New power : weight and smoke laws this month
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BUT MINISTER POSTPONES NOISE REGULATIONS
• All diesel-engined vehicles first used on or after April 1 next year, and not manufactured before October 1 this year. will have to meet smoke emission limits as laid down in the British Standard BS AU 141a: 1971. The same dates will apply to the introduction of a 6 bhp /ton minimum power-to-weight limit which will affect all plated vehicles: the scope of plating is to be simultaneously enlarged to include, for example, locomotives and motor tractors.
The Minister for Transport Industries laid regulations to this effect before Parliament on Wednesday, when he also revealed that he was postponing the proposed introduction of the new-vehicle noise limits announced last October. These would, for instance, have required vehicles over 200 bhp to meet 92 dBA and those up to 200 bhp a level of 89 dBA. with further reductions to 89 dBA and 86 dBA respectively in 1974.
The Minister has made this decision "reluctantly" and attributes it to the need to consult with other nations in order to establish uniform European vehicle noise standards. The proposed UK levels would have been stricter than those currently in force in the EEC.
Smoke levels The requirements of the new-vehicle smoke, power-to-weight and revised plating legislation are set out in The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 1972, SI No 805, which come into operation on June 27. Consequential modifications in the rules governing the plating of goods vehicles are dealt with in The Goods Vehicle (Plating and Testing) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 1972 which also take effect on June 27.
Excluded from the smoke emission requirement are single-cylinder and two-cylinder diesels, while there is specific exclusion of the Perkins 6.354 engine because, it is understood, a replacement engine is due soon.
Engines covered by this legislation will have to conform with the smoke limits laid down in BS AU 141a, which was introduced so that road diesel engine performance could be accurately determined: from now on. all UK legislation which refers to horsepower and smoke levels will take this standard as the measure. The standard stipulates the way in which bhp is to be defined and also defines exhaust smoke levels.
The limiting exhaust gas opacity (clause 7.4 of BS AU 141a: 1971) only applies to measurements taken with the engine running at steady speeds and full load over the speed range from the maximum rated speed down to 45 per cent of this speed or 1000 rpm. whichever is the greater.
It should be stressed that the smoke levels referred to in this regulation (ie, as measured by BS AU 141a: 1971) are not to be confused with a "smoking" engine, which may be an offence under a different regulation. BS AU 141a: 1971 is a manufacturer's type-test and is a nominal guarantee that similar engines built and regulated in the same way will also comply.
Power-to-weight
The stipulation that from April 1, 1973 a vehicle manufactured from October 1, 1972 must have a power-to-weight ratio of at least 6 to 1 uses the BS AU 141a definition of horsepower. Both the power and the gross weight for this calculation will be those shown on the vehicle plate.
Most vehicles affected by the new regulations are already in categories that would be plated, but for the regulations to apply as widely as possible some vehicles hitherto outside the plating regulations are now included. The plating regulations will now apply to: — all Every heavy motor car and motor car first used on or after January 1, 1968, not being a passenger vehicle, a dual-purpose vehicle, a land tractor, a works truck. or a pedestrian-controlled vehicle; and every locomotive and motor tractor, a works truck, or a pedestrian-controlled vehicle; and b) Every locomotive and motor tractor first used on or after April 1, 1973 which is not a land locomotive; a land tractor; an industrial tractor; a works truck; engineering plant; a pedestrian-controlled vehicle; or a vehicle manufactured before October 1, 1972; and c) Every trailer manufactured on or after January 1, 1968 which exceeds 1 ton in weight unladen and is other than: a trailer notconstructed or adapted to carry any load, other than plant or special appliance or apparatus which is a permanent or essentially permanent fixture. and not exceeding 45cwt in total weight; a living van not exceeding 2 tons in weight unladen and fitted with pneumatic tyres; a works trailer; a trailer mentioned in Regulation 62(3): or a trailer which was manufactured and used outside Great Britain before it was first used in Great Britain.
Noise delay The noise limits, now postponed, were to have been part of a UK "package". Before negotiating with other European nations, in order to secure agreement on a general reduction in vehicle noise level, Mr Peyton has opened "urgent discussions" with the British motor industry to establish wnat the industry could achieve in the way of vehicle noise reductions "in the context of general European action".