Guidance

List of Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations exemption orders

Updated 18 July 2023

© Crown copyright 2023

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected].

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-rvar-exemption-orders/list-of-rail-vehicle-accessibility-regulations-exemption-orders

Current exemption applications

The applications currently being considered for exemption are listed on GOV.UK.

Exemption orders for heavy rail vehicles

The introduction of European legislation in 2008 means that heavy rail vehicles (trains used on Network Rail infrastructure) are no longer subject to RVAR.

However, a number of heavy rail vehicles introduced under the RVAR regime between January 1999 and August 2006 were granted exemption orders and these are listed below alphabetically by the name of the vehicle operator at the time (which may have since changed).

Where available, a link to the associated explanatory memoranda, which include details on the reasons why exemptions are necessary, consultation and other related information, has also been included.

See Accessible rail transport for more information about what is happening to these exemptions.

Exemption orders for light rail vehicles

The exemption orders listed on this page authorise the use of specified rail vehicles, or all rail vehicles operated on a particular network (such as a heritage or tourist network), even though they do not comply with one or more requirements of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010.

Where available, a link to the associated explanatory memoranda, which include details on the reasons why exemptions are necessary, consultation and other related information, has also been included.

A number of exemption orders were also granted for heavy rail vehicles (trains) which are now subject to a separate, European-wide, accessibility regime.

Please see Accessible rail transport for more information about what is happening to these exemptions.

The following exemption orders are listed alphabetically by rail operator name. Exemption orders are also listed by expiry date.

Contact the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Team

To comment on exemptions from RVAR or find out further information please contact the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Team.

Rail Vehicle Accessibility Team

Back to top