The Road Traffic Exemptions (Special Forces) (Variation and Amendment) Regulations 2011

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations vary statutory provisions which impose speed limits and make amendments to other road traffic requirements to provide exemptions for drivers who are members of the special forces (defined in regulation 1(2)) using vehicles in response to a national security emergency or whilst being trained or practising to do so.

It is a condition of the exemptions, when responding to an actual emergency or practising to do so, that drivers have been trained in the driving of vehicles at high speeds.

The regulations—

(a) provide that speed limits imposed by or under—

(i) section 81(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (“the 1984 Act”),

(ii) existing orders or notices under section 14 of the 1984 Act,

(iii) existing orders under section 16A, 84(1) or 88 of the 1984 Act,

(iv) regulations under section 17 of the 1984 Act,

(v) section 3 of the Transport and Works Act 1992, and

(vi) any local Act,

are varied so as to exempt special forces drivers using vehicles in response to a national security emergency or whilst being trained or practising to do so (regulation 2);

(b) provide that—

(i) orders or notices to be made under section 14 of the 1984 Act in relation to roads in England which impose a speed limit,

(ii) orders to be made under section 16A of that Act in relation to roads in England or Scotland which impose a speed limit, and

(iii) orders to be made under section 84(1) of that Act in relation to roads in England,

must exempt special forces drivers using vehicles in response to a national security emergency or whilst being trained or practising to do so (regulation 3); and

(c) amend other legislation to allow the use of flashing headlamps, rear-showing blue lights and two-tone sirens; stop lights at pedestrian crossings to be ignored, where it is safe to do so, and specified traffic signs not to be heeded by special forces drivers using vehicles in response to a national security emergency or whilst being trained or practising to do so (regulations 4 to 7).

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

The Explanatory Memorandum is available alongside the instrument at www.legislation.gov.uk.