The
Commission is Proposing
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Brussels,
18 June 1997: The European Commission has adopted a proposal for
a Directive on technical provisions for buses and coaches proposed by
Martin Bangemann, the Commissioner for industrial affairs. The provisions
concern the stability of the vehicle, 
the minimum size of seats and the spacing between seats, the number
and arrangement of the doors and emergency exits and other requirements
on vehicle stability and the improvement of safety. Until now, technical
requirements for buses and coaches have been laid down in national legislation.
Makers of buses have therefore not been able to obtain EC type-approval.
The new Directive is intended to enable manufacturers of buses, coaches
and bus bodies to apply for and obtain type-approval in one single Member
State which is then valid throughout the European Union.
Until
now, only manufacturers of cars have been able to apply for type-approval
which is valid throughout the Union. Under this system, a type of vehicle
which has been tested and approved in one Member State may be sold and put
on the road in all other Member States as well. For other vehicles, including
buses and coaches, meaning passenger carrying vehicles with more than eight
seats excluding the driver's seat, directives are still needed in two important
areas before EC type-approval becomes possible. The Directive on masses and
dimensions is still going through the legislative process. The Directive now
proposed on vehicle stability and improved safety measures to protect against
injuries caused by overturning is the last part of the series of regulations
needed before buses and coaches can also get EC type-approval.
The
proposed Directive covers the following points:
Access for people with limited mobility
The Directive also lays down
that vehicles used for urban services must be accessible to people with limited
mobility, including those confined to wheelchairs. As regards vehicles used
for regular inter-urban lines, the Commission will carry out supplementary
studies to find an optimal solution that will ensure accessibility to people
with reduced mobility. In the light of these studies, the Commission will
present concrete proposals to modify the Directive before the end of 1997.
Derogations for double decker and minibuses
The Commission discussed the
proposal for a Directive in detail with experts and with representatives from
the Member States, the European Parliament and industry before adopting it.
While most of the representatives of the Member States and industry approved
the proposal, concerns were voiced especially by the United Kingdom and Ireland
where double decker buses and particularly narrow minibuses and midibuses
are widely used. Compliance with all the requirements of the Directive would
create technical difficulties for these types of bus, e.g. a minimum seat
width of 45 cm in minibuses. The Commission's proposal takes account of this
by allowing Member States not to apply certain provisions of the Directive
to double decker buses or to minibuses and midibuses. However, the other Member
States do not have to allow these vehicles to be sold, registered or put into
service in their territory.
Once
the Directive has been adopted under Article 100a of the Treaty, manufacturers
of buses and coaches or their bodies will have a choice of applying for EC
type-approval or for national approvals which are valid only in the individual
Member States.
For further information, please contact:
DG III Information and Communications Office
Tel: +32 (2) 296 65 49; Fax: +32 2 299 19 26
Or visit the DG
III Home Page
