Citation and commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) (London Underground Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Lines S7 Vehicles) Exemption Order 2012 and comes into force on 13th February 2012.

Interpretation

2.-(1) In this Order-

"Circle Line" means the London Underground route between Hammersmith and Edgware Road stations, via Liverpool Street station;

"District Line" means the London Underground route between Ealing Broadway, Richmond, Wimbledon, Kensington (Olympia), Edgware Road and Upminster stations;

"exempt vehicle" means a rail vehicle of the type known as Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Lines Tube Stock (S7) and with a number in the series 21301 to 21566, 22301 to 22566, 24301 to 24566, an even number in the series 23388 to 23566, or an even number in the series 25302 to 25386;

"Hammersmith & City Line" means the London Underground route between Hammersmith and Barking stations, via Paddington station;

"wheelchair space vehicle" means a rail vehicle of the type known as Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Lines Tube Stock (S7) and with a number in the series 24301 to 24566;

"step-free access" means access to a station platform from an entrance of that station without the use of stairs or escalators.

(2) In this Order, a reference to a numbered paragraph is a reference to that paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010(4).

Exemptions relating to facilities for disabled persons

3. Subject to articles 5 and 6, an exempt vehicle is authorised to be used for carriage on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Lines even it does not conform with, or if it is used in a manner that does not conform with the requirements of-

(a)paragraph 3(5)(b) (audible warning before door closes), but only in respect of the period of time for which the distinct sound must be emitted before the door starts to close;

(b)paragraph 4(2) (illumination of control devices for doors), but only in respect of the period of time between the control device ceasing to be illuminated and the door starting to close;

(c)paragraph 11(5) (passenger information when vehicle is stationary at a station), but only in so far as it applies to the systems inside the vehicle.

Exemptions relating to facilities for disabled persons in wheelchairs

4. Subject to article 6, a wheelchair space vehicle is authorised to be used for carriage on the London Underground, even if it is used in a manner that does not conform with paragraph 1(1) (the boarding device requirement), but only insofar as the vehicle is stationary at a station platform at Turnham Green, or at a station platform named in tables 1, 2 or 3 of Schedule 1.

Conditions

5.-(1) The exemption in relation to the requirement set out in paragraph 3(5)(b) only applies if the audible warning device emits a distinct sound which is different from that emitted when the doors are opening and which commences at least 1.75 seconds before the doors start to close.

(2) The exemption in relation to the requirement set out in paragraph 4(2) only applies if the illumination of each control device ceases not less than 1.75 seconds before the doors start to close.

(3) The exemption in relation to the requirement set out in paragraph 11(5) only applies to a vehicle that is stationary at a station named in Schedule 2, at a platform indicated against its name, and travelling in the direction also indicated against its name, and only if-

(a)whilst the vehicle is stationary at a station named in that Schedule, the systems inside the vehicle are used to announce which line the vehicle is travelling on and at least one of the following items of information-

(i)the destination of the vehicle;

(ii)the next stop;

(b)where no announcement is made at a station as to the destination of a vehicle or its next stop, that information is provided after leaving the station and before the vehicle stops at the next station.

Expiry

6.-(1) The exemption from paragraph 1(1) expires-

(a)in relation to a station platform named in table 1 in Schedule 1, at the end of 31st December 2017;

(b)in relation to a station platform named in table 2 in Schedule 1, when step-free access is provided to that station platform;

(c)in relation to station platform 4 at Turnham Green, either-

(i)when step-free access is provided to that station platform, or

(ii)when that platform can be accessed, without the use of stairs or escalators, from a vehicle which meets the requirements of paragraph 1(1), and which is stationary at a station platform on the Piccadilly Line at Turnham Green,

(iii)whichever is sooner.

(2) The exemptions from the requirements set out in paragraphs 3(5)(b), 4(2) and 11(5) expire at the end of 31st December 2016.

Articles 4 and 6(1)

SCHEDULE 1

Article 5(3)

SCHEDULE 2

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order exempts certain rail vehicles of the type S7 from the specified requirements of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 where the vehicles are used on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Lines or at specified station platforms on these Lines.

The Order exempts the vehicles (articles 3 and 4) from requirements relating to:

(a)the length of the audible warning of doors closing;

(b)the period of time between when the door control device ceases to be illuminated and when the door starts to close;

(c)the information provided to passengers inside the passenger saloons whilst stationary at the stations and platforms listed in Schedule 2;

(d)fitting a boarding device to open doorways of vehicles which are required to contain wheelchair spaces ("wheelchair space vehicles"), when these have stopped at certain platforms listed in Schedule 1.

The exemptions are subject to conditions (article 5).

The exemption from the requirement to fit a boarding device to the doorways of wheelchair space vehicles when such vehicles stop at certain station platforms is also time limited (article 6). Specifically, this exemption extends to:

(a)31st December 2017 (in relation to vehicles stopping at the station platforms listed in table 1, Schedule 1);

(b)such time as there is step-free access to the station platform from a station exit, (in relation to vehicles stopping at the station platforms listed in table 2, Schedule 1); and

(c)in relation to platform 4 at Turnham Green, such time as there is either such step free access to that platform, or there is step-free access to that platform from a wheelchair accessible vehicle on the Piccadilly line at the same station.

In respect of vehicles stopping at the station platforms listed in Table 3 Schedule 1, this exemption is without limitation of time but the Secretary of State may revoke this exemption by Order.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the costs of business, the public sector, third sector organisations, regulators or consumers is foreseen. An Explanatory Memorandum is available alongside the instrument on the website www.legislation.gov.uk.