91998E0953

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0953/98

by Riitta Myller (PSE) to the Commission

(30 March 1998)

Subject: Slow-moving three-wheeled vehicles

Under EU rules, slow-moving three-wheeled vehicles whose use on the road is permitted are classified as L2 vehicles. They are used mainly by the elderly and the disabled and have a maximum speed of 40 km/h.

From a distance, and especially in the dark, such vehicles look like ordinary cars. However, as they travel more slowly than other traffic, it ought to be possible to warn other road-users more effectively to keep clear of them in order to avoid accidents.

Could the appropriate member of the Commission say whether it would be possible for such three-wheelers to be designated as slow vehicles, so that they would have to bear a warning triangle alerting other road-users to their slowness? This would improve road safety in the interests both of drivers of the three-wheeled vehicles and of other road-users.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Council Directive 92/61/EEC of 30 June 1992 on the type approval of two or three-wheel motor vehicles(1) provides, in particular that light quadricycles having an unladen mass of less than 350 kg are considered to be three-wheel mopeds (vehicles having a (design) speed not exceeding 45 km/h and a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cm3).

Therefore these light quadricycles, or "cabin scooters" are covered by the approval procedure for two or three-wheel motor vehicles and must therefore meet not only the requirements of the framework Directive referred to above, but also those of the various separate Directives deriving from the same framework Directive.

However, the Community provisions in this area do not require "cabin scooters" to be fitted with a triangle in order to warn other road users of their lower speeds, thus leaving the Member States the option of regulating that safety aspect of the use of such vehicles.

(1) OJ L 225, 10.8.1992.