01633 262 881                        

To:  All BT Branches

Dear Colleagues

Speed Limiters BT Fleet vehicles

Following calls into the Health and Safety Department this LTB is to clarify the current position of the introduction of speed limiters to BT Fleet vehicles.

At a recent meeting of the Commercial Vehicle Forum a presentation was given explaining the latest EU Speed limiter regulations introduced on 1st January 2007 (see attachment for summary) and the impact upon BT Fleet vehicles along with BT Fleet’s position on ensuring all vehicles above 3.5t are compliant with the requirements.

Additional vehicles now fall into scope of the speed limiter legislation introduced in January 2005 and the changes affect some goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes maximum gross weight and some passenger vehicles with 8 or more passenger seats, irrespective of weight. The relevant date for fitting speed limiters varies depending on the gross design weight of the vehicle, engine type (such as Euro III), international or national usage and the date of first registration.

BT Fleet has completed the first tranche of vehicles that required speed limiter activation by January 1^st 2007.  A final group of vehicles have been identified and are currently being invited to have their speed limiters activated before December 31^st 2007. 

It should also be noted that, if a vehicle has, or is required to have, a speed limiter fitted and working, then it is not permitted to use the outside lane of a three or more lane motorway. If the vehicle is required to have a speed limiter fitted but it is not working, it will be illegal to use it on the public highway under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

Although not a legal requirement, the Lines of Business attending the Commercial Vehicle Forum also sought, on safety grounds, to have speed limiters fitted across all vehicles supplied with the rationale that BT Fleet vehicles should not be exceeding the National speed limits. Consequently Openreach have approved and implemented fitment to all the following vehicles: Vivaro - 68mph, Transit -70mph, Corsa - 70mph, Combo - 70mph. Other LoB’s which also approved the limiters include; Wholesale – Payphones – BT Ireland and BT Group.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Title: Speed Limiters

This briefing identifies the completion dates and vehicle categories (by Gross Vehicle Weight and Vehicle Classification) of commercial (goods) vehicles within the BT Light Commercial Fleet that are affected by the latest EU Speed limiter regulations.   Passenger vehicles with more than 8 seats are also affected by not included here to avoid confusion.  BT Fleet has undertaken a number of campaigns ensuring the different groups of vehicles are completed before the introduction dates of the various regulations.

From 1 January 2007 additional vehicles fell into scope under the speed limiter legislation introduced in January 2005 (Regulation No 2004/11/EC) The changes affect some goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes maximum gross weight and some passenger vehicles with 8 or more passenger seats, irrespective of weight. The relevant date for fitting speed limiters varies depending on the gross design weight of the vehicle, engine type (such as Euro III)  vehicle classification (N2, N3, M2, M3, etc)  international or national usage and the date of first registration.

Specifically affected from January 2007 were goods vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes and passenger vehicles with more than 8 seats, irrespective of weight, which were first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004, have Euro III or higher engines approved to Directive 88/77/EEC and are used on national operations in this country.

In addition, goods vehicles first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004 with a maximum gross weight between 7.5 tonnes and 12 tonnes, needed to have their existing speed limitation devices recalibrated from 97Km/h (60mph) to 90Km/h (56mph).

Using the Outside Lane of a Motorway

If a vehicle has, or is required to have, a speed limiter fitted and working, then it is not permitted to use the outside lane of a three or more lane motorway. If the vehicle is required to have a speed limiter fitted but it is not working, it will be illegal to use it on the public highway under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

Goods vehicles with a GVW from 3501 kg but not over 7500 kg

Goods vehicles with a GVW from 7501 kg but not over 1200 kg

1)    EURO II (popularly referred to as Euro2 or as "EC 96") was the emission standard for cars introduced in the EU in 1995 that limits car emissions to 7 g/km of NOx  and 0.15 g/km of PM (Particle Matter) when tested using the  NEDC driving cycle. It was replaced by Euro III in 1999.

2)    All goods vehicles below 3501 Kg GVW have not before 1 October 2001 been required by law to be fitted with a Maximum Road speed Limiter.

3)     Euro III (popularly referred to as Euro3) is the emission standard for vehicles introduced in the EU in 1999. It limits diesel car emissions to 0.5 g/km of NOx and 0.05 g/km of PM (Particle Matter), petrol cars to 0.15 g/km NOx and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) to 5 g/kWh of NOx and 0.1 g/kWh of PM. It has been replaced by Euro IV in 2005. Originally applied to M3 over 10T,  N2 over 10T and N3 only.

4)    Vehicles built after 1 January 2005 already have a speed limiter fitted but it may not be set at 90km/h.  BT Fleet will mount a campaign mid 2007 to ensure all speed limiters are set at 90km/h before the legal completion date of 1 January 2008. 

5)    Regulation number 2002/85/EC allowed member states to exempt all class M2 & N2 vehicles used on national journeys until January 1^st 2008

6)    All Goods Vehicles over 7501Kg but not exceeding 1200Kg GVW have been required by law to have a maximum road speed limiter set at 96Km/h since 1 August 1992.  These vehicles have old mechanical fuel injection systems deemed too expensive to reset to the lower setting of 90km/h. 

7)    These vehicles have later electronic fuel management systems and have had there maximum road speed  lower from its originally set 96 km/h to 90km/h under MTSB 03/Y/042 which affected 143 BT vehicles.

8)     From 1 January 2005 all new HGV’s over 7501 kg GVW have had to have there maximum road speed limited to 90km/h from first registration. 

Exclusions:

All vehicles with Euro 2 engines are not subject to the requirements. In addition a small number of vehicle types do NOT need a speed limiter as they do not have engines approved under the relevant directive:

VOSA propose that once all the changes to vehicles requiring speed limiters have taken place (after January 2008) the national speed limit for goods vehicles over 3500kg GVW will be lowered to 90Km/h and 100Km/h for buses. (This may not be introduced until the summer or later in 2008)

Restricting all vehicles in these classes to the same speed limit will reduce any competitive advantage of older vehicles (which are not required to have speed limiters)