S.I. No. 98/2003 - Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations 2003

I, Séamus Brennan, Minister for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 3 and 35 (as amended by section 62 of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001 (No. 55 of 2001)) of the Road Traffic Act 1994 (No. 7 of 1994), and the National Roads and Road Traffic (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 ( S.I. No. 298 of 2002 ) (as adapted by the Public Enterprise (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002 ( S.I. No. 305 of 2002 )), hereby make the following regulations:

1.   (1)   These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking (Amendment) Regulations 2003.

(2)   The Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 and 1998 and these Regulations may be cited together as the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 to 2003 and shall be construed together as one.

2.   (1)   In these Regulations -

“Principal Regulations” means the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 ( S.I. No. 182 of 1997 );

“Regulations of 1998” means the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment Regulations 1998 ( S.I. No. 274 of 1998 );

“light rail vehicle” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 (1) of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001 (No. 55 of 2001):

“light railway” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 (1) of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001 ;

“tram” means a light rail vehicle;

“tram lane” shall be construed in accordance with Article 8;

“tram-only street” shall be construed in accordance with Article 9.

(2)   A reference in these Regulations to a traffic sign means a reference to a traffic sign specified in the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations 1997 to 2003 and any number referred to in association with a traffic sign shall be the number allocated to such sign in such Regulations.

(3)    In these Regulations, unless otherwise indicated -

(a)   a reference to an Article or to a Schedule is to an Article of or a Schedule to these Regulations, and

(b)   a reference to a sub-article is a reference to the Article in which the reference occurs.

3.   Article 4 of the Principal Regulations is amended -

(a)   by substituting for sub-article (5) the following:

“(5) (a)  Subject to paragraph (b), a reference in these Regulations to a vehicle unless otherwise specified, means a mechanically propelled vehicle (other than a mechanically propelled wheelchair) and a pedal cycle.

(b)   In Articles 20 and 21 insofar as they relate to either traffic sign number RRM 017 (stop line) or traffic sign number RRM 018 (yield line), and Articles 6, 7, 8(1) and 31, of these Regulations a reference to a vehicle shall be construed as including a reference to a light rail vehicle.”, and

(b)   by inserting after sub-article (7) the following:

“(8) In Article 8, other than sub-article (1), and Articles 10, 12, 18, 31 and 48, of these Regulations a reference to a driver shall be construed as including a reference to the driver of a light rail vehicle.”.

4.   The following Article is substituted for Article 19 of the Principal Regulations -

“19. (1) Subject to sub-article (2), whenever a member of the Garda Síochána gives a signal described in column (1) of Table C in the Second Schedule, drivers and pedestrians shall act in accordance with the duty specified in column (2) of that Table opposite the signal described in column (1).

(2) The last two duties specified in column (2) of Table C in the Second Schedule do not apply to the driver of a light rail vehicle.”.

5.   (1)   The driver of a light rail vehicle shall stop the vehicle in advance of traffic sign number RUS 034 (tram stop sign).

(2)   Where both traffic sign number RUS 034 (tram stop sign) and either traffic sign number RRM 031 (tram stop line) or traffic sign number RRM 017 (stop line) are provided, the driver of a light rail vehicle shall stop the vehicle in advance of traffic sign number RRM 031 (tram stop line) or traffic sign number RRM 017 (stop line).

6.   The driver of a light rail vehicle approaching a road junction or other location at which traffic sign number RUS 035 (tram yield sign) has been provided shall yield the right of way to traffic, including other light rail vehicles.

7.   Article 22 of the Principal Regulations is amended by substituting “traffic, other than a light rail vehicle, shall proceed“ for “traffic shall proceed”.

8. (1)   A tram lane is that part of a roadway on which, subject to this Article, a tram only may be driven and shall be indicated by means of traffic sign number RUS 036 or traffic sign number RUS 037 used in association with traffic sign number RRM 032.

(2)   Subject to this Article, a person shall not enter a tram lane with a vehicle other than a light rail vehicle during the period of operation of the tram lane which shall be indicated on an information plate.

(3)   Sub-article (2) does not apply to a vehicle crossing a tram lane solely for the purpose of -

(i)     entering or leaving premises or property adjacent to such a tram lane.

(ii)    access to or egress from a road adjacent to the tram lane, or

(iii)   entering or leaving a road inset adjacent to such a tram lane in order to load or unload goods.

(4)   Sub-article (2) does not apply to a vehicle entering a tram lane solely for the purpose of overtaking another vehicle.

9. (1)   A tram-only street means a street or part thereof on which, subject to this Article, a tram can only be driven in accordance with this Article and shall be indicated by means of traffic sign number RUS 011 accompanied by an information plate which shall be placed below the sign and on which will be displayed in black letters on a white background either the words-

(a) “Except Trams - Ach amháin Tramanna”, or

(b) “Except Trams and Access - Ach amháin Tramanna agus Rochtain”.

(2)   Subject to sub-article (3), a person shall not enter a tram-only street or part thereof in the city of Dublin specified in the Schedule with a vehicle other than a light rail vehicle during the period indicated on an information plate accompanying traffic sign number RUS 011.

(3)   Where traffic sign number RUS 011 is accompanied by an information plate placed below the sign and displaying in black letters on a white background the words “Except Trams and Access - Ach amháin Tramanna agus Rochtain”, sub-article (2) does not apply so as to prohibit access.

10.  A person shall not stop or park a vehicle (other than a light rail vehicle) in a tram lane during the period of operation of the tram lane indicated on the information plate.

11.  Where there is a light railway, a pedestrian shall not proceed past the point at which traffic sign number RUS 038 is provided.

12. (1)   Where traffic sign number RTS 008 is provided or is provided with either traffic sign number RRM 031 (tram stop line) or traffic sign number RRM 017 (stop line), the driver of a light rail vehicle shall not drive the vehicle past either sign.

(2)   The driver of a light rail vehicle facing traffic sign number RTS 009 may proceed beyond the sign, or beyond traffic sign number RRM 031 (tram stop line) or traffic sign number RRM 017 (stop line) where such traffic sign is also provided, provided no other road user is endangered.

(3)   The driver of a light rail vehicle facing -

(a) traffic sign number -

(i)   RTS 010 may proceed beyond the sign to the left, or

(ii)  RTS 011 may proceed beyond the sign to the right, and

(b) where traffic sign number RRM 031 (tram stop line) or traffic sign number RRM 017 (stop line) is also provided, may proceed beyond the sign,

provided no other road user is endangered.

(4)   The driver of a light rail vehicle approaching traffic sign number RTS 012 shall not drive the light rail vehicle past the sign, or past traffic sign number RRM 031 (tram stop line) or traffic sign number RRM 017 (stop line) where such traffic sign is also provided, save when the light rail vehicle is so close to the sign that it cannot safely be stopped before passing the sign or traffic sign numbers RRM 031 or RRM 017.

Schedule

Tram-only streets

Article 9

1.   Steevens Lane between its junction with St John's Road West and its junction with the northernmost access road to Steevens Hospital.

2.   Sean Heuston Bridge.

3.   Arran Quay Terrace between its junction with Burges Lane and its junction with Smithfield.

4.   Chancery Street for a distance of 63 metres west of its junction with Greek Street.

5.   Abbey Street Upper between its junction with Wolfe Tone Street and its junction with Jervis Street.

6.   Peter Place for a distance of 32 metres south of its junction with Adelaide Road.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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

These regulations amend the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 and 1998 to provide for certain road facilities for light rail vehicles and to apply certain existing regulations to light rail vehicles or to the driver of a light rail vehicle.