A new European Parliament directive has been introduced that will ultimately affect all owners of transporters over 3.5t (Gross weight).The actual wording from VOSA is detailed below and does affect other types of vehicles but, for the sake of simplicity, the direct effects on transporter owners are as follows:
- All new goods vehicles over 3.5t (Gross Design Weight) first registered after 1 January 2005 are required to be fitted with speed limiters.
- All diesel engined goods vehicles over 3.5t (Gross Design Weight) first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004 (inclusive) must be retro-fitted with speed limiters by 1 January 2006 if they are likely to leave the UK (even for a short journey).
- All goods vehicles over 3.5t but not exceeding 12.00t (Gross Design Weight) first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004 (inclusive) used soley in the UK must be retro-fitted with speed limiters by 1 January 2007.
- All new goods vehicles over 3.5t but not exceeding 7.5t (Gross Design Weight) first registered after 1 January 2005 but used soley in the UK are not required to have to have speed limiters fitted until 1 January 2008
The above requirements will be checked as part of the Annual Test.
Download VOSA Speed Limiter Leaflet as PDF
VOSA WORDING
In February 1992 Council Directive 62/6/EEC was issued which required certain categories of vehicle to be fitted with Road Speed Limiters. This was followed by Council Directive 92/24/EEC which set out, in the annex, the technical specifications for such limiters. These directives were then incorporated into UK legislation by amending Regulation 36 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 by inserting sections 36A, 36B and 36C. (SI 3048/1993)
In November 2002 the European Parliament and Council issued Directive 2002/85/EC which amended the original Directive 92/6/EEC to extend the range of vehicles to which the Directive applies. The Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 have now been amended (SI 2102/2004) to incorporate these new requirements which came into effect as of the 1st January 2005.
New Requirements
New vehicles
Goods vehicles over 3,5t (gross design weight), and Passenger vehicles (irrespective of weight) with more than 8 passenger seats, first registered after 1 January 2005 are now required to be fitted with speed limiters.
However, for Goods vehicles (over 3.5t but n/e 7.5t) and Passenger vehicles (with over 8 passenger seats and a design weight n/e 5.0t) used solely within the UK this requirement is deferred to 1 January 2008.
Retro-fit to existing vehicles
There are retro-fit requirements that will apply to Goods (over 3.5t GDW) and Passenger vehicles (over 8 passenger seats – irrespective of weight) that were first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004 (inclusive).
Vehicles caught by these requirements will need to be fitted with speed limiters with effect for 1 January 2006, unless the vehicle is being used solely within the UK, in which case the requirement will come into effect on 1 January 2007.
Changes to vehicles already fitted with speed limiters.
There are two categories of vehicles that are currently required to have speed limiters fitted by UK domestic regulations, which will need to have the set speed of the systems changed. These vehicles are;
Goods vehicles (with a gross design weight over 7.5t but n/e 12.0t, first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 October 2004) which will need to have the speed limiters reset so the current maximum set speed of 60 mph will be replaced by a reduced setting that will ensure the stabilised speed cannot exceed 90kph.
and
Passenger vehicles (with more than 8 passenger seats and a design weight over 7.5t and n/e 10.0t) which will need to have the speed limiters reset so the current set speed of 100kph will need to be reduced to a setting that will ensure that the maximum stabilised speed will not exceeding 100kph.
There are also separate provisions that apply to Passenger vehicles with over 8 passenger seats and a design weight over 10.0t gross that are already fitted with a speed limiter set at 100kph. These vehicles will not be required to have the speed limiters reset and will be able to continue with systems set at 100kph.
We simply provide the best rescue services possible for our Members and their Teams.
Whitehill Farm, Hamstead Marshall, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 0HP
Tel: 01488 657650 Fax: 01488 657652
e-mail: info@transrescue.com
