{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/rail-vehicle-accessibility-regulations-1998/regulation-11",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/rail-vehicle-accessibility-regulations-1998/regulation-11.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1998/2456",
  "legislation_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/rail-vehicle-accessibility-regulations-1998",
  "path": "regulation/11",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "11",
  "heading": "Handrails and handholds",
  "text": "(1) A handrail shall be fitted in the following positions:\n(a) in every regulated rail vehicle as close as practicable on either side of the interior of an external doorway extending vertically from a point not more than 700 millimetres above the floor to a point not less than 1200 millimetres above the floor; and\n(b) in a tramcar at intervals of not more than 1050 millimetres in the longitudinal plane of the vehicle.\n(2) Any handrail in a regulated rail vehicle shall comply with the following requirements:\n(a) a handrail shall have a circular cross section with a diameter of not less than 30 millimetres and not more than 40 millimetres;\n(b) if a handrail is curved, the radius of the surface of the handrail inside the curve shall not be less than 50 millimetres;\n(c) there shall be a clear space of not less than 45 millimetres between any part of the regulated rail vehicle and all parts of the handrail other than its mountings;\n(d) a handrail shall have a slip-resistant surface;\n(e) a handrail shall contrast with the parts of the regulated rail vehicle adjacent to that handrail.\n(3) Subject to paragraph (4) a handhold shall be fitted to the top of the back of each seat which faces towards an end of a regulated rail vehicle and which is next to a gangway in a passenger saloon and shall comply with the following requirements:\n(a) the surface of a handhold (excluding the mountings to the seat) shall be rounded;\n(b) a handhold shall contrast with the seat to which the handhold is attached;\n(c) a handhold shall have a slip-resistant surface;\n(d) there shall be no gap less than 150 millimetres wide measured in any direction in a handhold or between a handhold and the seat to which it is attached.\n(4) Paragraph (3) does not apply to a seat the back of which touches a partition, to a seat the back of which touches the back of another seat which faces in the opposite direction and is fitted with a handhold, or to a seat to which a handrail is attached.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "excluded",
      "affecting": "uksi/2004/1205",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Seaton Tramway Tramcars 9, 10 and 11) Exemption Order 2004"
    },
    {
      "type": "excluded",
      "affecting": "uksi/2004/1205",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Seaton Tramway Tramcars 9, 10 and 11) Exemption Order 2004"
    },
    {
      "type": "excluded",
      "affecting": "uksi/2004/3198",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (South Central Class 377/4) Exemption Order 2004"
    },
    {
      "type": "restr in pt (temp)",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/277",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (ScotRail Class 334 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "restr in pt (temp)",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/785",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Midland Metro T69 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "restr in pt (temp) (until 28.4.2011)",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/847",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Gatwick Express Class 460 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "restr in pt (temp)",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/848",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (South West Trains Class 458 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "excluded",
      "affecting": "uksi/2000/770",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Gatwick Express Class 460 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2000"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl.in pt. (temp.)",
      "affecting": "uksi/1999/520",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Midland Metro T69 Vehicles) Exemption Order 1999"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl.in pt. (until 31.12.2038) (condit.) (temp.)",
      "affecting": "uksi/1999/520",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Midland Metro T69 Vehicles) Exemption Order 1999"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl.in pt. (until 31.12 2038) (condit.) (temp.)",
      "affecting": "uksi/1999/520",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Midland Metro T69 Vehicles) Exemption Order 1999"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl.in pt.",
      "affecting": "uksi/1999/2404",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (South West Trains Class 458 Vehicles) Exemption Order 1999"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl.in pt.",
      "affecting": "uksi/1999/2932",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Serco Metrolink T68A Vehicles) Exemption Order 1999"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl in pt",
      "affecting": "uksi/2003/2408",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Bristol Harbour Railway Vehicle Number DB978121) Exemption Order 2003"
    },
    {
      "type": "restr in pt",
      "affecting": "uksi/2003/1687",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Festiniog Railway Company Vehicle Number 122) Exemption Order 2003"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl in pt",
      "affecting": "uksi/2003/1436",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Furness Railway Trust North London Coach) Exemption Order 2003"
    },
    {
      "type": "transtl provns",
      "affecting": "uksi/2008/925",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (B2007 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2008"
    },
    {
      "type": "transtl provns",
      "affecting": "uksi/2008/925",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (B2007 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2008"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl in pt (temp)",
      "affecting": "uksi/2002/656",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (South West Trains Class 458 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2002"
    },
    {
      "type": "restr in pt",
      "affecting": "uksi/2002/2873",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Summerlee Tramcar No. 392) Exemption Order 2002"
    },
    {
      "type": "restr in pt",
      "affecting": "uksi/2002/1694",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Isle of Wight Railway LCDR No. 2515 Vehicle) Exemption Order 2002"
    },
    {
      "type": "excl in pt",
      "affecting": "uksi/2002/1188",
      "affecting_title": "The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Middleton Railway Drewry Car) Exemption Order 2002"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2456/regulation/11",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:17:49.649417+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}