Directive 2002/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 February 2002 amending Council Directive 96/53/EC laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic
Date: 2002-02-18
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: inland transport, international transport, road transport, weight and size

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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DIRECTIVE 2002/7/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 18 February 2002

amending Council Directive 96/53/EC laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the
Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the
maximum authorised weights in international traffic

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

the maximum authorised length and width of vehicles
intended for the carriage of passengers.

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 71 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (2),

Having regard to the opinion of
Regions (3),

the Committee of

the

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (4),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Directive 96/53/EC (5) established, in the framework of
the common transport policy, harmonised maximum
vehicle dimensions for the circulation of road vehicles
transporting goods.

There is a need for harmonised maximum authorised
vehicle dimensions for the circulation of road vehicles
transporting passengers. Differences between standards
in force in the Member States with regard to the dimen-
sions of passenger road vehicles could have an adverse
effect on the conditions of competition and constitute
an obstacle to traffic between Member States.

for

the objective of

the harmonisation of

the
Since
maximum authorised vehicle dimensions
road
vehicles transporting passengers cannot be sufficiently
achieved by the Member States and can therefore by
reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action be
better achieved at Community level, the Community
may adopt measures in accordance with the principle of
subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In
accordance with the principle of proportionality as set
out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond
what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.

In the implementation of the internal market, the scope
of Directive 96/53/EC should be extended to national
transport in so far as it concerns characteristics that
significantly affect the conditions of competition in the
transport sector and in particular the values relating to

(1) OJ C 274 E, 26.9.2000, p. 32.
(2) OJ C 123, 25.4.2001, p. 76.
(3) OJ C 144, 16.5.2001, p. 15.
(4) Opinion of the European Parliament of 3 October 2000 (OJ C 178,
22.6.2001, p. 60), Council Common Position of 27 September
2001 (OJ C 360, 15.12.2001, p. 7) and Decision of the European
Parliament of 17 January 2002.

(5) OJ L 235, 17.9.1996, p. 59.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

Harmonised rules on maximum weights and dimensions
of vehicles should remain stable in the long term. Thus,
the amendments laid down in this Directive should not
create a precedent for the maximum authorised weights
and dimensions of buses and other categories of motor
vehicle.

reasons of

For
should meet
performance criteria as regards their manoeuvrability.

road safety, buses

For reasons of road safety linked to the state of their
infrastructure Portugal and the United Kingdom should
be authorised, for a transitional period, to refuse the use
on their territory of buses which do not satisfy certain
manoeuvrability criteria.

Buses which were registered or put
into circulation
before the date of implementation of this Directive and
which do not comply with the dimension characteristics
laid down in this Directive, owing to previously differing
national provisions or methods of measurement, should
be allowed for a transitional period to continue to
provide transport services within the Member State in
which the vehicle is registered or put into circulation.

(9)

Directive 96/53/EC should therefore be
accordingly,

amended

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

Directive 96/53/EC is hereby amended as follows:

1.

in Article 1:

(a) paragraph 1(a) shall be replaced by the following:

‘(a) the dimensions of motor vehicles in categories M2
and M3 and their trailers in category 0 and motor
vehicles in categories N2 and N3 and their trailers in
categories 03 and 04, as defined in Annex II to
Council Directive 70/156/EEC of 6 February 1970
on the approximation of the laws of the Member
relating to the type approval of motor
States
vehicles and their trailers (1);

(1) OJ L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 1. Directive

last
amended by Directive of the European Parliament
the Council 2000/40/EC (OJ L 203,
and of
10.8.2000, p. 9).’;

as

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(b) the following paragraph shall be added:

‘3.
This Directive shall not apply to articulated
buses comprising more than one articulated section.’;

2.

in Article 3(1), the second indent shall be replaced by the
following:

‘— in national traffic, of vehicles registered or put into
circulation in any other Member State for reasons
relating to their dimensions;’;

certain roads or civil engineering structures to be limited,
irrespective of the State of registration of such vehicles or
the State where such vehicles were put into circulation.

This includes the possibility to impose local restrictions
on maximum authorised dimensions and/or weights of
vehicles that may be used in specified areas or on speci-
fied roads, where the infrastructure is not suitable for
long and heavy vehicles,
small
villages or places of special natural

such as city centres,

interest.’;

3. Article 4 shall be amended as follows:

5. the following Article shall be inserted:

(a) paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be

replaced by

the

following:

‘Article 8a

‘1. Member States shall not authorise the normal
circulation within their territories:

(a) of

vehicle

vehicles or

combinations

the
in
national
conformity with the characteristics
in
points 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 4.2 and
4.4 of Annex I;

transport of goods which are not
set out

for

(b) of vehicles for national passenger transport, which
are not in conformity with the characteristics set
out
in points 1.1, 1.2, 1.4a, 1.5 and 1.5a of
Annex I.

2. Member States may nonetheless authorise the
circulation within their territories:

(a) of

vehicles or

vehicle

combinations

for

national
conformity with the characteristics
points 1.3, 2, 3, 4.1 and 4.3 of Annex I;

transport of goods which are not
set out

the
in
in

(b) of vehicles for national passenger transport, which
are not in conformity with the characteristics set
out in points 1.3, 2, 3, 4.1 and 4.3 of Annex I.’;

(b) paragraph 4 shall be amended as follows:

(i) in the first subparagraph,

the terms ‘vehicles or
vehicle combinations used for goods
transport
which...’ shall be replaced by ‘vehicles or vehicle
combinations used for transport which...’;

(ii) in the third subparagraph, the terms ‘the circula-
tion in its territory,
in national goods transport
operations, of vehicles...’ shall be replaced by ‘the
circulation in its territory,
transport
operations, of vehicles...’

in national

(c) the following paragraph shall be added:

‘7.
Until 31 December 2020 Member States may
authorise buses that were registered or put into circu-
lation before the implementation of this Directive but
the dimensions of which exceed those laid down in
points 1.1, 1.2, 1.5 and 1.5a of Annex I to circulate
within their territories.’;

4. Article 7 shall be replaced by the following text:

‘Article 7

Portugal and the United Kingdom may refuse or prohibit
the use on their territory until 9 March 2005 of
the
buses referred to in point 1.1 of Annex I unless they
satisfy the following manoeuvrability criteria:

— when the bus is stationary and has its steered wheels
so directed that if the vehicle moved,
its outermost
forward point would describe a circle of 12,50 m in
radius, a vertical plane tangential to the side of the
vehicle which faces outwards from the circle must be
established by marking a line on the ground. In the
case of an articulated bus the two rigid portions must
be aligned with the plane,

— when the bus moves forward on either side following
the circle of 12,50 m in radius, no part of
it may
move outside the vertical plane by more than 0,80 m
in the case of a rigid bus of up to 12 m in length or
by more than 1,20 m in the case of either a rigid
bus of over 12 m in length or an articulated bus.’;

6. the following Article shall be inserted:

‘Article 10a

With regard to Annex I, point 1.5a,
the Commission
shall, by 9 March 2005 at the latest, present a report on
the feasibility of reducing the value of 0,60 m referred to
in the second subparagraph of this point to improve the
safety conditions related to the manoeuvrability of long
buses. If appropriate, the report shall be accompanied by
a legislative proposal
to amend this Directive accord-
ingly.’;

7. Annex I shall be amended as follows:

(a) point 1.1 shall be replaced by the following:

‘1.1 maximum length:

vehicle

other

than

— motor
12,00 m

— trailer

— articulated vehicle

— road train

— articulated bus

— bus with two axles

a
bus
12,00 m

12,00 m

16,50 m

18,75 m

18,75 m

13,50 m

15,00 m

18,75 m’

This Directive shall not preclude the application of road
traffic provisions in force in each Member State which
the weight and/or dimensions of vehicles on
permit

— bus with more than two axles

— bus + trailer

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(b) the following point shall be inserted:

‘1.4a If any removable attachments such as ski-boxes
are fitted to a bus,
including the
attachments, must not exceed the maximum
length laid down in point 1.1’;

its length,

(c) the following point shall be inserted:
‘1.5a Additional requirements for buses

With the vehicle stationary, a vertical plane
tangential to the side of the vehicle and facing
outwards from the circle shall be established by
marking a line on the ground. In the case of an
articulated vehicle, the two rigid portions shall
be aligned with the plane.

When the vehicle moves from a straight
line
approach into the circular area described in
point 1.5, no part of it shall move outside of
that vertical plane by more than 0,60 m.’

they shall
When Member States adopt
contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied
by such reference on the occasion of their official publica-
tion. The methods of making such reference shall be laid
down by Member States.

these measures,

2. Member States shall communicate the provisions of
national
law which they adopt in the field covered by this
Directive to the Commission.

Article 3

This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publi-
cation in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Article 4

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 18 February 2002.

1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regula-
tions and administrative provisions necessary to comply with
the latest. They shall
this Directive by 9 March 2004 at
forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

For the European Parliament

For the Council

The President

P. COX

The President

J. PIQUÉ I CAMPS