The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 (commonly known as RVAR 2010) is a Statutory Instrument in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. It aims to set standards designed to improve accessibility for disabled people on light rail passenger vehicles.

It came into force on 6th April 2010. The Instrument exercises powers conferred by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which has now been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010 , except in Northern Ireland where the Act still applies...

. It revokes and replaces the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998.

Applicability

RVAR 2010 sets standards designed to improve accessibility

Accessibility

Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...

 for disabled peop;e on light rail vehicle systems for passengers, including metro, underground and tram

Tram

A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

 systems, which are not subject to the Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2006 (PRM-TSI). RVAR 2010 does not apply to main line rail systems

Main line (railway)

The Mainline or Main line of a railway is a track that is used for through trains or is the principal artery of the system from which branch lines, yards, sidings and spurs are connected....

.

The regulations apply to a rail vehicle (as defined by the Instrument) that was first brought into service after 31st December 1998, except if it belongs to a class first brought into use before 1st January 1999.

Regulated Features

RVAR 2010 covers the following areas of a rail vehicle:

• Boarding devices
  Wheelchair ramp
  A wheelchair ramp is an inclined plane installed in addition to or instead of stairs. Ramps permit wheelchair users, as well as people pushing strollers, carts, or other wheeled objects, to more easily access a building....
  
  
• Catering
• Doors
• Door controls
• Door handles
• Exterior doorways and through routes
• Interior doorways
• Floors
• Handholds
• Handrails
• Passenger information
• Request-stop controls
• Seats
• Steps
• Toilets
• Transparent surfaces
• Wheelchair spaces

Key Means

The Instrument aims to provide accessibility by ensuring that:

• exterior doors, steps, floors and handrails contrast strongly visually with adjacent areas of the vehicle.
• door handles, door controls and request-stop controls can be used by the widest range of people.
• handrails are provided at doorways, on seat backs and in toilets.
• nominated doorways are accessible to wheelchairs.
• wheelchair spaces and wide throughways to those spaces from the aceessible doorways are provided.
• interior glazed panels are clearly marked to aid visibility (or protected).
• passenger information is clearly communicated, both visually and audibly.
• toilets are provided that are accessible to disabled people, including wheelchair users.
• seats are nominated that are accessible to disabled people.
• catering facilities that are provided are accessible to all.
• boarding devices are provided to allow wheelchair users to enter and leave the vehicle.

External links

• Guidance on the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998