Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

InterpretationN.I.

19D.—(1) In this Part—

[F1“agricultural or forestry tractor” means a motor vehicle which—

“the appointed day” means the day appointed under Article 1(2) of the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 for the coming into operation of Articles 3 to 6 of that Order;

“articulated goods vehicle” means a motor vehicle which is so constructed that a trailer designed to carry goods may by partial superimposition be attached to it in such manner as to cause a substantial part of the weight of the trailer to be borne by the motor vehicle, and “articulated goods vehicle combination” means an articulated goods vehicle with a trailer so attached;

“British external licence” and “British forces licence” have the meanings given by Article 4(10);

“Community licence” means a document issued in respect of[F1 an EEA State] other than the United Kingdom by an authority of that or[F1 another EEA State] (including the United Kingdom) authorising the holder to drive a motor vehicle, not being—

[F1“counterpart”

“disability” has the meaning given by Article 9(2);

“disqualified” means disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence (or, in cases where the disqualification is limited, a licence to drive motor vehicles of the class to which the disqualification relates);

[F1“EEA Agreement” means the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993;

“EEA State” means a State which is a Contracting Party to the EEA Agreement;]

[F4“EEA State exchangeable licence” means a licence–

[F1[F5“exchangeable licence” means an EEA State exchangeable licence or a document authorising a person to drive a motor vehicle (not being a document mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) of the definition of “Community licence”)–

and a licence of a description so specified as to which provision is made as mentioned in paragraph (2B) is only an exchangeable licence to the extent that it authorises its holder to drive vehicles of a class specified in the order;]]

“full licence” means a licence other than a provisional licence;

“Great Britain driving licence” or “Great Britain licence” means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under the law of Great Britain[F3 and “Great Britain counterpart” means the document issued with the Great Britain licence as a counterpart under the law of Great Britain];

[F1“large goods licence” has the meaning given by Article 78;]

“licence” (except where the context otherwise requires) means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under this PartF1. . . ;

“maximum gross weight”, in relation to a motor vehicle or trailer, means the weight of the vehicle laden with the heaviest load which it is constructed or adapted to carry;

“maximum train weight”, in relation to an articulated goods vehicle combination, means the weight of the combination laden with the heaviest load which it is constructed or adapted to carry;

[F1“medium-sized goods vehicle” means a motor vehicle—

and includes a combination of such a motor vehicle and a trailer where the relevant maximum weight of the trailer does not exceed 750 kilograms;

“moped” means a motor vehicle which has fewer than four wheels and—

“motor bicycle” means a motor vehicle which—

and includes a combination of such a motor vehicle and a side-car;]

[F7“motorway” means a road to which Part III of Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 applies;]

“passenger-carrying vehicle” has the meaning given by Article 78;

“permissible maximum weight”, in relation to a goods vehicle (of whatever description), means—

“prospective disability” has the meaning given by Article 9(2);

“provisional licence” means a licence granted by virtue of Article 13(2);

“regulations” means regulations made under Article 19C;

“relevant disability” has the meaning given by Article 9(2);

“relevant external law” has the meaning given by Article 4(10);

“relevant maximum weight”, in relation to a motor vehicle or trailer, means—

“relevant maximum train weight”, in relation to an articulated goods vehicle combination, means—

“semi-trailer”, in relation to an articulated goods vehicle, means a trailer attached to it in the manner described in the definition of articulated goods vehicle;

[F1“small vehicle”, means a motor vehicle (other than an invalid carriage, moped or motor bicycle) which—

and includes a combination of such a motor vehicle and a trailer;]

Definitions rep. by SR 1996/426

“test of competence to drive” means such a test conducted under Article 5.

[F9(1A) In this Part “approved training course for motor cyclists” and, in relation to such a course, “prescribed certificate of completion” mean respectively any course of training approved under, and certificate of completion prescribed in, regulations under Article 13(3A).]

[F10(2) The Department may by order designate a country or territory which neither is nor forms part of an EEA State for the purposes of the definition of “exchangeable licences” in paragraph (1)–

(a)as respects all licences authorising the driving of motor vehicles granted under the law of that country or territory, where the Department is satisfied that satisfactory provision is made by that law for the granting of licences to drive motor vehicles;

(b)as respects only licences authorising the driving of motor vehicles granted under the law of that country or territory of a description specified in the order, where the Department is satisfied that satisfactory provision is made by that law for the granting of licences of that description.

(2A) An order under paragraph (2)(b) may specify a description of licence by reference to any feature of the licences concerned (including in particular the circumstances in which they are granted, any conditions to which they are subject or the classes of vehicle which they authorise the holders to drive).”.

(2B) An order under paragraph (2)(b) may provide that a licence of a specified description shall only be an exchangeable licence in so far as it authorises its holder to drive vehicles of a class specified in the order.]

(3) In the application of this Part to licences granted before 1st January 1991—

(a)any reference to a licence and its counterpart shall be construed as a reference to a licence only, and

(b)any reference to the counterpart of a licence shall be construed as a reference to the licence itself.