Title, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Agricultural or Forestry Tractors and Tractor Components (Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1987 and shall come into force on 5th November 1987.

(2) In these Regulations "the principal Regulations" means the Agricultural or Forestry Tractors and Tractor Components (Type Approval) Regulations 1979(3).

Amendment of the principal Regulations

2.-(1) Regulation 3(1) shall be amended by the substitution for the definition of "agricultural or forestry tractor" of the following definition-

""agricultural or forestry tractor" means a tractor (whether or not equipped to carry a load of passengers) which-

(a)is a motor vehicle fitted with wheels and pneumatic tyres and having at least two axles, and

(b)is specially designed to tow, push, carry or power tools, machinery or trailers intended for agricultural or forestry use, and

(c)is designed so as to have a maximum speed of not less than 6, and not more than 30, kilometres per hour;

except that-

(i)in relation to the approval of a tractor in respect of its passenger seats, "agricultural or forestry tractor" means a tractor as defined above having a track width of at least 1,250 mm;

(ii)in relation to the approval of a tractor other than a narrow-track tractor in respect of its roll-over protection structure, "agricultural or forestry tractor" means a tractor as defined above-

(aa)having clearance beneath the rear axle of not more than 1,000 mm,

(ab)having a fixed or minimum adjustable track width of one of the driving axles of at least 1,150 mm,

(ac)being capable of being fitted with a multipoint coupling device for detachable tools and a draw bar, and

(ad)having a mass of 800 kilograms or more corresponding to the unladen weight of the tractor as defined in item 2.4 of Annex I to Council Directive 74/150/EEC(4) including the roll-over protection structure fitted in accordance with Council Directive 79/622/EEC(5) and tyres of the largest size recommended by the manufacturer; and

(iii)in relation to the approval of a narrow-track tractor in respect of its roll-over protection structure, "agricultural or forestry tractor" means a tractor as defined above-

(aa)having ground clearance of not more than 600 mm measured beneath the lowest points of the front or rear axles, allowing for the differential,

(ab)having a fixed or minimum adjustable track width of one of the two axles of less than 1,150 mm,

(ac)having the axles so set that the distance between the outer edges of the tyres on an axle with a fixed or minimum adjustable track width of less than 1,150 mm is never exceeded by the distance between the outer edges of the tyres on the other axle, and

(ad)having a mass greater than 600 kilograms and corresponding to the unladen weight of the tractor as defined in item 2.4 of Annex I to Directive 74/150/EEC including the roll-over protection structure fixed in accordance with Council Directive 86/298/EEC(6) and tyres of the largest size recommended by the manufacturer;".

(2) For Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations there shall be substituted the Schedule set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Regulation 2(2)

SCHEDULESCHEDULE TO BE SUBSTITUTED FOR SCHEDULE 2 TO THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS

Regulation 3(1)

SCHEDULE 2

PART Athe community directives with respect to the design, construction, equipment and marking of tractors.

PART Bthe community directives with respect to the design, construction, equipment and marking of tractor components.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Agricultural or Forestry Tractors and Tractor Components (Type Approval) Regulations 1979, which provide for the type approval of certain agricultural or forestry tractors and tractor components.

They implement Council Directives 86/297/EEC (OJ No. L186, 8.7.86, p. 19) on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the power take-offs of tractors and their protection, 86/298/EEC (OJ No. L186, 8.7.86, p. 26) on rear-mounted roll-over protection structures of narrow-track tractors, and 86/415/EEC (OJ No. L240, 26.8.86, p. 1) on the installation, location, operation and identification of the controls of tractors.

These Regulations amend the definition of "agricultural or forestry tractor" so as to cover roll-over protection structures of narrow-track tractors, and amend Schedule 2 so as to include references to the Council Directives mentioned above.