The Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982

Interpretation

3.—(1) In these Regulations, the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them:—

(a) “the Act of 1967” means the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967;

(b) “carriageway” means that part of a motorway which—

(i) is constructed with a surface suitable for the regular passage of vehicular motor traffic along the motorway,

(ii) has on each side either a hard shoulder, a raised kerb, or a central reservation, and

(iii) has the approximate position of its edges marked with a traffic sign of the type shown in diagram 1012.1 in Schedule 2 to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1981(1);

(c) “central reservation” means that part of a motorway which separates the carriageway to be used by vehicles travelling in one direction from the carriageway to be used by vehicles travelling in the opposite direction;

(d) “excluded traffic” means traffic which is not traffic of Classes I or II;

(e) “hard shoulder” means a part of the motorway which is adjacent to and situated on the left hand or near side of the carriageway when facing in the direction in which vehicles may be driven in accordance with Regulation 6, and which is designed to take the weight of a vehicle;

(f) “motorway” means any road or part of a road to which these Regulations apply by virtue of Regulation 4;

(g) “verge” means any part of a motorway which is not a carriageway, a hard shoulder, or a central reservation.

(2) A vehicle shall be treated for the purposes of any provision of these Regulations as being on any part of a motorway specified in that provision if any part of the vehicle (whether it is at rest or not) is on the part of the motorway so specified.

(3) Any provision of these Regulations containing any prohibition or restriction relating to the driving, moving or stopping of a vehicle, or to its remaining at rest, shall be construed as a provision that no person shall use a motorway by driving, moving or stopping the vehicle or by causing or permitting it to be driven or moved, or to stop or remain at rest, in contravention of that prohibition or restriction.

(4) In these Regulations references to numbered classes of traffic are references to the classes of traffic set out in Schedule 4 to the Highways Act 1980(2).

(1)

S.I. 1981/859.

(2)

1980 c. 66.