the seat to be fixed in a position such that the horizontal distance between the nearest part of the steering wheel and the backrest of the seat is 355 millimetres and the vertical distance between the lowest part of the steering wheel and the horizontal plane level with the top of the seat cushion is 200 millimetres and also as to permit the seat to be adjusted at least 50 millimetres forwards, backwards, upwards and downwards from that position;

(f) except in the case of a vehicle which has a seating capacity not exceeding 12 passengers where direct and reasonable access is provided to the driver's seat, such access shall be provided to that seat either from the offside of the vehicle or by means of a passage which shall be not less than 300 millimetres in width up to a height of 765 millimetres above the floor of the vehicle and not less than 355 millimetres above that height and shall comply with the requirement prescribed in relation to the gangway of the vehicle by condition (b) of Regulation 26(1);

(g) where access to the driver's seat is obtained from the offside of the vehicle—

(i) an opening in the side of the vehicle shall be provided which shall have a clear width of not less than 455 millimetres except where this dimension cannot be provided by reason only of the presence of a portion of the wheel arch in that opening,

(ii) except in the case of a vehicle which has a seating capacity not exceeding 12 passengers where direct and reasonable access is provided to the driver's seat, a grab handle shall be fitted to assist the driver in boarding and alighting from the vehicle, and

(iii) a step shall be provided on the vehicle at a convenient position and height adjacent to the opening if the lowest point of the sill of that opening is more than 690 millimetres from ground level when the vehicle is unladen;

(h) where a separate and enclosed compartment is provided for the driver and access to the driver's seat is obtained from the offside of the vehicle, an emergency escape window shall be provided (otherwise than on the offside of that compartment) which shall be readily accessible to the driver and shall have a clear opening with the dimensions of not less than 530 millimetres by 455 millimetres;

(i) where any seat for a passenger is placed to the side of the driver's seat (whether to one side or to both sides of that seat and whether or not that seat is continuous with the driver's seat) then—

(i) whether the seat is a separate seat or is continuous with the driver's seat, a space of at least 455 millimetres measured from the centre of the steering column on the side on which the seat is placed shall be reserved for use solely by the driver, and

(ii) if the seat is continuous with the driver's seat or if it is a separate seat so placed that any part of it is nearer to the centre of the steering column than 455 millimetres the said space shall be divided off by means of a solid partition having a height of at least 225 millimetres measured from the seat level of the driver's seat and extending for the whole depth of the seat.