Citation and commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) (Blackpool Tramway) Exemption Order 2014 and comes into force on 1st November 2014.

Interpretation

2. —(1) In this Order—

“the 2010 Regulations” means the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 ( 4 );

“Blackpool tramway” means the tramway running from Starr Gate in Blackpool to Fleetwood;

“designated heritage stop” means a stop listed in the Schedule;

“Fleet B tramcar” means the Double Deck “Balloon” tramcars with vehicle numbers 700, 707, 709, 711, 713, 718, 719, 720, and 724;

“tramcar” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the 2010 Regulations; and

“tramway” means a system of transport used wholly or mainly for the carriage of passengers which employs parallel rails which—

(2) In this Order a reference to a numbered paragraph is a reference to that paragraph in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the 2010 Regulations.

Exemptions relating to Fleet B tramcars

3. A Fleet B tramcar is authorised to be used for carriage on the Blackpool tramway even if it does not conform with the requirements of—

(a) paragraph 9(1)(b) (handholds must have a slip-resistant surface);

(b) paragraph 9(1)(e) (width of the cross-section of handholds);

(c) paragraph 10(1)(b) (handrails in a tramcar must be at intervals of not more than 1050 millimetres in its longitudinal plane);

(d) paragraph 12(2)(c) (request-stop controls must be adjacent to at least every third row of seats);

(e) paragraph 14(1)(e) (steps must be illuminated);

(f) paragraph 14(1)(f) (step height must be no greater than 200 millimetres);

(g) paragraph 14(1)(g) (step depth must be no less than 300 millimetres); and

(h) paragraph 18(2) (a tramcar which can accommodate 100 or more passengers must have at least 2 wheelchair spaces).

Exemptions for heritage tramcars

4. —(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) a tramcar first brought into use before 1st January 1999 is authorised to be used for carriage on the Blackpool tramway even though—

(a) it does not conform with the provisions of the 2010 Regulations with which it would otherwise be required to conform; or

(b) it is used otherwise than in conformity with the provisions of the 2010 Regulations with which its use would otherwise be required to conform.

(2) The authorisation under paragraph (1) applies to a tramcar which is—

(a) used to demonstrate or operate an historical or special type of transport service; and

(b) used primarily for tourist, educational or recreational purposes.

(3) The authorisation under paragraph (1) only applies if passengers are permitted to board or alight from the tramcar solely at a designated heritage stop.

Article 2

SCHEDULE

Designated heritage stops

The stops on the Blackpool tramway which are designated heritage stops are the stops known as—

(a) Pleasure Beach Turning Circle;

(b) North Pier, northbound stop;

(c) North Pier, southbound stop;

(d) Uncle Tom’s Cabin, northbound stop;

(e) Uncle Tom’s Cabin, southbound stop;

(f) Bispham, northbound stop;

(g) Bispham, southbound stop;

(h) Cleveleys, northbound stop;

(i) Cleveleys, southbound stop;

(j) Fleetwood Bold Street, alighting stop;

(k) Fleetwood Pharos Street, boarding stop; and

each identified by the display of a sign identifying it as a heritage tram tours stop.