Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment No. 5) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations further amend the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1989 (“the 1989 Regulations”) in consequence of the making of the Motor Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (“the 1999 Regulations”).

Regulation 2 amends regulation 6 of the 1989 Regulations in relation to vehicles having more than one king-pin.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 68 of the 1989 Regulations (plates for goods vehicles and buses) so as to enable plates fitted in accordance with that regulation to motor vehicles first used after 19th July 1999 or trailers manufactured after that date, to show particulars of the maximum authorised weight and maximum authorised axle weights under the 1999 Regulations as alternatives to the weights at present required to be shown on such plates.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 73 of the 1989 Regulations (maximum permitted weight of a vehicle) so as to increase to 44,000 kilograms the maximum total weight of all trailers, laden or unladen, drawn at any one time by a locomotive. Regulation 5 contains a general saving for the 1999 Regulations.

Consequential amendments are made by regulation 6 to regulation 78 of the 1989 Regulations (over-riding weight restrictions), which impose overall limits on vehicle weights, but a new paragraph (3A) is inserted to provide for a transitional exemption, ceasing on 19th July 2000, allowing plated weights to be exceeded in specified circumstances. Regulation 7 amends Schedule 9A relating to combined transport operations in accordance with Council Directive 96/53 EC.

Copies of that Directive may be obtained from The Stationery Office Bookshop, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast, BT1 4GD.