Research and analysis

Porterbrook Class 144e dispensation letter October 2019 (web version)

Updated 28 October 2019

Sender

Deputy Director

Rail Technical Industry Competitiveness Department for Transport

Great Minster House 33 Horseferry Road London

SW1P 4DR

Web Site: www.dft.gov.uk

Our Ref: RFSPEC 16/23/2

October 2019

Letter

Dear (Name),

The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011 – Class 144e - 2020 accessibility deadline

Regulation 45 of the Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011[footnote 1] (RIR 2011) makes it unlawful for a passenger rail vehicle to be used in service on the trans-European rail system in the UK after 31 December 2019 unless it complies with the current or future versions of the Technical Specification for Interoperability - Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM TSI) (and/or defined domestic accessibility standards[footnote 2]) except to the extent that:

  • a derogation from part of the PRM TSI has been granted under Regulation 14 of RIR 2011

  • a determination that part of the PRM TSI does not apply has been made under Regulation 13(8) of RIR 2011

  • a dispensation that part of the PRM TSI does not apply has been granted under Regulation 46 of RIR 2011

This is a dispensation (effective from the date of this letter) made under Regulation 46(4) of the RIR 2011, granting that the vehicles listed in Annex A, which form the trains known as Class 144e need not comply after 31 December 2019 with those parts of the PRM TSI 2008 listed in Annex B. This follows consultation with DPTAC[footnote 3].

For the avoidance of doubt, a separate derogation or determination made under point a) or b) above would be required for any vehicle listed in Annex A that undergoes an upgrade or renewal that requires an authorisation under RIR 2011 after this dispensation.

I have copied this dispensation to the ORR for their information. Yours sincerely,

Jeremy Hotchkiss

signed by the authority of the Secretary of State

Annex A

Units: 144012

Vehicles: 55812 and 55835

Annex B

Paragraph location Topics
4.2.2.2.2.1 para 1 Number of priority seats
4.2.2.3 para 9 Encroaching of seats on clearway
4.2.2.5 Vehicle access step illumination
4.2.2.7 para 3 Width of wheelchair clearway
4.2.2.10 para 1 Handrail bend radii
4.2.2.10 para 1 Handrail clear distance
4.2.2.10 para 4 Height range of the external door handrails
4.2.2.2.1 para 2 Seatback handholds height.
4.2.2.8.3 para 1 Lack of bodyside passenger information displays
4.2.2.8.3 para 4 Visibility of PIS from wheelchair spaces
4.2.2.8.3 para 16 Passenger Information System RASTI levels
4.2.2.12.1 Platform step/gap
4.2.2.12.3.6 para 9 Gradient of wheelchair ramp
  1. SI 3066/2011 

  2. The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2001 or Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 

  3. The Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee