Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 27th May, 2022.

I, HILDEGARDE NAUGHTON, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 3 and 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 (No. 44 of 2004) and the Transport (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 ( S.I. No. 759 of 2020 ), hereby make the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits – Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, etc) (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

2. The Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits – Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, etc) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 546 of 2008 ) are amended –

(a) in Regulation 2 –

(i) by the insertion of the following definitions:

“ ‘category N₂’ has the meaning assigned to it in Article 4(1)(b)(ii) of, and Annex I to, the Framework Regulation;

‘category N₃’ has the meaning assigned to it in Article 4(1)(b)(iii) of, and Annex I to, the Framework Regulation;

‘category O₃’ has the meaning assigned to it in Article 4(1)(c)(iii) of, and Annex I to, the Framework Regulation;

‘category O₄’ has the meaning assigned to it in Article 4(1)(c)(iv) of, and Annex I to, the Framework Regulation;

‘Framework Regulation’ means Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, amending Regulations (EC) No 715/2007 and (EC) No 595/2009 and repealing Directive 2007/46/EC;”,

and

(ii) by the deletion of the definition of “design gross vehicle weight”,

and

(b) by the substitution of the following for Regulation 4:

“4. (a) The ordinary speed limit prescribed for a Category N2 or N3 vehicle and a combination of a Category N2 or N3 vehicle when drawing a Category O3 or O4 trailer and when driven on –

(i) a motorway, is 90 kilometres per hour, or

(ii) any other public road, is 80 kilometres per hour.

(b) The ordinary speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour is prescribed in respect of all public roads for a combination of a mechanically propelled vehicle drawing another vehicle except for any combination of vehicles to which paragraph (a) refers.”.

3. The Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits – Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, Etc.) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 75 of 2012 ) are revoked.

GIVEN under my hand,

24 May, 2022.

HILDEGARDE NAUGHTON,

Minister of State at the Department of Transport.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations correct a drafting discrepancy by re-introducing the provisions of the Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits – Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 75 of 2012 ) to the Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits - Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, Etc.) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 546 of 2008 ). The Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits – Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 75 of 2012 ) are revoked.

These Regulations also update the references to the EU legislative framework for the type-approval of motor vehicles. A reference in Regulation 2 of the 2008 Regulations to the type-approval Directive 2007/46/EC is now removed and is replaced by a reference to Regulation (EU) 2018/858¹ .

1 OJ No. L151, 14.6.2018, p 1