Correspondence from the Department for
Transport to Mountain Rescue England and Wales
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
TO THE
ROAD VEHICLE
LIGHTING REGULATIONS
1989 AND REGULATION
37 OF THE
ROAD VEHICLES
(CONSTRUCTION AND
USE) REGULATIONS
1986
Thank you for your letter of 15 March to Catherine
Parton regarding the proposed amendments to the regulations. Your
views will be taken into account in the consultation process and
we will forward our consultation response to you once it is completed.
You also made further comment on amending the
Regulations to allow additional types of vehicle to fit blue warning
beacons. The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (RVLR) restrict
the fitment and use of blue warning beacons to emergency vehicles,
which under the definition given include "vehicles used for
fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes". This category
of emergency vehicle is also allowed under the Road Vehicles (Construction
and Use) Regulations 1986 to use two tone sirens. Section 87 of
the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 provides that these vehicles
are exempt from speed limits in an emergency.
There are other types of vehicles that are defined
as emergency vehicles under RVLR. Such as "an ambulance being
a vehicle (other than an invalid carriage) which is constructed
or adapted for the purposes of conveying sick, injured or disabled
parsons and which is used for such purposes" and a vehicle
used "by the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service for
the purposes of rescue operations or any other emergencies".
All the vehicles that are defined as emergency vehicles under
the RVLR are permitted to use blue flashing lights however they
are not necessarily allowed to use sirens or exceed the speed
limit.
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions
(TSRGD) 1981 and the "Pelican" Pedestrian Crossings
Regulations and General Directions 1987 permitted vehicles used
for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes to go through red
traffic lights when safe to do so.
You may wish to take legal advice as to whether
your organisation falls within the categories described above.
I should explain that this is our view on the relevant legislation,
however ultimate interpretation of the law is a matter for the
courts.
Once again, thank you for taking part in the
consultation, but must add that we have no plans to add any additional
categories of vehicle to be allowed to fit blue lights at this
time.
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