Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Additional exits from double-decked coaches

64.—(1) This regulation applies to a coach which is—

(a)a double-decked vehicle; and

(b)first used on or after 1st April 1990.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) a vehicle to which this regulation applies shall be equipped with two staircases, one of which shall be located in one half of the vehicle and the other in the other half of the vehicle.

(3) Instead of being equipped with two staircases in accordance with paragraph (2), the vehicle may be equipped with a hammer or other similar device with which in case of emergency any side window of the vehicle may be broken.

(4) Where the vehicle is equipped with—

(a)a staircase located in one half of the vehicle; and

(b)an emergency exit complying with regulation 14(8) of the Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment and Use) Regulations 1995(1) located in the same half of the upper deck of the vehicle,

the hammer or the similar device shall be located in the other half of that deck.

(5) Any hammer or other similar device with which a vehicle is equipped pursuant to this regulation shall be located in a conspicuous and readily accessible position in the upper deck of the vehicle.

(6) There shall be displayed, in a conspicuous position in close proximity to the hammer or other similar device, a notice which shall contain in clear and indelible lettering—

(a)in letters not less than 25mm high, the heading “IN EMERGENCY”; and

(b)in letters not less than 10mm high, instructions that in case of emergency the hammer or device is to be used first to break any side window by striking the glass near the edge of the window and then to clear any remaining glass from the window aperture.

(7) For the purposes of this regulation a staircase, emergency exit, hammer or other similar device (as the case may be) shall be considered to be located in the other half of the vehicle if the shortest distance between any part of that staircase, exit, hammer or device (as the case may be) and any part of any other staircase, emergency exit, hammer or device is not less than one half of the overall length of the vehicle.