The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

A LADEN WEIGHT

Maximum permitted laden weight of a vehicle

75.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), the laden weight of a vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the maximum permitted laden weight specified in that item in column 3.

(2) The maximum permitted laden weight of a vehicle first used before 1st June 1973 which falls in item 1 or 2 shall not be less than would be the case if the vehicle fell in item 9.

TABLE

(regulation 75(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Maximum permitted laden weight
		(kg)
1	A wheeled heavy motor car or motor car which is not described in items 2, 4 or 5 and which complies with the relevant braking requirement	The weight specified in column (5) of Part I of Schedule 11 in the item which is appropriate, having regard to columns (2), (3) and (4) in that Part
2	A wheeled heavy motor car or motor car (not being an agricultural motor vehicle) which forms part of an articulated vehicle and which complies with the relevant braking requirement	The weight specified in column (5) in Part II of Schedule 11 in the item which is appropriate having regard to columns (2), (3) and (4) in that Part
3	A wheeled trailer, including a composite trailer, but not including a semi-trailer, which is drawn by a motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car which complies with the relevant braking requirement, other than a trailer described in items 6, 7, 8 or 11	As for item 1
4	A bus	The weight specified in column (5) of Part I of Schedule 11 in the item which is appropriate having regard to columns (2), (3) and (4) in that Part, the laden weight of the bus being calculated in the manner described in regulation 78(3) to (5)
5	A wheeled agricultural motor vehicle	As for item 1, but subject to a maximum of 24,390
6	A balanced agricultural trailer, as defined in paragraph (4), which is not described in items 8, 11 or 16	As for item 1, but subject to a maximum of 18,290
7	An unbalanced agricultural trailer, as defined in paragraph (4) which is not described in items 8, 11 or 16	18,290 inclusive of the weight imposed by the trailer on the drawing vehicle
8	A wheeled trailer manufactured on or after 27th February 1977 and fitted with brakes which automatically come into operation on the over-run of the trailer (whether or not it is fitted with any other brake), except an agricultural trailer which is being drawn by an agricultural motor vehicle, which complies with the requirements specified in items 3, 14 and 17 of Schedule 3 and of which the brakes can be applied either by the driver of the drawing vehicle or by some other person on that vehicle or on the trailer	3,500
9	A wheeled heavy motor car or motor car not described in items 1, 2, 4 or 5—
	(a) with not more than 4 wheels	14,230
	(b) with more than 4 but not more than 6 wheels	20,330
	(c) with more than 6 wheels	24,390
10	A wheeled trailer not described in items 3, 6, 7, 8 or 11 having less than 6 wheels, and not forming part of an articulated vehicle; and an agricultural trailed appliance	14,230
11	A trailer manufactured before 27th February 1977 and having no brakes other than— (i) a parking brake and (ii) brakes which come into operation on the overrun of the trailer	3,560
12	A wheeled locomotive, not described in item 5, which is equipped with suitable and sufficient springs between each wheel and the vehicle's frame and with a pneumatic tyre or a tyre of soft or elastic material fitted to each wheel—
	(a) if having less than 6 wheels	22,360
	(b) if having 6 wheels	26,420
	(c) if having more than 6 wheels	30,490
13	A track-laying locomotive with resilient material interposed between the rims of the weight-carrying rollers and the road so that the weight of the vehicle (other than that borne by any wheels and the portion of the track in contact with the road) is supported by the resilient material.	22,360
14	A locomotive not described in items 5, 12 or 13	20,830
15	A track-laying heavy motor car or motor car	22,360
16	A track-laying trailer	13,210

(3) The maximum total weight of all trailers, whether laden or unladen, drawn at any one time by a locomotive shall not exceed 40,650 kg.

(4) In this regulation and regulation 76—

“balanced agricultural trailer” means an agricultural trailer the whole of the weight of which is borne by its own wheels; and

“unbalanced agricultural trailer” means an agricultural trailer of which some, but not more than 35%, of the weight is borne by the drawing vehicle and the rest of the weight is borne by its own wheels.

Maximum permitted laden weight of a vehicle and trailer, other than an articulated vehicle

76.—(1) The total laden weight of a motor vehicle and the trailer or trailers (other than semi-trailers) drawn by it shall not, in a case specified in an item in column 2 of the Table, exceed the maximum permitted train weight specified in that item in column 3.

(2) In this regulation the expression `unbalanced agricultural trailer' has the meaning given to it in regulation 75.

TABLE

(regulation 76(1))

1	2	3
Item	Vehicle Combination	Maximum permitted train weight
		(kg)
1	A wheeled trailer which is drawn by a wheeled motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car, (not being in any case an agricultural motor vehicle) and which— (a) is fitted with power-assisted brakes which can be operated by the driver of the drawing vehicle and are not rendered ineffective by the non-rotation of its engine; and (b) is drawn by a vehicle which is equipped with a warning device so placed as to be readily visible to the driver when in the driving seat in order to indicate an impending deficiency or failure in the vacuum or pressure system	32,520
2	A wheeled agricultural motor vehicle drawing a wheeled unbalanced agricultural trailer, if the distance between the rearmost axle of the trailer and the rearmost axle of the drawing vehicle does not exceed 2.9 m	20,000
3	A wheeled trailer or trailers drawn by a wheeled motor tractor, heavy motor car, motor car or agricultural motor vehicle, not being a combination of vehicles mentioned in items 1 or 2	24,390
4	A track-laying trailer drawn by a motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car, whether wheeled or track-laying and a wheeled trailer, drawn by a track-laying vehicle being a motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car	22,360

Maximum permitted laden weight of an articulated vehicle

77.—(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the laden weight of an articulated vehicle of a class specified in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the weight specified in column 3 in that item.

TABLE

(regulation 77(1))

1	2	3
Item	Class of vehicle	Maximum permitted laden weight
		(kg)
1	An articulated vehicle which complies with the relevant braking requirement.	Whichever is the lower of— (a) the weight specified in column (3) of Part III of Schedule 11 in the item in which the spacing between the rearmost axles of the motor vehicle and the semi-trailer is specified in column (2), provided that the weights in items 13 to 18 shall not apply unless the overall length of the articulated vehicle is at least that specified in column (4) in those items; and (b) if the vehicle is of a description specified in an item in column (2) of Part IV of Schedule 11, the weight specified in column (3) of that item
2	An articulated vehicle which does not comply with the relevant braking requirement if the trailer has—
	(a) less than 4 wheels	20,330
	(b) 4 wheels or more	24,390

(2) This regulation does not apply to an agricultural motor vehicle, an agricultural trailer or an agricultural trailed appliance.

Maximum permitted wheel and axle weights

78.—(1) The weight transmitted to the road by one or more wheels of a vehicle as mentioned in an item in column 2 of the Table shall not exceed the maximum permitted weight specified in that item in column 3.

(2) The Parts of the Table have the following application—

(a) Part I applies to wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers which comply with the relevant braking requirement and to wheeled agricultural motor vehicles, agricultural trailers and agricultural trailed appliances; items 1(b) and 2 also apply to buses;

(b) Part II applies to wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers which do not fall in Part I;

(c) Part III applies to wheeled locomotives; and

(d) Part IV applies to track-laying vehicles.

PART I

(wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers which comply with the relevant braking requirement and wheeled agricultural motor vehicles, agricultural trailers and agricultural trailed appliances; and, in respect of items 1(b) and 2, buses)

TABLE

(regulation 78(1))

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
1	Two wheels in line transversely each of which is fitted with a wide tyre or with two pneumatic tyres having the centres of their areas of contact with the road not less than 300 mm apart, measured at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle—
	(a) if the wheels are on the sole driving axle of a motor vehicle and the relevant train weight shown on the plate of that vehicle exceeds 32,520 kg,	10,500
	(b) if the vehicle is a bus which has 2 axles and of which the weight transmitted to the road surface by its wheels is calculated in accordance with regulation 78(5),	10,500
	(c) in any other case	10,170
2	Two wheels in line transversely otherwise than as mentioned in item 1	9,200
3	More than two wheels in line transversely—
	(a) in the case of a vehicle manufactured before 1st May 1983 if the wheels are on one axle of a group of two closely spaced axles or on one of three adjacent axles as mentioned inregulation 79 (4),	10,170
	(b) in the case of a vehicle manufactured on or after 1st May 1983,	10,170
	(c) in any other case	11,180
4	One wheel not transversely in line with any other wheel—
	(a) if the wheel is fitted as described in item 1,	5,090
	(b) in any other case	4,600

PART II

(wheeled heavy motor cars, motor cars and trailers not failing in Part I)

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
5	More than two wheels transmitting weight to a strip of the road surface on which the vehicle rests contained between two parallel lines at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle—
	(a) less than 1.02 m apart,	11,180
	(b) 1.02 m or more apart but less than 1.22 m apart,	16,260
	(c) 1.22 m or more apart but less than 2.13 m apart	18,300
6	Two wheels in line transversely	9,200
7	One wheel, where no other wheel is in the same line transversely.	4,600

PART III

(wheeled locomotives)

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
8	Two wheels in line transversely (except in the case of a road roller, or a vehicle with not more than four wheels first used before 1st June 1955)	11,180
9	Any two wheels in the case of a wheeled locomotive having not more than four wheels first used before 1st June 1955 (not being a road roller or an agricultural motor vehicle which is not driven at more than 20 mph)	Three quarters of the total weight of the locomotive.

PART IV

(track-laying vehicles)

1	2	3
Item	Wheel criteria	Maximum permitted weight
		(kg)
10	The weight of a heavy motor car, motor car or trailer transmitted to any strip of the road surface on which the vehicle rests contained between two parallel lines 0.6 m apart at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle	10,170
11	Two wheels in line—
	(a) heavy motor cars or motor cars with 2 wheels,	8,130
	(b) heavy motor cars or motor cars with more than 2 wheels	7,630
12	One wheel, where no other wheel is in the same line transversely, on a heavy motor car or a motor car	4,070

(3) In the case of an articulated bus, or, subject to paragraph (4), of a bus first used before 1st April 1988, the laden weight, for the purposes of item 4 in the Table in regulation 75, and the weight transmitted to the road surface by wheels of the vehicle, for the purposes of items 1 and 2 of the Table in this regulation, shall be calculated with reference to the vehicle when it is complete and fully equipped for service with—

(a) a full supply of water, oil and fuel; and

(b) weights of 63.5 kg for each person (including crew)—

(i) for whom a seat is provided in the position in which he may be seated; and

(ii) who may by or under any enactment be carried standing, the total of such weights being reasonably distributed in the space in which such persons may be carried, save that in the case of a bus (not being an articulated bus) only the number of such persons exceeding 8 shall be taken into account.

(4) The weights for the purposes referred to in paragraph (3) may, in the case of a bus to which that paragraph applies, be calculated in accordance with paragraph (5) instead of paragraph (3).

(5) In the case of a bus first used on or after 1st April 1988, the weights for the purposes referred to in paragraph (3) shall be calculated with reference to the vehicle when it is complete and fully equipped for service with—

(a) a full supply of water, oil and fuel;

(b) a weight of 65 kg for each person (including crew)—

(i) for whom a seat is provided, in the position in which he may be seated; and

(ii) who may by or under any enactment be carried standing, the total of such weights being reasonably distributed in the space in which such persons may be so carried, save that in the case of a bus (not being an articulated bus) only the number of such persons exceeding 4 shall be taken into account;

(c) all luggage space within the vehicle but not within the passenger compartment loaded at the rate of 100 kg per m³ or 10 kg per person mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) above, whichever is the less; and

(d) any area of the roof of the vehicle constructed or adapted for the storage of luggage loaded with a uniformly distributed load at the rate of 75 kg per m².

Maximum permitted weights for certain closely-spaced axles etc

79.—(1) This regulation applies to—

(a) a wheeled motor vehicle which complies with the relevant braking requirement;

(b) a wheeled trailer which is drawn by such a motor vehicle; and

(c) an agricultural motor vehicle, an agricultural trailer and an agricultural trailed appliance.

(2) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where two closely spaced axles of a vehicle to which this regulation applies are spaced at a distance specified in an item in column 2 of Part V of Schedule 11, the total weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of those axles shall not exceed in a case—

(a) where the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of either of the axles does not in either case exceed one half of the weight specified in that item in column 3, the weight so specified;

(b) where the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of one of the axles exceeds one half of the weight shown in that item in column 3 of that Part but does not exceed 10,170 kg, the weight specified in that item in column 4; or

(c) other than one mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) above, the weight specified in that item in column 5.

(3) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where any two adjoining axles of three closely spaced axles of a vehicle to which this regulation applies are spaced at such a distance apart as is specified in an item in column 2 of Part VI of Schedule 11, the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of each of those axles shall not exceed the weight shown in that item in column 3.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where—

(a) the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of any one of three adjacent axles of a semi-trailer to which this regulation applies exceeds 7,500 kg;

(b) the foremost and rearmost of the three adjacent axles are spaced at a distance specified in an item in column 2 of Part VII of Schedule 11; and

(c) the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of the intermediate axle does not exceed the weight shown in column 3 in that item,

the total weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of those axles shall not exceed the weight shown in column 4 in that item.

(5) Nothing in paragraphs (2), (3) or (4) of this regulation shall apply so as to prevent a vehicle first used before 1st June 1973 from being used on a road at a weight as respects those axles at which it could be used if it fell within item 5 in the Table in regulation 78 and nothing in paragraph (3) of this regulation shall apply so as to prevent a vehicle being used on a road with axle weights shown on the plating certificate issued for the vehicle current on 30th April 1983.

Over-riding weight restrictions

80.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle—

(a) fitted with a plate in accordance with regulation 66, but for which no plating certificate has been issued, if any of the weights shown on the plate is exceeded;

(b) for which a plating certificate has been issued, if any of the weights shown in column (2) of the plating certificate is exceeded; or

(c) required by regulation 68 to be fitted with a plate, if the maximum gross weight referred to in paragraph (2)(c) of that regulation is exceeded.

(2) Where any two or more axles are fitted with a compensating arrangement in accordance with regulation 23 the sum of the weights shown for them in the plating certificate shall not be exceeded. In a case where a plating certificate has not been issued the sum of the weights referred to shall be that shown for the said axles in the plate fitted in accordance with regulation 66.

(3) Nothing in regulations 75 to 79 shall permit any such weight as is mentioned in the preceding provisions of this regulation to be exceeded and nothing in this regulation shall permit any weight prescribed by regulations 75 to 79 in relation to the vehicle in question to be exceeded.