Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

Colour of light shown by lamps and reflectors

13.—(1) A vehicle shall not be fitted with a lamp or retro reflective material which is capable of showing a red light to the front, except—

(a)a red and white chequered domed lamp, or a red and white segmented mast-mounted warning beacon, fitted to a fire service control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(b)a side marker lamp or a side retro reflector;

(c)retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of—

(i)a cycle and any sidecar attached to it;

(ii)a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination; or

(iii)an invalid carriage; or

(d)a traffic sign.

(2) A vehicle shall not be fitted with a lamp or retro reflective material which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except—

(a)amber light from a direction indicator or side marker lamp;

(b)white light from a reversing lamp;

(c)white light from a work lamp;

(d)light to illuminate the interior of a vehicle;

(e)light from an illuminated rear registration plate;

(f)light for the purposes of illuminating a taxi meter;

(g)in the case of a bus, light for the purposes of illuminating a route indicator;

(h)blue light and white light from a chequered domed lamp fitted to a police control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(i)white light from a red and white chequered domed lamp, or a red and white segmented mast-mounted warning beacon, fitted to a fire service control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(j)green light and white light from a chequered domed lamp fitted to an ambulance control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(k)blue light from a warning beacon or rear special warning lamp fitted to an emergency vehicle, or from any device fitted to a vehicle used for police purposes;

(l)amber light from a warning beacon fitted to—

(i)a road clearance vehicle;

(ii)a vehicle constructed or adapted for the purpose of collecting refuse;

(iii)a breakdown vehicle;

(iv)a vehicle having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph or any trailer drawn by such a vehicle;

(v)a vehicle having an overall width (including any load) exceeding 2.9 m;

(vi)a vehicle used for the purposes of testing, maintaining, improving, cleansing, gritting, salting or watering roads or for any purpose incidental to any such use;

(vii)a vehicle used for the purpose of inspecting, cleansing, maintaining, adjusting, renewing or installing any apparatus which is in, on, under or over a road, or for any purpose incidental to any such use;

(viii)a vehicle used for or in connection with any purpose for which it is authorised to be used on roads by an order under Article 60 of the 1995 Order;

(ix)a vehicle used for escort purposes when travelling at a speed not exceeding 25 mph;

(x)a vehicle used by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise for the purpose of testing fuels;

(xi)a vehicle used for the purpose of surveying;

(xii)a vehicle used for the removal or immobilisation of vehicles in exercise of a statutory power or duty;

(m)green light from a warning beacon fitted to a vehicle used by a medical practitioner registered by the General Medical Council (whether with full, provisional or limited registration);

(n)yellow light from a warning beacon fitted to a vehicle for use at airports;

(o)light of any colour from a traffic sign which is attached to a vehicle;

(p)reflected light from amber pedal retro reflectors;

(q)reflected light of any colour from retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of—

(i)a cycle and any sidecar attached to it;

(ii)a solo motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination; or

(iii)an invalid carriage;

(r)reflected light from amber retro reflective material on a road clearance vehicle;

(s)reflected light from yellow retro reflective registration plates;

(t)reflected light from yellow retro reflective material incorporated in a prescribed rear marking fitted in the appropriate manner to—

(i)a motor vehicle having a maximum gross weight exceeding 7500 kg;

(ii)a motor vehicle first used before 1st July 1983 having an unladen weight exceeding 3000 kg;

(iii)a trailer having a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg;

(iv)a trailer manufactured before lst July 1983 having an unladen weight exceeding 1000 kg;

(v)a trailer which forms part of a combination of vehicles one of which is of a type mentioned in a previous item of this sub-paragraph;

(vi)a load carried by any vehicle;

(u)reflected light from orange retro reflective material incorporated in a sign fitted to the rear of a vehicle carrying a dangerous substance within the meaning of the Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1992(1) or the Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992(2);

(v)reflected light from yellow retro reflective material incorporated in a prescribed sign and fitted to the rear of a bus;

(w)reflected light from yellow retro reflective material incorporated in a sign fitted to the rear of a bus in accordance with paragraph (4); or

(x)reflected light from orange or yellow retro reflective material fitted to the rear of a vehicle used for police purposes.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(t), a rear marking fitted to a vehicle is a prescribed rear marking fitted in the appropriate manner if the rear marking—

(a)is a rear marking of a description specified in the entry applicable to that vehicle in the right hand column of paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 19, and

(b)complies with paragraphs 2 to 7 of that Part of that Schedule.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(w), a sign (“the secondary sign”) is fitted to the rear of a bus in accordance with this paragraph if—

(a)a prescribed sign is also fitted to the rear of the bus;

(b)the total area of the retro reflective material incorporated in the secondary sign is no greater than the area of the prescribed sign; and

(c)the secondary sign satisfies the requirements specified—

(i)in the case of a bus which is owned or hired by an Education and Library Board or any person managing an education establishment attended by children under the age of 16 years, in paragraph (5) or (6); or

(ii)in any other case, in paragraph (6).

(5) The requirements referred to in paragraph (4)(c)(i) are that the secondary sign contains no words or other markings apart from words or markings identifying the Education and Library Board or the educational establishment.

(6) The requirements referred to in paragraph (4)(c)(ii) are that the secondary sign contains no words or other markings apart from words or other markings which—

(a)indicate that children are on board the bus when it is in motion or likely to be on board the bus or in its vicinity when it is stationary, and

(b)are calculated to reduce the risk of road accidents involving such children.