Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1978
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | SI 1978/1017 |
| Year | 1978 |
1978 No. 1017
ROAD TRAFFIC
The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 197820thJuly 1978
7thAugust 1978
30thAugust 1978
ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS
PART I.—PRELIMINARY
Regulation
Commencement and Citation.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
Revocation.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2
Interpretation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3
Application and Exemptions
General .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4
Type approval .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 and 5A
Land tractors .. .. .. 6
Provision as respects Trade Descriptions Act 1968.. .. .. .. .. 7
PART II.—REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, WEIGHT AND EQUIPMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAILERS
A. GENERAL
Construction.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8
Overall length .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9
Overall height of public service vehicles .. .. .. .. .. .. 10
Variation of wheel load .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11
Springs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12
Parking brake .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13
Vacuum or pressure braking systems .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14
Strength of side door latches and hinges .. .. .. .. .. .. 15
Protective steering mechanism .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 16
Seat belts and anchorage points .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17
Speedometer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18
Construction of petrol tank.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 19
Diameter of wheels.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20
Reversing.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21
View to the front .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 22
Mirrors .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 and 24
Safety glass.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 and 26
Windscreen wipers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27
Windscreen washers.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28
Audible warning instrument .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 29
Silencer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 30
Noise .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 31
Radio interference suppression.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32
Emission of smoke or vapour.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 to 36
Vehicles propelled by a compression ignition engine to meet
certain requirements as to emission of smoke .. .. .. .. 37
Emission of sparks or grit .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38
Closets, urinals, lavatory basins and sinks .. .. .. .. .. 39
Maximum seating capacity of half-decked vehicles.. .. .. .. 40
Lighting equipment and reflectors.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41
Certain vehicles to be equipped with plates, etc. .. .. .. 42 and 43
Certain vehicles to satisfy a minimum power to weight ratio 44 and 45
Distinguishing plates for motor cycles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 46
B. GAS CONTAINERS
Gas containers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47
C. LOCOMOTIVES
Overall width .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 48
Distribution of weight .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 49
Brakes.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 and 51
Tyres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52
D. MOTOR TRACTORS
Overall width .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 53
Overhang .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 54
Brakes.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55
Tyres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 56
E. HEAVY MOTOR CARS
Overall width .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 57
Overhang .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 58
Brakes.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 59
Tyres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60
Wings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 61
F. MOTOR CARS
Overall width .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62
Overhang .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63
Brakes.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 64
Tyres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65
Wings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66
G. MOTOR CYCLES
Brakes.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67
Tyres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 68
Wings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69
H. INVALID CARRIAGES
Overall width .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 70
Brakes.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 71
Wings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 72
I. TRAILERS
Overall length .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 73
Overall width .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 74
Brakes.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 75 and 76
Tyres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77 and 78
Wings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 79
PART III.—REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE USE ON ROADS OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAILERS
Markings on locomotives, tractors and heavy motor cars .. .. .. 80
Trailer plate.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 81
Laden weight of locomotive .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 82
Weight of trailers drawn by a locomotive.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 83
Laden weight of heavy motor car or motor car, being a p.s.v. .. 84
Laden weight of heavy motor car or motor car, not being a
p.s.v.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 85
Laden weight of trailer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 86
Laden weight of vehicle and trailer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87
Laden weight of articulated vehicle .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88
Laden weight of certain vehicles not part of articulated
vehicles.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89
Laden weight of certain motor vehicles forming part of articu-
lated vehicles.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 90
Laden weight of certain articulated vehicles .. .. .. .. .. .. 91
Total weights for certain closely spaced axles, etc… .. .. .. 92
Wheel and axle weights for certain vehicles.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 93
Distribution of weight.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 94
Additional weight restrictions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 95
Special provisions as to display of particulars by certain
trailers and drawing vehicles.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 96
Maintenance and use of vehicle so as not to be a danger, etc… 97
Maintenance of speedometer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 98
Maintenance of power to weight ratio .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99
Maintenance of glass .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100
Maintenance of brakes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 101
Maintenance of steering gear.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 102
Maintenance of seat belts and anchorage points.. .. .. .. .. .. 102A
Maintenance of windscreen wiper.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 103
Maintenance of petrol tank .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 104
Maintenance of lighting equipment and reflectors .. .. .. .. .. 105
Use and maintenance of silencer.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 106
Condition and maintenance of tyres.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 107 and 108
Maintenance and use of vehicles so as not to emit smoke, etc… 109 to 112
Contents of lavatories, etc .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 113
Excessive noise .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 114 and 115
Limitation of noise by measurement.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 116
Stopping of engine when stationary.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 117
Use of audible warning instruments.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 118
Duties relating to driving and stopping .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 119 to 124
Opening of doors.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 125
Application of brakes of trailers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 126 and 127
Restriction on distance between motor vehicles and trailers and
marking of trailer connections .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 128
Restrictions on the use of vehicles to draw trailers and of
trailers drawn.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 129 to 136
Restriction on number of trailers drawn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 137
Attendants on trailers and certain other vehicles.. .. .. .. .. 138
Restrictions on use of vehicles carrying wide or long loads or
having fixed appliances or apparatus .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 139 and 140
Passengers on motor cycles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 141
Mascots.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 142
Television sets .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 143
Implements suspended from lifting appliances .. .. .. .. .. .. 144
PART IV.—TESTING AND INSPECTION OF BRAKES, SILENCERS, STEERING GEAR, TYRES, LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND REFLECTORS
Testing of brakes, etc. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 145
PART V.—PARTICULAR REGULATIONS RELATING TO VEHICLES FOR WHICH PLATING CERTIFICATES HAVE BEEN ISSUED
Interpretation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 146
Application of Part V .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 147
Ministry plates for goods vehicles.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 148 and 149
Weight restrictions.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 150
Additional markings.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 151
Alteration of braking requirements.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 152
Additional provisions as to braking requirements .. .. .. .. .. 153
Tyres .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 154
SCHEDULES
Page
1. Regulations revoked by Regulation 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 114
2. Plates for certain vehicles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 115 to 117
3. Gas containers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 118 to 120
4. Requirements with respect to the efficiency of the brakes of
certain motor vehicles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 121 and 122
5. Diagram of trailer plate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 123
6. Permissible maximum weights .. .. .. .....To continue reading
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