# The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 1991, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
1 These Regulations further amend the Road Vehicles (Constructionand Use) Regulations 1986 (“the principal Regulations”).
2 Regulation 25 (tyre loads and speed ratings) is amended as follows.
3 The requirement in regulation 25(6) relating to the design and maintenance of tyres to support the maximum permitted axle weight of vehicles at specified speeds is amended to refer to the design and manufacture of tyres. This requirement is referred to below as “the speed requirement”.
4 The requirement in regulation 25(5) relating to the strength of tyres (“the strength requirement”) and the speed requirement apply to goods vehicles, trailers and buses whenever first used before 1st April 1991. The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 1990, S.I. 1990/1981, limited the application of the requirements to vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1987. The amendment restores the position as originally prescribed in the principal Regulations.
5 The following amendments are made to Table II which applies inter alia
the speed requirement to particular classes of vehicles.
(a) Tyres fitted to electrically propelled vehicles shall be designed and manufactured to support the maximum permitted axle weight when the vehicles are driven at their maximum speed.
(b) Particular provision is made for agricultural vehicles.
6 Table II is also amended so that percentage variations to the “load-capacity index” apply to tyres also marked in accordance with ECE Regulation 30 in its unamended form, or as amended on 25th September 1977, and fitted to particular vehicles. Details of the ECE Regulations are set out in paragraph 11 below.
7 The following vehicles no longer have to comply with the speed requirement when being driven or drawn as set out below:
(a) particular agricultural vehicles when driven or drawn at a speed not exceeding20 mph; and
(b) works trailers when drawn at a speed not exceeding 18 mph.
8 The following no longer have to comply with the speed requirement:
(a) engineering plant;
(b) track-laying vehicles;
(c) vehicles equipped with tyres of speed category Q (as defined in ECE Regulation 54);
(d) works trucks; and
(e) motor vehicles with a maximum speed not exceeding 30 mph (not being electrically propelled vehicles used for local collections and deliveries or the vehicles mentioned in paragraph 7 or sub-paragraphs (a) to (d) above) or trailers drawn by such vehicles.
9 The requirement that tyres when first fitted to vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1991 shall have complied with ECE Regulations 30 as amended on 15th March 1981 or ECE Regulation 54 is also amended to cover ECE Regulation 30 in its unamended form or as amended on 25th September 1977. The requirement does not apply to the vehicles mentioned in paragraphs 7 and 8 of this note.
10 Other minor and drafting amendments are made to regulation 25, regulation 27 (condition and maintenance of tyres) and Table II of Schedule 2 (ECE Regulations).
11 Copies of the ECE Regulations (and amendments) referred to in these Regulationsmay be obtained from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. The details of the ECE Regulations are set out in the Table below.
(1) Regulation 30 annexed to the Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform conditions of approval for motor vehicle equipment and parts and reciprocal recognition thereof concluded at Geneva on 2nd March 1958 (Cmnd 2535) as amended (Cmnd 3562) to which the United Kingdom is a party byan instrument of accession dated14th January 1963 deposited with the Secretary General of the United Nations on 15th January 1963 (“the ECE Agreement”).
Amended on 25th September 1977; corrected on 21st June 1978; amended on15th March 1981; and supplemented on 5th October 1987.
(2) Regulation 54 annexed to the ECE Agreement.
Supplemented on 13th March 1988.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/2710/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/road-vehicles-construction-and-use-amendment-no-5-regulations-1991/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.