Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 so as to—

• make provision in relation to the fitting of the conspicuity markings provided for by paragraph 6.21 of ECE Regulation 48 (ECE Regulations are international standards) (regulations 6, 7, 8, 11, 17 and 18);

• permit retro reflective material of certain colours (used in a design known as the battenberg pattern) to be fitted to vehicles used for police, fire and rescue, ambulance or Driver and Vehicle Agency enforcement purposes (regulations 4, 5, 14 and 16);

• amend the definition of emergency vehicle to include vehicles used for search and rescue purposes (regulation 2);

• amend the weight requirements in respect of goods vehicles that are exempted from requirements in certain circumstances to have lamps illuminated when parked on certain roads (regulation 9); and

• align certain fitting requirements relating to direction indicators and front and rear retro reflectors with ECE Regulations (regulations 12, 13 and 15).

These Regulations have been notified to the European Commission pursuant to European Parliament and Council Directive 98/34/EC of 22^nd June 1998 (O.J. No. L204, 21.7.98, p. 37) as amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 98/48/EC of 20^th July 1998 (O.J. No. L217, 5.8.98, p. 18) laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services.

Copies of the EC Directives can be obtained from TSO, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GD.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been produced and may be obtained from the Department of the Environment website at www.roadsafetyni.gov.uk.