The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 (commonly known as RVAR 2010) is a

Statutory Instrument In many countries, a statutory instrument is a form of delegated legislation. United Kingdom Statutory instruments are the principal form of delegated or secondary legislation in the United Kingdom. National government Statutory instrument ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It aims to set standards designed to improve accessibility for

disabled people Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...

on light rail passenger vehicles. It came into force on 6 April 2010. The Instrument exercises powers conferred by the

Disability Discrimination Act 1995 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (c. 50) (informally, and hereafter, the DDA) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which has now been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010, except in Northern Ireland where the Act ...

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

Applicability

RVAR 2010 sets standards designed to improve

accessibility Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...

for disabled people on light rail vehicle systems for passengers, including

metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...

, underground and

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

systems, which are not subject to the Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2006 ( PRM-TSI).European Commission Decision (2008/164/EC) of 21 December 2007 concerning the technical specification of interoperability relating to persons with reduced mobility in the trans-European conventional and high-speed rail system
/ref> RVAR 2010 does not apply to main line rail systems. The regulations apply to a rail vehicle (as defined by the Instrument) that was first brought into service after 31 December 1998, except if it belongs to a class first brought into use before 1 January 1999.

Regulated Features

RVAR 2010 covers the following areas of a rail vehicle: * Boarding devices * Catering * Doors * Door controls * Door handles * Exterior doorways and through routes * Interior doorways * Floors * Handholds *

Handrails A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide safety or support. In Britain, handrails are referred to as banisters. Handrails are usually used to provide support for body or to hold clothings in a bathroom or ...

* 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 accessible 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.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Guidance on the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998
Disability legislation Statutory Instruments of the United Kingdom 2010 in British law 2010 in transport