Explanatory note

This Order authorises the use for carriage of three rail vehicles, known as the Seaton Tramway tramcars 9, 10 and 11, which are operated on the Seaton Tramway in Devon, even though they do not conform with certain requirements of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (S.I. 1998/2456, amended by S.I. 2000/3215) because:

• there is a step down to the footwells of the seats on the upper deck;

• there are no priority seats;

• coloured markings on the transparent surfaces within the vehicles are not positioned as required by the regulations;

• handrails are not fitted in the positions required by the regulations;

• there are no seat-back handholds on the upper deck;

• there is no public address system for either audio or visual announcements within the vehicles;

• the words on the external destination boards are in the upper case; and

• the portable access ramp is narrower than is permitted by the regulations.

The Order imposes a condition.