The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998

Handrails and handholds

11.—(1) A handrail shall be fitted in the following positions:

(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

(b) in a tramcar at intervals of not more than 1050 millimetres in the longitudinal plane of the vehicle.

(2) Any handrail in a regulated rail vehicle shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) a handrail shall have a circular cross section with a diameter of not less than 30 millimetres and not more than 40 millimetres;

(b) if a handrail is curved, the radius of the surface of the handrail inside the curve shall not be less than 50 millimetres;

(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;

(d) a handrail shall have a slip-resistant surface;

(e) a handrail shall contrast with the parts of the regulated rail vehicle adjacent to that handrail.

(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:

(a) the surface of a handhold (excluding the mountings to the seat) shall be rounded;

(b) a handhold shall contrast with the seat to which the handhold is attached;

(c) a handhold shall have a slip-resistant surface;

(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.

(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.