Motorways Traffic (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Made: 29th June 1999

Coming into operation: 1st September 1999

The Department of the Environment, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Article 20(3) of the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993[^f00001] and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1

These Regulations may be cited as the Motorways Traffic (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 and shall come into operation on 1st September 1999.

Amendments

2

The Motorways Traffic Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1984[^f00002] shall be amended as follows—

• (1) In regulation 1(2) (interpretation)—

• (a) immediately before the definition of “central reservation” insert the following definitions—

• “bus” means a motor vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than 28 seated passengers (exclusive of the driver);
• “bus lane” means the area of hard shoulder of the length of motorway specified in the Schedule;

• (b) for the definition of “traffic sign” substitute the following definition—

• “traffic sign” has the meaning assigned to it by Article 28 of the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997[^f00003];

; and

• (c) immediately after the definition of “verge” insert the following definition—

• “week-day” means a day which is neither a Saturday nor a Sunday.

• (2) In regulation 4 (vehicles to be driven on the carriageway only) immediately after “7(2),” insert “9A,”.

• (3) For regulation 9 (restriction on the use of hard shoulder) substitute the following—

(9) Subject to regulations 7(2) and (3), 9A and 14 a vehicle shall not be driven or stop or remain at rest on any hard shoulder. (9A) Save as provided in regulations 7(2) and 14, a person shall not, during the hours 7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. on a week-day, cause or permit any vehicle other than a bus to enter, proceed or wait in a bus lane.

• (4) In regulation 13(1)(b) (use of motorway by excluded traffic) delete the words “: Provided that no person shall at any time while on foot go or remain on any part of a motorway other than a verge or hard shoulder except insofar as it is necessary for him to do so to get to a verge or hard shoulder or to secure compliance with any of these regulations or to recover or move any object which has fallen on a motorway or to give help which is required by any other person in any of the circumstances specified in regulation 7(1) or (2)”.

• (5) In regulation 14 (exceptions and relaxations)—

• (a) immediately after “9” insert “, 9A”; and

• (b) in paragraphs (b), (d), (e) and (f) delete the words “subject to the proviso in regulation 13(1)(b)”.

• (6) Insert the Schedule set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

SCHEDULE

Signed

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on

J. Carlisle — Assistant Secretary — 29th June 1999.

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations further amend the Motorways Traffic Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1984 by—

• (1) inserting new definitions for “bus”, “bus lane”, “traffic sign” and “week-day” (regulation 2(1));

• (2) permitting the area of hard shoulder of the length of motorway specified in the Schedule to be used as a bus lane during the hours 7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. on Monday to Friday (regulation 2(2) and (3)); and

• (3) deleting the proviso restricting persons on foot to the verge or hard shoulder (regulation 2(4)).

Footnotes

[^f00001]: S.I. 1993/3160 (N.I. 15); see Article 2(2) for the definition of “the Department”

[^f00002]: S.R. 1984 No. 160 to which there are no relevant amendments

[^f00003]: S.I. 1997/276 (N.I. 2)