Road Traffic Act 1988

54 Type approval requirements. E+W+S

(1) Without prejudice to section 41 of this Act, the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe requirements (in this Part of this Act referred to as “type approval requirements”)—

(a) with respect to the design, construction, equipment and marking of vehicles of any class, being requirements which are applicable before, whether or not they are applicable after, vehicles of that class are used on a road,

(b) with respect to the design, construction, equipment and marking of vehicle parts of any class, being requirements which are applicable before, whether or not they are applicable after, vehicle parts of that class are fitted to a vehicle used on a road.

(2) Regulations under this section may provide for the determination, according to criteria or by methods prescribed by or determined under the regulations, of weights of any description which in the opinion of the Secretary of State should not be exceeded in the case of vehicles of any class.

(3) In this Part of this Act references to design weights shall be construed as references to weights determined by virtue of subsection (2) above.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) below, the following provisions of this Act to the end of section 60 apply in relation to parts of vehicles as they apply in relation to vehicles and, accordingly, any reference in those provisions to a vehicle, other than a reference to a goods vehicle, is to be read as including a reference to a vehicle part.

(5) Any provision which relates solely to goods vehicles or design weights does not apply in relation to parts of vehicles, but particular exclusions in those provisions do not affect the generality of this exclusion.

(6) In this Part of this Act, “the relevant aspects of design, construction, equipment and marking”, in relation to any vehicle, means those aspects of design, construction, equipment and marking which are subject to the type approval requirements or which were used as criteria in determining design weights for that vehicle.

Subordinate Legislation Made

P1 S. 54: for previous exercises of power see Index to Government Orders

P2 S. 54(1): s. 54(1)(with s. 61) power exercised (16.4.1991) by S.I. 1991/1021

S. 54(1): s. 54(1)(with s. 61) power exercised (16.4.1991) by S.I.1991/1022 and (3.9.1991) by S.I.1991/1970 and1991/1971

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 54 modified (1.7.1997) by S.I. 1996/3013, regs. 4(4), 6(4)