S.I. No. 249/2014 - Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.

1. Configuration

Where one rear marking sign is displayed it shall be of the shape, dimensions, patterns and colours of the sign shown in Diagram 1 in this Schedule.

Where two rear marking signs are displayed they shall be of the shape, dimensions, patterns and colours of the sign shown in Diagram 2 in this Schedule.

2. Format and Material

Every rear marking sign shall be of red fluorescent material in the stippled areas shown in the Diagram in this Schedule and of yellow reflex reflecting material in the remaining areas, which are not stippled and do not constitute a letter.

3. Design and Approved Standard Mark

Every rear marking sign to which this Schedule refers shall comply in all respects with the British Standard Specification number BS Au 152: 1970 in respect of rear marking plates for vehicles.

4. Size of Letters

All letters in any rear marking sign shall have the proportions and form shown in the Diagrams in this Schedule and shall be coloured black.

5. Manner of Affixing Rear Marking Signs

Every rear marking sign shall be

(i) fitted horizontally on the rear of the rearmost vehicle of a combination of vehicles and on the rear of an articulated vehicle so that the overall width of the vehicle shall not be increased;

(ii) securely attached to the vehicle so that the lower edge is between 350 mm and 2 metres above the ground;

(iii) fitted so that in the case of signs of the type shown in Diagram 2 in this Schedule the lower edges of both signs are at the same height above the ground and each sign is fitted as near as practicable to the outermost edge of the vehicle on the side on which it is fitted.

EUROPEAN REAR MARKING SIGN SPECIFICATION

Part 2

The rear marking sign or signs shall comply with the marking requirements, and satisfy the fitment and technical requirements of UN/ECE Regulation 70. However the words ‘LONG VEHICLE’ must also be inscribed on them.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

4 June 2014.

LEO VARADKAR,

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

These regulations amend the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 (

S.I. No. 189 of 1963

) to update and consolidate the lighting-related requirements for agricultural, fisheries, forestry and horticultural vehicles (including agricultural tractors, self-propelled agricultural machines, agricultural trailers, interchangeable towed equipment and fully mounted agricultural equipment). These improvements take effect from 1 January 2016.

Agricultural tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines must be equipped with lighting systems (including side lamps, head lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, direction indicators and number plate lighting) at all times and not only during lighting up hours. However an exemption is provided from these requirements for agricultural tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines manufactured or first registered prior to 1 January 1980 and any agricultural trailer, fully mounted agricultural equipment or piece of interchangeable towed equipment being drawn by or attached to them provided such a vehicle or combination of vehicles are being used during daylight hours only. Agricultural tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines must also be fitted with a flashing amber beacon, with an exemption from this requirement being provided for vintage agricultural tractors taking part in vintage rallies.

In instances where an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural machine has its lights obscured by an agricultural trailer, piece of interchangeable towed equipment or fully mounted agricultural equipment drawn by or attached to it (either on the front or to the rear of the vehicle), such an agricultural trailer, piece of interchangeable towed equipment or fully mounted agricultural equipment must instead be fitted with a lighting board displaying the required lighting.

With the exception of agricultural trailers and pieces of interchangeable towed equipment manufactured prior to 1 January 1980 being drawn by an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural machine manufactured or first registered prior to this date, agricultural trailers and interchangeable towed equipment must be equipped with side lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, direction indicators and identification mark lighting. They must also be fitted with a marker lamp on their right hand side if, when coupled to an agricultural tractor, the overall length of the combination exceeds 10 metres. Marker lamps fitted to trailers manufactured on or after 1 January 2016 must comply with modern UN/ECE specifications.

Agricultural trailers with a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500kg must also be fitted with reflective rear markings and those with a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500kg and forming part of a combination of vehicles exceeding 10 metres in overall length must, in addition to the reflective rear markings, be fitted with reflective side markings. Rear and side markings fitted to trailers manufactured on or after 1 January 2016 must comply with modern UN/ECE specifications.

Finally, a rear ‘LONG VEHICLE’ marking must be fitted to agricultural trailers forming part of a combination of vehicles exceeding 13 metres in overall length.

6. Marking Width

The vertical distance between the upper horizontal edge and the lower horizontal edge of the side marking shall not be less than 150 millimetres.

7. Manner of Affixing Side Marking

Each side marking shall be affixed to the vehicle so that

(i) it lies mainly in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and not more than 450 millimetres from a similar vertical plane through the outermost point of the same side of the vehicle;

(ii) the lower edge is horizontal and is not less than 600 millimetres and not more than 2 metres above the ground;

(iii) the lower edges of the separate parts of a side marking shaped as shown in Diagram No. 2 are horizontal and each part is not less than 600 millimetres and not more than 2 metres above the ground;

(iv) no part of the side marking projects beyond the outermost points of the front and rear of the vehicle;

(v) the foremost vertical edge of the side marking is not more than 450 millimetres from the extreme front of the vehicle excluding, in the case of any trailer, the drawbar

(vi) the rearmost vertical edge of the side marking (except in the case of a drawing component of an articulated vehicle) is not more than 450 millimetres from the extreme rear of the vehicle;

(vii) the shortest length of a side marking shaped as shown in Diagram No. 2 in this Schedule is not less than 450 millimetres;

(viii) in normal daylight conditions, the side marking is clearly visible for a distance of 150 metres;

(ix) at night, in normal weather conditions, all reflex reflecting parts of the side marking whether wet or dry are clearly visible for a distance of 150 metres when illuminated by the undipped headlamps of a vehicle.

8. Display

A side marking shall be displayed over not less than 75 per cent of the overall length of the vehicle exclusive of

(i) the sum of the diameters of the wheels on the appropriate side of the vehicle, and

(ii) in the case of any trailer, the drawbar, and in such a way that it is displayed over not less than 75 per cent of the distances between adjacent wheels on the appropriate side of the vehicle except where the centres of such wheels are less than 2.2 metres apart.

9. Alternative Display

Where a side marking is displayed on the drawing component of an articulated vehicle amber reflex reflectors or a strip of amber reflex reflecting material, in either case of a total reflex reflecting surface area of not less than 80 square centimetres extending to within at least 450 millimetres of the rear of such component, may be displayed on each side of the component and in such case the requirement of paragraph 7 (vi) of this Schedule shall not be applicable.

EUROPEAN SIDE MARKING SPECIFICATION

Part 2

The side markings shall comply with the marking requirements, and satisfy the fitment and technical requirements of UN/ECE Regulation 48 in respect of side conspicuity markings.

DIAGRAMS

Diagram No. 1

Diagram No. 2

Note: These drawings are not drawn to scale and are intended to show the shapes, dimensions, patterns and colours of the side markings.”.

Insertion of Seventh Schedule into the Regulations of 1963.

10. The Regulations of 1963 are amended by the substitution of the following for Article 37(2)

“(2) Every reflector, other than a rear marking sign bearing the words ‘Long Vehicle’, with which a vehicle is equipped and which is visible from outside the vehicle shall be

(

a

) red, if facing to the rear,

(

b

) amber, if facing to the side,

(

c

) white, if facing to the front.”.

Insertion of Articles 38A-38D into the Regulations of 1963.

11. The Regulations of 1963 are amended by the insertion of the following after Article 38

“Rear marking.

12. Article 41(2) of the Regulations of 1963 is amended by the substitution for Article 41(2)(ix) of the following

“(ix) a work lamp fitted to an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural machine.”.

Amendment of Article 48 of the Regulations of 1963.

13. Article 48(2)(

a

)(iv) and Article 49(6) of the Regulations of 1963 are amended by the substitution for “ploughing” of “work”.

Amendment of Article 52 of the Regulations of 1963.

14. Article 52 of the Regulations of 1963 is amended by

(

a

) the deletion in Article 52(1) of “on land or”,

(

b

) the substitution for Article 52(2) of the following

“(2)(

a

) This sub-article applies to

(i) an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural machine manufactured or first registered prior to 1 January 1980;

(ii) an agricultural trailer, fully mounted agricultural equipment or interchangeable towed equipment drawn by or attached to a vehicle referred to in sub-paragraph (i) of this paragraph.

(

b

) The requirements of Parts II and V of these Regulations shall not apply in the day time to a vehicle to which this sub-article applies.”,

(

c

) the substitution for Article 52(3) of the following

“(3) The requirement of Part II of these Regulations that a vehicle or combination of vehicles be fitted with direction indicators shall not apply in relation to a vehicle referred to in sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (

a

) of the preceding sub-article, manufactured or first registered prior to 1 January 1980, or to a vehicle referred to in sub-paragraph (ii) of paragraph (

a

) of the preceding sub-article attached thereto.”,

(

d

) the substitution for Article 52(4)(

b

) of the following

“(

b

) Where a goods or agricultural vehicle combination is being used to carry a load projecting to the rear in such manner that it is not possible to fit lamps or reflectors to which this sub-article applies (or any of them) to the vehicle in the manner prescribed in Part II or Part V of these Regulations so that such lamps or reflectors shall not be obscured by the load, such lamps or reflectors shall be fitted to the load instead of to the vehicle, but otherwise in accordance with these Regulations as if references to the extreme rear of the load were substituted in these Regulations for references to the extreme rear of the vehicle.”,

(

e

) the substitution for Article 52(13) of the following

“(13) The requirement of Part II of these Regulations that a vehicle be fitted with stop lamps shall not apply to a mechanically propelled vehicle, or a trailer attached thereto, which has a maximum design speed not exceeding 40 kilometres per hour on a dry level road under normal atmospheric conditions unless that vehicle is an agricultural vehicle combination comprising an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural machine and an agricultural trailer or interchangeable towed equipment manufactured or first registered on or after 1 January 1980.”,

(

f

) the substitution for Article 52(18)(

a

)(xiii) of the following

“(xiii) as a Customs and Excise patrol vehicle, or

(xix) as an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural machine, (except vintage agricultural tractors used solely for vintage rallies or display).”,

(

g

) the substitution for Article 52(18)(

b

)(i)(II) of the following

“(II) paragraph (

a

)(viii) to (xix), be amber,”,

(

h

) the substitution after Article 52(18)(

b

)(vi) of the following

“(vii) the lamp, in the case of an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural machine shall be lit at all times when the vehicle is in use in a public place.”, and

(i) the substitution in Article 52(22) for “implement” of “agricultural machine”.

Insertion of Fifth Schedule into the Regulations of 1963.

15. The Regulations of 1963 are amended by the insertion after the Fourth Schedule of the following

Article 38A

“FIFTH SCHEDULE

REAR MARKING SPECIFICATION

Part 1

Specification of Rear Marking referred to in Article 1 of the Regulations.

16. The Regulations of 1963 are amended by the insertion after the Fifth Schedule of the following

Article 38B

“SIXTH SCHEDULE

SIDE MARKING SPECIFICATION

Part 1

16A. Side marker lamps, in the case of a vehicle being a trailer to which this Part of these Regulations applies, shall consist of lamps fitted to the vehicle complying with the marking requirements, and satisfying the technical requirements, in respect of side marker lamps, in—

(

a

) Council Directive 76/758/EEC as last amended by Commission Directive 97/30/EC, or

(

b

) UN/ECE Regulation 91,

and the fitment provisions contained in 6.18 of UN/ECE Regulation 48.”

Amendment of Article 18 of the Regulations of 1963.

17. The Regulations of 1963 are amended by the insertion after the Sixth Schedule of the following

Article 38C

“SEVENTH SCHEDULE

REAR MARKING SIGN SPECIFICATION

Specification of Rear Marking sign or signs

Part 1

38A. (1) This article applies to

(

a

) goods vehicles (not being dumpers) with a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500kg;

(

b

) goods vehicles which are articulated vehicles and have a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500kg;

(

c

) the drawing component of an articulated vehicle where such component has a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500kg;

(

d

) tractors (not being agricultural tractors);

(

e

) goods trailers and agricultural trailers with a design gross vehicle weight exceeding 3,500kg.

(2) This article shall not apply to

(

a

) vehicles of the Defence Forces;

(

b

) fire brigade vehicles;

(

c

) vehicles in course of manufacture or completion which are lawfully being driven to or from the premises of vehicle assemblers, vehicle body builders or vehicle distributors;

(

d

) an agricultural tractor;

(

e

) fully mounted agricultural equipment;

(

f

) interchangeable towed equipment;

(

g

) a self-propelled agricultural machine.

(3) Subject to sub-article (5), a vehicle to which this article applies shall at all times while used in a public place display at the rear of such vehicle a rear marking in conformity with the specification in either Part 1 or Part 2 of the Fifth Schedule, or in the case of an agricultural trailer manufactured on or after 1 January 2016, with the specification in Part 2 of the Fifth Schedule to these Regulations.

(4) Every rear marking displayed in accordance with this article on a vehicle in a public place shall be kept clean and unobscured.

(5) Where a vehicle is being loaded or unloaded in a public place and the loading or unloading is of such a nature as would be likely to cause damage to rear markings on the vehicle the provisions of sub-article (3) shall not apply during the course of such loading or unloading.

Side marking.

38B. (1) This article applies to the vehicles to which Article 38A applies and also to a trailer in a combination of vehicles where such combination exceeds or such combination and its load exceed 11 metres, or 10 metres in the case of an agricultural tractor and trailer combination, in overall length.

(2) For the purpose of sub-article (1) a load which projects more than 1,100 millimetres beyond the rear lamps of a vehicle shall be deemed to be part of the vehicle.

(3) For the purpose of sub-article (1) the overall length of a combination of vehicles shall be the distance between vertical planes at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the drawing and drawn components comprised in such combination (while such axes are in the same vertical and parallel horizontal planes) and passing through the extreme projecting points at the front and rear of such combination.

(4) Subject to sub-article (6), a vehicle to which this article applies shall at all times while used in a public place display on each side of such vehicle a side marking in conformity with the specification in either Part 1 or Part 2 of the Sixth Schedule, or in the case of an agricultural trailer manufactured on or after 1 January 2016, with the specification in Part 2 of the Sixth Schedule to these Regulations.

(5) A trailer to which this article applies shall display side markings as though it were a separate vehicle.

(6) Where a vehicle is being loaded or unloaded in a public place and the loading or unloading is of such a nature as would be likely to cause damage to side markings on the vehicle the provisions of sub-article (4) shall not apply during the course of such loading or unloading.

Rear marking sign.

38C. (1) A combination of vehicles or an articulated vehicle which exceeds 13 metres in overall length shall at all times while in use in a public place display one rear marking sign or two rear marking signs in conformity with the specification in either Part 1 or Part 2 of the Seventh Schedule to these Regulations.

(2) This article shall not apply to

(

a

) vehicles of the Defence Forces;

(

b

) fire brigade vehicles;

(

c

) vehicles in course of manufacture or completion which are lawfully being driven to or from the premises of vehicle assemblers, vehicle body builders or vehicle distributors;

(

d

) a broken down vehicle being towed by another mechanically propelled vehicle.

(3) Every rear marking sign displayed in accordance with this article on a vehicle in a public place shall be kept clean and unobscured and shall be plainly visible to the rear except when the vehicle is being loaded or unloaded.

(4) For the purposes of this article “overall length” has the meaning specified in Regulation 24 of the Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 2003 (

S.I. No. 5 of 2003

).

Non-application to interchangeable towed equipment.

38D. The provisions of Articles 38A, 38B and 38C shall not apply to interchangeable towed equipment falling within the definition of an agricultural trailer due to the ratio of the design gross vehicle weight to the unladen weight being equal to or greater than 3.0.”.

Amendment of Article 41 of the Regulations of 1963.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

10

th June

, 2014.

I, LEO VARADKAR Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by

sections 5

and

11

of the

Road Traffic Act 1961

(No. 24 of 1961) and the National Roads and Road Traffic (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 (

S.I. No. 298 of 2002

) (as adapted by the Transport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 (

S.I. No. 141 of 2011

)) hereby make the following regulations

Part 1Preliminary and General

Citation.