S.I. No. 358/1980:

ROAD TRAFFIC (SIGNS) (BUS LANE) REGULATIONS, 1980.

ROAD TRAFFIC (SIGNS) (BUS LANE) REGULATIONS, 1980.

The Minister for the Environment in exercise of the powers vested in him by section 5 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961) and section 95 of the said Act, as amended by section 6 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968 (No. 25 of 1968) hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Signs) (Bus Lane) Regulations, 1980.

(2) These Regulations and the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1962 to 1979 may be collectively cited as the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations 1962 to 1980.

2. The Road Traffic (Signs) (Bus Lane) Regulations, 1979 ( S.I. No. 413 of 1979 ) are hereby revoked.

3. In these Regulations:--

"The Principal Regulations" means the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1962 ( S.I. No. 171 of 1962 ).

"access" means access by vehicles to premises adjacent to or accessible only from a road and includes stopping a vehicle on a roadway solely for the purpose of loading or unloading goods on to or from such vehicle from or to such premises.

"bus lane" means a part of a roadway marked with the roadway markings referred to in article 4 and provided with the regulatory traffic sign referred to in article 5 of these Regulations in which classes of vehicles other than omnibuses, classes of vehicles set out in bye-laws relating to the bus lane and, where sign A or B referred to in the Second Schedule to these Regulations is provided in conjunction with a bus lane, pedal bicycles, are prohibited or are prohibited between the times indicated on a plate provided in accordance with article 5 (2) of these Regulations.

4. The roadway markings to indicate a bus lane shall consist of--

( a ) a continuous white line or lines 250 millimetres wide save where one edge of the bus lane coincides with the centre line of a roadway between the bus lane and an adjoining traffic lane and,

( b ) lettering the dimensions and design of which shall be as set out in the First Schedule to these Regulations.

5. (1) The Regulatory traffic sign to indicate a bus lane and, in the case of sign C, to indicate the direction in which vehicles using the bus lane shall proceed shall be any one of the signs set out in the Second Schedule to these Regulations and, notwithstanding the provisions of article 8 of the Principal Regulations, shall consist of a blue rectangle with the appropriate symbols shown in white.

(2) The signs set out in the Second Schedule to these Regulations may be accompanied by a rectangular plate which shall be placed below the sign and on which is shown in black letters on a white ground information in regard to the prohibition referred to in article 3 of these Regulations including the days and hours when the prohibition applies.

6. The First Schedule to the Principal Regulations is hereby amended by the addition to Part VI of the following paragraphs:--

"13. Where sign 204 is used at the entrance to a bus lane it shall be accompanied by a rectangular plate which shall be placed below the sign and on which is shown in black letters on a white ground the message--'Except Buses'.

14. Where sign 216 is used at the entrance to a road it may be accompanied by a rectangular plate which shall be placed below the sign and on which is shown in black letters on a white ground the message 'Except Buses and Access' to indicate that the prohibition indicated by the said sign does not apply in the case of omnibuses and vehicles entering the road for access only".

7. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of February, 1981.

FIRST SCHEDULE

SECOND SCHEDULE

As an alternative a sign of the dimensions shown in brackets may be used.

As an alternative a sign of the dimensions shown in brackets may be used.

As an alternative a sign of the dimensions shown in brackets may be used.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment

this 26th day of November, 1980.

RAPHAEL P. BURKE,

Minister for the Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations provide for the use of new roadway markings and regulatory traffic signs to indicate that part of a roadway is a bus lane in which specified vehicles only are permitted.