The answer is yes.Unfortunately, I bear bad news for all bull bar users, distributors and suppliers. As from 25th May 2007, a revolutionary item of EU legislation will come into force banning the fitting and selling of old style metal bull bars and encouraging new, energy absorbing Frontal Protection Systems (FPS) which enhance the safety of vehicles.
The purpose of this new EU legislation is to ban rigid structures on the fronts of vehicles and thus introducing objective, performance standards for FPS with the purpose of reducing the potential for vulnerable road users to be killed or seriously injured in collisions with vehicles.
The May legislation will effectively ban all old style metal bull bars and make it illegal to fit or sell such products. Directive 2005/66/EC makes requirements that a Frontal Protection System (FPS), such as a ‘bull bar’, whether fitted to a vehicle as original equipment or marketed as a separate technical unit, must now comply with a set of technical standards for both construction and installation which require them to enhance the safety of the vehicle.
From the 25th May, all FPSs (including bull bars) need to pass stringent tests at an accredited testing facility and be granted type approval, effectively; this will outlaw the old and dangerous metal bull bars while endorsing energy absorbing FPS products. If an FPS does not pass the stringent tests at an accredited testing facility - this cannot be fitted to that specific vehicle tested or indeed any other vehicle in Europe.
Date of news item upload: Monday March 26th 2007
