The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998

Boarding devices

23.—(1) When a wheelchair-compatible doorway in a regulated rail vehicle is open at a platform at a station or a tram stop a boarding device must be fitted between that doorway and the platform or stop if a disabled person in a wheelchair wishes to use that doorway, unless the gap between the edge of the door sill of that doorway and the edge of the platform or stop is not more than 75 millimetres measured horizontally and not more than 50 millimetres measured vertically.

(2) The surface of a boarding device shall be slip-resistant.

(3) No boarding device other than a lift or a ramp shall be used.

(4) If a regulated rail vehicle is fitted with a lift it shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) the lift-platform shall be not less than 750 millimetres wide measured parallel to the side of the vehicle and not less than 1200 millimetres long measured at a right angle to the side of the vehicle;

(b) the lift-platform shall be capable of supporting a weight of not less than 300 kilograms (excluding its own weight);

(c) the surface of the lift-platform shall be marked by a strip of colour, which shall abut the edges of that surface, be not less than 50 millimetres wide and contrast with the remainder of the surface, and the platform shall be coloured on each side with that colour;

(d) the lift-platform shall not travel up or down at a speed in excess of 150 millimetres per second;

(e) the lift-platform shall rest on the surface of the platform of the station or tram stop when it has been fully lowered;

(f) unless the lift-platform is in its fully lowered position the wheelchair shall be prevented from rolling off the platform by a device with a height of not less than 100 millimetres above the surface of the lift-platform;

(g) the lift-platform shall be fitted with sensors capable of stopping the movement of the lift-platform if it comes into contact with any thing or person whilst it is in motion;

(h) the lift shall be operable only by persons (other than passengers) who are authorised to operate it by the operator of the vehicle and who shall provide assistance by operating it for disabled persons in wheelchairs.

(5) If the regulated rail vehicle is fitted with a power-operated ramp—

(a) if the ramp is to be operated by a disabled person in a wheelchair the control button for that ramp shall be adjacent to the wheelchair-compatible doorway and within reach of a person in a reference wheelchair;

(b) the ramp shall be fitted with a sensor along the edge furthest from the vehicle capable of stopping the movement of that ramp if it comes into contact with any thing or person whilst the ramp is in movement;

(c) the ramp shall be incapable of movement in any plane if the surface of the ramp is subjected to a load of 15 kilograms or more;

(d) the operator of the vehicle shall provide assistance to the disabled person in a wheelchair using the ramp unless the gradient of the ramp above the horizontal plane is eight per cent or less;

(e) the ramp shall not be operable by a passenger unless the vehicle has stopped at a station, a stop in a street or another place to which the public have access.

(6) If the regulated rail vehicle is not fitted with a lift or a power-operated ramp, the operator of the vehicle shall provide assistance in deploying and using a separate ramp.

(7) A ramp (whether power-operated or not) shall when in use—

(a) be fixed securely to the regulated rail vehicle;

(b) be not less than 800 millimetres wide and not wider than the opening of the wheelchair-compatible doorway;

(c) have along each side which is not to be crossed by the wheelchair a protective rim standing at least 50 millimetres higher than the surface of the ramp;

(d) be capable of supporting a weight of not less than 300 kilograms (excluding its own weight);

(e) rest its outer edge securely on the surface of the platform of the station or tram stop; and

(f) be marked on its upper surface by a strip of colour, which shall abut the edge of that surface shall be not less than 50 millimetres wide and shall contrast with the remainder of that surface, and be coloured on each side with that colour.

(8) A boarding device which is power-operated shall also be operable manually, and the operator shall provide assistance for such manual operation if the power-operation fails.

(9) A boarding device which is power-operated shall not be capable of being deployed unless the vehicle to which it is fitted is stationary.

(10) A boarding device which is carried by a rail vehicle and which is not in use shall be fixed securely to that vehicle so that it is does not endanger the safety of persons in that vehicle.