# Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorized dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorized weights in international traffic, Article 9a

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

1. With the aim of improving energy efficiency, in particular as regards the aerodynamic performance of cabs, as well as road safety, vehicles or vehicle combinations which fulfil the requirements laid down in paragraph 2 and which comply with Directive 2007/46/EC may exceed the maximum lengths laid down in point 1.1 of Annex I to this Directive provided that their cabs deliver improved aerodynamic performance, energy efficiency and safety performance. Vehicles or vehicle combinations equipped with such cabs shall comply with point 1.5 of Annex I to this Directive and any exceeding of the maximum lengths shall not result in an increase in the load capacity of those vehicles.
2. Before being placed on the market, the vehicles referred to in paragraph 1 shall be approved in accordance with the rules on type-approval within the framework of Directive 2007/46/EC. By 27 May 2017 , the Commission shall assess the need to develop the technical requirements for type-approval of vehicles equipped with such cabs as laid down within that framework, taking into account the following:
(a) the improved aerodynamic performance of vehicles or vehicle combinations;
(b) vulnerable road users, and improvement of their visibility to drivers, in particular by reducing drivers' blind spots;
(c) the reduction in damage or injury caused to other road users in the event of a collision;
(d) the safety and comfort of drivers.
To that end, the Commission shall take the measures necessary, within the framework of Directive 2007/46/EC, to provide for the type-approval of vehicles or vehicle combinations referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article by 1 November 2019 .
3 . Paragraph 1 shall apply from 1 September 2020 .

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/1996/53/article/9a (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-1996-53/article-9a
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.