1998 No. 2249

ROAD TRAFFIC

The Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (Amendment) Order 1998

Made

Coming into force

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 19881 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:–

Citation and commencement1

This Order may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (Amendment) Order 1998 and shall come into force on 18th September 1998.

Preliminary2

The Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) General Order 19792 shall be further amended in accordance with the provisions of this Order.

Amendment of article 16 of the Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) General Order 1979

3

1

Article 16 shall be amended as follows.

2

After paragraph (1), there shall be inserted the following paragraph–

1A

In this Article–

  • “the 1986 Regulations” means the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 19863; and

  • “the 1989 Regulations” means the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 19894.

3

In paragraph (2)–

a

in sub-paragraphs (A) and (B), for the words “the Construction and Use Regulations” in each place where those words occur there shall be substituted the words “the 1986 Regulations and the 1989 Regulations”;

b

in condition (a), there shall be inserted at the beginning the words “subject to paragraph (3)”;

c

for condition (b), there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph–

b

the relevant requirements, to the extent that they are applicable to the vehicle, shall be complied with or (as the case may be) shall not be contravened;

d

in condition (c), there shall be inserted at the beginning the words “subject to paragraph (7),”;

e

in condition (d), there shall be inserted at the beginning the words “subject to paragraph (8),” and for the words “Regulations 9 or 73 of the Construction and Use Regulations” there shall be substituted the words “Regulation 7 of the 1986 Regulations”;

f

in condition (e), there shall be inserted at the beginning the words “subject to paragraph (8),”;

g

in condition (f), for the words “the Construction and Use Regulations” there shall be substituted the words “the 1986 Regulations”.

4

After paragraph (2), there shall be inserted the following paragraphs–

3

Paragraph (2)(a) shall not apply if the vehicle is being used in the following circumstances–

a

a person (“the approved person”) has been approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this article in respect of the vehicle;

b

the vehicle is registered under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 19945 in the name of the approved person and no one else; and

c

the requirements of paragraph (4) or (5) are met.

4

The requirements of this paragraph are that the vehicle is being used by the approved person and he is using it for the sole purpose of making an evaluation of the vehicle.

5

The requirements of this paragraph are that–

a

the approved person has lent the vehicle to a person (“the borrower”) for the borrower’s own use on terms which include a requirement that the borrower must–

i

supply to the approved person information or opinions derived from such use; and

ii

return the vehicle to the approved person on demand;

b

the vehicle is being used by the borrower in accordance with such terms; and

c

the approved person requires the information or opinions for the purposes of evaluating the vehicle.

6

For the purposes of paragraph (2)(b), the relevant requirements are the requirements of–

a

the provisions of the 1986 Regulations (so far as they would otherwise apply to the vehicle) set out in the left hand column of Table I below as modified for the purposes of this article in accordance with the entries in the right hand column of that Table; and

b

the provisions of the 1989 Regulations (so far as they would otherwise apply to the vehicle) set out in the left hand column of Table II below as modified for the purposes of this Article in accordance with the entries made in the right hand column of that Table.

7

Paragraph (2)(c) shall not apply to the vehicle when it is being used in circumstances where all the provisions of the 1986 Regulations as to the weights of vehicles whether laden or unladen, or the weights transmitted to the road surface by all or any of the wheels are complied with.

8

If a vehicle forms part of a combination of vehicles, paragraph (2)(d) and (e) shall have effect in relation to that vehicle as if–

a

each reference to its overall length included a reference to the overall length of the combination of vehicles; and

b

the reference to particulars of the vehicle were a reference to particulars of each vehicle in the combination.

9

A reference in this Article to any enactment comprised in the 1986 Regulations or the 1989 Regulations is a reference to that enactment as from time to time amended or as from time to time re-enacted with or without modification.

10

Nothing in this Article shall be construed as authorising a vehicle to be used when–

a

the condition of the vehicle or its accessories or equipment;

b

the purpose for which it is used;

c

the number of passengers carried by it, or the manner in which they are carried; or

d

the weight, position or distribution of its load, or the manner in which it is secured,

is such that the use of the vehicle involves a danger of injury to any person.

TABLE I

(see paragraph (6)(a))

Provision of the 1986 Regulations

Subject matter

Modifications made to the 1986 Regulations for the purposes of this Article

Regulation 10

Indication of overall travelling height

Regulation 16

Braking systems

In regulation 16(1) for the words “to which regulation 15 does not apply” there shall be substituted the words “and has effect subject to the proviso in paragraph of regulation 15”.

Regulation 18(1)

Maintenance and efficiency of brakes

Regulation 20

General requirement as to wheels and tracks

Regulation 26

Mixing of tyres

Regulation 27

Conditions and maintenance of tyres

Regulation 29

Maintenance of steering gear

Regulation 30

View to the front

Regulation 34

Windscreen wipers and washers

Regulation 37

Audible warning instruments

Regulation 53

Mascots

Regulation 54

Silencers—general

Regulation 61

Emissions

Regulation 62

Closets etc.

Regulations 81 and 82

Restrictions on the use of vehicles carrying wide or long loads or having fixed appliances or apparatus

In regulation 82(8)(c)(ii)(B) the reference to paragraph 1 of Schedule 12 to the 1986 Regulations shall be omitted.

Regulation 83

Number of trailers

Regulation 84

Trailers drawn by motor cycles

Regulation 86

Distance between motor vehicles and trailers

Regulation 89

Leaving trailers at rest

Regulation 90

Passengers in trailers

Regulation 92

Attachment of side cars

Regulation 97

Avoidance of excessive noise

Regulation 98

Stopping of engine when stationary

Regulation 99

Use of audible warning instruments

Regulation 100

Maintenance and use of vehicles so as not to be a danger

Regulation 101

Parking in darkness

Regulation 102

Passengers on motor cycles

Regulation 103

Obstruction

Regulation 104

Driver’s control

Regulation 105

Opening of doors

Regulation 106

Reversing

Regulation 107

Leaving motor vehicle unattended

Regulation 108

Securing of suspended implements

Regulation 109

Television sets

TABLE II

(see paragraph (6)(b))

Provision of the 1989 Regulations

Subject matter

Modifications made to the 1989 Regulations for the purpose of this Article

Regulation 11

Colour of lights shown by lamps and reflectors

Regulation 13

Lamps to show steady light

Regulation 16

Restrictions on fitting blue warning beacons, special warning lamps and similar devices

Regulation 17

Obligatory warning beacons

Regulation 18

Obligatory lamps, reflectors, rear markings and devices

In regulation 18(1)(b) there shall be added at the end:

as if–

i

the requirements relating to the markings of lamps, retro-reflectors and rear markings were omitted;

ii

the requirements relating to angles of visibility were omitted;

iii

the requirements relating to the positioning of any lamp, retro-reflector or rear marking permitted any specified maximum measurement to be increased by 5 per cent and any specified minimum measurement to be decreased by 5 per cent; and

iv

the requirements relating to the fitting of a dim-dip device or running lamp in Table 1 of Schedule 1 were omitted.

Regulation 19

Restrictions on the obstruction of certain lamps and reflectors

Regulation 21

Projecting trailers and vehicles carrying overhanging or projecting loads or equipment

Regulation 22

Additional side marker lamps

In paragraph (1), after the words paragraph (2) there shall be inserted “and subject to paragraph (3)”.

In paragraph (3), there shall be added at the end:

  • as if–

    1. i

      the requirements relating to the markings of lamps, retro-reflectors and rear markings were omitted;

    2. ii

      the requirements relating to angles of visibility were omitted; and

    3. iii

      the requirements relating to the positioning of any lamp, retro-reflector or rear marking permitted any specified maximum measurement to be increased by 5 per cent and any specified minimum measurement to be decreased by 5 per cent.

4

The Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (No. 2) Order 19516 is hereby revoked.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Larry WhittyParliamentary Under Secretary for State,Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) General Order 1979 to permit the use on roads of prototype vehicles which do not comply with all the requirements of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 and of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989. Such use is only permitted for the purpose of making an evaluation of the vehicle. The vehicle is required to comply with the requirements of the Regulations specified in Tables I and II in Article 16(6), subject to any modifications specified in the right hand column of each Table.

This Order has been notified to the European Commission pursuant to Directive 83/1989/EEC of 28 March 1983 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (OJ 1983 L109, p. 9) as amended by Council Directive 88/182/EEC of 22 March 1988 (OJ 1988 L81, p. 75) and European Parliament and Council Directive 94/10/EEC of 23 March 1994 (OJ 1994 L100, p. 30).