Dual Purpose Vehicle - Re Speed Limits - Definition Please

[redgriff500]

Hi,

I have googled this to death and am getting conflicting information and I can't find any information on the DVLA / VOSA sites.

I have a VW T4 van that I am currently installing seats and side windows in.

This seems to meet this definition:

said:

Dual purpose vehicle:

a motor vehicle constructed or adapted to carry both passengers, goods or burden of any description the unladen weight of which does not exceed 2040 kgs and has either all wheel driver or:

a rigid roof with or without side panels

side windows with a minimum glass area of 1850 cm to the rear of the drivers seat.

a row of properly constructed transverse seats properly sprung behind the drivers seat, fixed or folding, for two or more passengers. The distance between the rear most part of the steering wheel and the backrests to the rear most seats not to be less than one third of the distance from the rear most part of the steering wheel to the rear most part of the vehicle floor.

BUT other sites have said I need glass in the rear doors too which I'd rather not fit.

Do I HAVE to fit rear glass ?

I have noticed some OEM Vito Dual liners and VW Kombis (including the AA ones) don't have rear glass fitted.

After I have fitted the glass / seats I presume I need to re register it with DVLA for the increased limits to apply.

Thanks

[SS2.]

redgriff500 said:

Do I HAVE to fit rear glass ?

I believe so..

Road Vehicles Constr. and Use Regs 1986 said:

Dual purpose vehicles

A `Dual purpose vehicle' is one that is constructed or adapted for the carriage of both passengers and goods or burden of any description, being a vehicle of which the unladen weight does not exceed 2,040 kg; and which either-

(i) is so constructed or adapted so that the driving power of the engine, is, or by the use of the appropriate controls can be, transmitted to all the wheels of the vehicle; or-

(ii) satisfies the following conditions as to construction, namely-

(A) the vehicle must be permanently fitted with a rigid roof, with or without a sliding panel;
(B) the area to the rear of the driver's seat must-

(i) be permanently fitted with at least one row of transverse seats (fixed or folding) for two or more passengers, and those seats must be properly sprung or cushioned and provided with upholstered backrests, attached either to the seats or to a side or the floor of the vehicle;and

(ii) be lit on each side and at the rear by a window or windows of glass or other transparent material having an aggregate area of not less than 1,850cm2 on each side and not less than 770cm2 at the rear; and-

(C ) the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the backrests of the row of transverse seats satisfying the requirements specified in the first paragraph of item (B) (or, if there is more than one such row of seats, the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the backrests of the rearmost such row) must, when the seats are ready for use, be not less than one third of the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the rearmost part of the floor of the vehicle.

[redgriff500]

Thanks

I presume those 1986 Regs haven't been updated ?

If not - bugger !

That would means that the OEM versions with solid rear doors have a 10mph lower limit so how are they described on the V5 ?

[SS2.]

redgriff500 said:

I presume those 1986 Regs haven't been updated ?

Not that I am aware of.

redgriff500 said:

That would means that the OEM versions with solid rear doors have a 10mph lower limit so how are they described on the V5 ?

A vehicle would be regarded as 'dual-purpose' if it met the criteria defined by the C & U regulations. How that vehicle may be described on the V5C, or how the V5C specifies the taxation class, would not necessarily be of any relevance.

[F i F]

Just as an aside albeit related and may help the Op's cause re the rear windows.

SS2 has said it how it is, fully concur. Now what about these vehicles who have rear glass windows that are covered with some sort of logos / colour scheme / advertising.

Some look to be solid, but some look to be an array of dots rather like newsprint and those huge adverts on buses and you can see reasonably through those.

Realise that this latest admission makes me into a PH pariah for occasionally travelling on a bus but what will be will be.

So the question I have is whether there is some light transmission limit on these windows?

[redgriff500]

SS2. said:

A vehicle would be regarded as 'dual-purpose' if it met the criteria defined by the C & U regulations. How that vehicle may be described on the V5C, or how the V5C specifies the taxation class, would not necessarily be of any relevance.

Except presumably if a camera captured you at 70 on a dual carriageway in which case I presume it relies on the V5 class.

Still damn annoying that I have to increase the chance of theft from the back in order to decrease the chance of getting a speeding ticket.

Thanks

[SS2.]

redgriff500 said:

Except presumably if a camera captured you at 70 on a dual carriageway in which case I presume it relies on the V5 class.

Not as far as I aware, no.

[SS2.]

F i F said:

So the question I have is whether there is some light transmission limit on these windows?

If there is, I can't find it..

[redgriff500]

F i F said:

SS2 has said it how it is, fully concur. Now what about these vehicles who have rear glass windows that are covered with some sort of logos / colour scheme / advertising.

So the question I have is whether there is some light transmission limit on these windows?

said:

be lit on each side and at the rear by a window

Unfortunately the word LIT is in there otherwise I'd just stick limo glass on the metal panels

[F i F]

redgriff500 said:

F i F said:

SS2 has said it how it is, fully concur. Now what about these vehicles who have rear glass windows that are covered with some sort of logos / colour scheme / advertising.

So the question I have is whether there is some light transmission limit on these windows?

said:

be lit on each side and at the rear by a window

Unfortunately the word LIT is in there otherwise I'd just stick limo glass on the metal panels

Well that is sort of what I was getting at.
I've seen Vito Dualiners with very dark glass in the side doors and rear windows, and if the van itself is black then they look quite smart.

Edited by F i F on Monday 28th March 15:30

[redgriff500]

Yes mines getting the Limo glass in the sides but really I wanted to keep the backs solid as with a bulkhead then any load is still secure.

Glass no matter how dark can easily be broken - even if only to see what's inside.

Every van I've had has been damaged when idiots try to gain entry - none have actually succeeded in stealing anything but it still costs a fortune to repair.

This van has big slam locks so I was hoping to avoid the issue.

Obviously the fact that I can have a bulkhead completely negates there being rear glass and quite how rear glass improves my stopping distance...

Unlike the 225 55 17 tyres I've just put on.

[Bill]

Just tidied this up to make it an FAQ and prevent this thread becoming a mess of discussion...