Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 and shall come into operation on 1st November 1996.

(2) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989(2).

Amendments to regulation 2 (interpretation)

2.  In regulation 2(1) of the principal Regulations, in the meaning specified for the expression “overall width”—

(a)the word “or” immediately following sub-paragraph (l) shall be omitted; and

(b)after sub-paragraph (m) there shall be inserted the following—

“; or

(n)any apparatus fitted to a bus which enables it to be guided wholly or mainly by means of wheels bearing outwards against fixed apparatus, provided that no part of the apparatus projects more than 75mm beyond the side of the bus when the wheels of the bus are parallel to its longitudinal axis;

and the reference in sub-paragraph (n) to the side of a bus is a reference to the longitudinal plane passing through the extreme lateral projecting points of the vehicle inclusive of all parts of the vehicle, of any receptacle which is of permanent character and accordingly strong enough for repeated use, and any fitting on, or attached to, the vehicle except those items referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) to (n).”.

Amendments relating to width

3.—(1) Regulation 7 of the principal Regulations shall be amended as follows—

(a)in the Table in paragraph (1), for “2.50” in column 3 of items 3, 4, 5 and 6 there shall be substituted “2.55”; and

(b)in paragraph (3), for “2.5m” there shall be substituted “2.55m”.

4.  In regulation 79(14)(a) of the principal Regulations, for “2.5m” there shall be substituted “2.55m”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations further amend the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989 (“the 1989 Regulations”).

With the exception of a locomotive (not being an agricultural motor vehicle) and a refrigerated vehicle, each of which is already subject to a maximum overall width of 2.75 and 2.6 metres respectively, the maximum overall width of any other motor vehicle is increased from 2.5 metres to 2.55 metres.

The same increase in maximum overall width also applies in the case of—

(i)a trailer drawn by a motor vehicle having a maximum gross weight exceeding 3,500 kg;

(ii)an agricultural trailer;

(iii)an agricultural trailed appliance;

(iv)an off-set combination of an agricultural motor vehicle drawing a wheeled trailer; and

(v)an agricultural, horticultural or forestry implement mounted rigidly but not permanently on a wheeled agricultural motor vehicle, agricultural trailer or agricultural trailed appliance.

The definition of “overall width” in regulation 2(1) of the 1989 Regulations is amended so that in calculating the overall width of a vehicle, any guide-wheels fitted to a bus can be disregarded provided that they do not project more than 75mm beyond the side of the bus.