1983 No. 1176 ROAD TRAFFIC
1st September 1983
The Secretary of State for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 66(1), (3) and (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1972(a), and now vested in him(b), and of all other enabling powers, and after consultation with representative organisations in accordance with the provisions of section 199(2) of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:-
ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS Commencement and citation 1 Revocation 2 Interpretation 3 Requirements as to pedal cycles to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 apply 4 and 5 Requirements as to pedal cycles to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 do not apply 6 to 10 Testing and inspection 11 Requirements as to sale or supply of pedal cycles 12
In these Regulations:- (a) a reference to the manufacturer of a vehicle means, in the case of a vehicle which has been altered so as to become an electrically assisted pedal cycle, the person who made that alteration; (b) "pedal cycle" means a pedal cycle which is either (i) not propelled by mechanical power, or (ii) an electrically assisted pedal cycle prescribed for the purposes of section 103 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967(a) and section 193 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 by virtue of the Electri cally Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983(b); (c) "the 1971 British Standard" has the same meaning as in the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983; and (d) "the 1981 British Standard" means the Specification for safety requirements for bicycles published by the British Standard Institution under the reference BS 6102: Part I: 1981.
In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to a numbered Regulation is to the Regulation bearing that number in these Regulations, and a reference to a numbered paragraph is to the paragraph bearing that number in the Regulation in which the reference occurs.
(a) a plate securely fixed in a conspicuous and readily accessible position showing- (i) the name of the manufacturer of the vehicle, (ii) the nominal voltage of the battery (as defined in the 1971 British Standard) of the vehicle, and (iii) the continuous rated output (as defined in the 1971 British Standard) of the motor of the vehicle; (b) braking systems which are so designed and constructed that- (i) in the case of a bicycle they comply with the standards specified in clause 6 of the 1981 British Standard, and (ii) in the case of a tricycle they comply with standards no less than the standards of braking systems fitted to a bicycle which comply with clause 6 of the 1981 British Standard; (c) a battery which does not leak so as to be a source of danger; and (d) a device biased to the off position which allows power to come from the motor only when the device is operated so as to achieve that result.
(a) Regulation 4(b) and (c) of those Regulations, and (b) Regulation 4(b ), (c) and (d) of these Regulations, are in efficient working order.
Save as provided in Regulations 8 and 9- (a) every pedal cycle shall be equipped with at least one braking system; (b) every bicycle or tricycle the height of the saddle of which is 635 millimetres or more and every cycle with four or more wheels shall- (i) if it is so constructed that one or more of the wheels is incapable of rotating independently of the pedals, be equipped with a braking system operating on the fronf·wheel or, if it has more than one front wheel, on at least two front wheels; (ii) if it is not so constructed that one or more of the wheels is incapable of rotating independently of the pedals, be equipped with two independent braking systems one of which operates on the front wheel, or if it has more than one front wheel, on at least two front wheels, and the other of which operates on the rear wheel, or if it has more than one rear wheel, on at least two rear wheels.
The reference in paragraph (l)(b) to the height of the saddle is a reference to the height above the ground of the part of the seating area of the saddle which is furthest from the ground when the cycle to which the saddle is attached is vertical and the saddle is raised to the fullest extent compatible with safety and the tyres on the wheels of the cycle are fully inflated.
The requirements of Regulation 7 do not apply to a pedal cycle manufactured before 1st August 1984 if, save as provided in Regulation 9 in the case where the cycle has any wheel of which the outside diameter (including any tyre when fully inflated) exceeds 460 millimetres- (i) the cycle is so constructed that one or more of the wheels is incapable of rotating independently of the pedals, it is equipped with a braking system operating on the front wheel or both the front wheels if it has two front wheels; (ii) the cycle is not so constructed, it is equipped with two independent braking systems one of which operates on the front wheel or both the front wheels if it has two front wheels, and the other of which operates on the rear wheel or one of the rear wheels if it has two rear wheels.
Nothing in Regulation 7 or 8 applies to- (a) any pedal cycle so constructed that the pedals act on any wheel or on the axle of any wheel without the interposition of any gearing or chain; or (b) any pedal cycle brought temporarily into Great Britain by a person resident abroad and intending to make only a temporary stay in Great Britain, while the cycle is being ridden by that person, provided that its brakes comply with the requirements of Article 26 of the International Convention on Road Traffic signed at Geneva on 19th September 1949(a) as amended(b).
In the case of a tricycle not constructed or adapted for the carriage of goods it shall be a sufficient compliance with the requirements specified in Regulation 7(1)(b )(ii) and 8(l)(a )(ii) if the tricycle is equipped with two independent braking systems operating on the front wheel if it has two rear wheels, or on the rear wheel if it has two front wheels.
No person shall ride, or cause or permit to be ridden, on a road a pedal cycle to which Regulation 6 applies unless the braking system or systems with which it is required to be fitted in accordance with Regulation 7 or, as the case may be, Regulation 8 are in efficient working order.
For the purpose of this Regulation, except in the case of a cycle having four or more wheels, none of which has a diameter exceeding 250 millimetres (including any tyre when fully inflated), a braking system shall be deemed not to be in efficient working order if any brake operates directly on a pneumatic tyre on any wheel.
(a) on any premises where the cycle is if the cycle has been involved in an accident, and the test and inspection are carried out within 48 hours of the accident and the owner of the premises consents; or (b) on a road.
(a) a pedal cycle to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regula tions 1983 apply unless it is equipped with braking systems as specified in Regulation 4(b); or (b) on and after 1st August 1984, a pedal cycle to which those Regulations do not apply unless it is (i) equipped with braking systems as specified in Regulation 7 or, as the case may be, Regulation 8; or (ii) a pedal cycle which has no braking system and is specifically designed for off-road racing on enclosed tracks.
EXPLANATORY NOTE (This Note is not part of the Regulations.) 1. These Regulations exercise powers under section 66 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 relating to the construction and use of pedal cycles. 2. The previous Regulations made under these powers-the Brakes on Pedal Cycles Regulations 1954-are revoked (see Regulation 2). 3. Regulation 4 provides that no person shall ride, or cause or permit to be ridden, on a road a pedal cycle to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 apply unless it is fitted with a plate showing certain particulars, brakes which comply with certain standards, a battery which does not leak, and a device to control the operation of its motor. Regulation 5 provides that no person shall ride, or cause or permit to be ridden, on a road a vehicle to which those Regulations apply unless the parts of the vehicle mentioned in Regulation 4 of those Regulations (pedals and motor) and the parts mentioned in Regulation 4(b), (c) and (d) of these Regulations are in efficient working order. 4. Regulation 6 provides that no person shall ride, or cause or permit to be ridden, on a road a cycle to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 do not apply unless it complies with the relevant require ments specified in Regulation 7 or 8. Regulations 7 and 8 contain provisions about brakes on such cycles. Regulation 9 gives exemptions from Regulation 7 or, as the case may be, Regulation 8. Regulation 10 requires brakes on such cycles to be in efficient working order. 5. By Regulation 11 the power contained in section 66(1)(c) of the 1972 Act as to the testing and inspection of pedal cycles is exercised so that a constable in uniform may test a cycle to see whether braking requirements are satisfied. 6. By Regulation 12 the power contained in section 66(4) of the 1972 Act to prohibit the sale of pedal cycles is exercised so that no person shall sell or supply, or offer to sell or supply for delivery a pedal cycle to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 applies unless it is equipped with brakes as specified in Regulation 4(b) or, on and after 1st August 1984, a pedal cycle to which those Regulations do not apply unless it is equipped with brakes as specified in Regulation 7 or 8 or is designed for off-road racing on enclosed tracks. 7. Provisions relating to lights and reflectors on pedal cycles are not made in these Regulations; provisions in that respect remain in Part II of the 1972 Act and in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1971 (S.I. 1971/694). 8. Copies of the British Standards mentioned in these Regulations may be obtained from the British Standards Institution at 195 Pentonville Road, London Nl 9ND or Linford Wood, Milton Keynes, MK14 6CE.