Office of Public Sector Information

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 (“the 2000 Regulations”) which contain provisions for the construction, maintenance and use of lighting systems on vehicles.

Regulation 2(2) provides a definition of “abnormal load escort vehicle”.

Regulation 2(3) makes amendments to the definition of “emergency vehicle” in regulation 2 (interpretation) of the 2000 Regulations as follows—

(a) Paragraph (3)(a) removes the requirement that an emergency vehicle shall be a motor vehicle thereby permitting non-motor emergency vehicles to use blue flashing lights under regulation 13(2)(k) of the 2000 Regulations.

(b) Paragraph (3)(b) amends sub-paragraph (f) so that it applies to vehicles operated, as well as owned, by the Secretary of State for Defence.

(c) Paragraph (3)(c) and (f) amends sub-paragraph (f)(ii) and (iv) by omitting the reference to the now defunct “Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation” and the “Royal Air Force Armament Support Unit” and closely defining the purposes for which the vehicle operated or owned by the Secretary of State for Defence can be used.

(d) Paragraph (3)(h) amends the definition of “emergency vehicle” to include a vehicle under the lawful control of the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and used for the purposes of the investigation of serious crime. This amendment permits such vehicles to be fitted with a blue warning beacon or special warning lamp or a device which resembles the same.

Regulations 3 and 4 make changes with respect to pedal cycle lights by amending regulations 13 and 14 of the 2000 Regulations so as to permit pedal cycles or trailers drawn by, or a sidecar attached to, a pedal cycle to be fitted with lights on wheels and pedals and brings trailers drawn by pedal cycles within the vehicles permitted to be fitted with lamps and reflectors.

Regulation 5 amends regulation 15 of the 2000 Regulations so as to permit pedal cycles or trailers drawn by, or a sidecar attached to, a pedal cycle to be fitted with front and rear position lamps which flash. In the case of lamps which must be fitted pursuant to regulation 21, lamps must, when flashing, produce a light with an intensity of not less than 4 candelas.

Regulation 6 amends regulation 21 of the 2000 Regulations so as to exempt obligatory front and rear position lamps which flash and are fitted to a pedal cycle or a trailer drawn by, or a sidecar attached to, a pedal cycle from the marking requirements in paragraph 5(c) of Schedule 2 and paragraph 5(d) and (e) of Schedule 10 provided they are not also capable of emitting a steady light.

Regulation 7 amends regulation 30 of the 2000 Regulations so as to permit vehicles which are acting as an escort to a vehicle which is either—

(a) abnormally wide or long, or

(b) authorised by an order of the Department of the Environment under Article 60 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995,

to use an amber warning beacon above 25 mph.

Regulation 8(3) amends Part I of Schedule 2 to the 2000 Regulations so as to require the flash rate of any front position lamp fitted to a pedal cycle or a trailer drawn by, or a sidecar attached to, a pedal cycle to be between 60 and 240 flashes per minute.

Regulation 8(4) amends the definition of the “British Standard mark” in Part I of Schedule 2 to the 2000 Regulations so as to permit front position lamps fitted to pedal cycles to comply with British Standard 6102: Part 3: 1986 as amended on 15th April 1995 and 1st September 2003 as an alternative to the previous requirements.

Regulation 9 amends Part II of Schedule 2 to the 2000 Regulations so as to require the flash rate of any optional front position lamp on a vehicle other than a solo motor bicycle first used on or after 24th January 1996 to be between 60 and 240 flashes per minute.

Regulation 10(3) amends Part I of Schedule 10 to the 2000 Regulations so as to require the flash rate for any rear position lamp fitted to a pedal cycle or a trailer drawn by, or a sidecar attached to, a pedal cycle to be between 60 and 240 flashes per minute.

Regulation 10(4) amends the definition of the “British Standard mark” in Part I of Schedule 10 to the 2000 Regulations so as to permit rear position lamps fitted to a pedal cycle to comply with British Standards 6102: Part 3: 1986 as amended on 15th April 1995 and 1st September 2003 as an alternative to the previous requirements.

Regulation 11 amends Part II of Schedule 10 to the 2000 Regulations so as to require any rear position lamp fitted to a pedal cycle or a trailer drawn by, or a sidecar attached to, a pedal cycle to be between 60 and 240 flashes per minute.

These Regulations have been notified to the European Commission pursuant to European Parliament and Council Directive 98/34/EC of 22nd June 1998 (O.J. No. L204, 21.7.98, p. 37) as amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 98/48/EC of 20th July 1998 (O.J. No. L217, 5.8.98, p. 18) laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services.

Copies of the British Standard specification referred to in these Regulations can be obtained from the British Standards Institution, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL.

Copies of the EC Directives can be obtained from TSO, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GD.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been produced and may be obtained from the Department of the Environment website at www.roadsafetyni.gov.uk.