Regulations 21 and 23
1. Number— | |
(a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) or (h): | Two |
(b) A bus first used before 1st October 1958: | One |
(c) A solo motor bicycle: | One |
(d) A cycle with less than four wheels and without a sidecar: | One |
(e) A trailer drawn by a cycle and a trailer, the overall width of which does not exceed 800 mm, drawn by a solo motor bicycle or by a motor bicycle combination: | One |
(f) An invalid carriage having a maximum speed not exceeding 4 mph: | One |
(g) A vehicle drawn or propelled by hand: | One |
(h) A motor vehicle having three or more wheels and a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph and a trailer drawn by any such vehicle if, in either case, the structure of the vehicle makes it impracticable to meet all of the relevant requirements of paragraphs 2 and 3 with two lamps: | Four |
2. Position— | |
(a) Longitudinal: | At or near the rear |
(b) Lateral— | |
(i)Where two lamps are required to be fitted— | |
(A)Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle— | |
(1)Any vehicle not covered by sub- sub-head (2): | 400 mm |
(2)A motor vehicle first used before 24th January 1996 and any other vehicle manufactured before 24th January 1996: | 800 mm |
(B)Minimum separation distance between a pair of rear position lamps— | |
(1)Any vehicle not covered by sub-sub-head (2): | 500 mm. If the overall width of the vehicle is less than 1400 mm, 400 mm or if less than 800 mm, 300 mm |
(2)A motor vehicle first used before 24th January 1996 and any other vehicle manufactured before 24th January 1996: | No requirement |
(ii)Where one lamp is required to be fitted: | On the centre-line or off side of the vehicle |
(iii)Where four lamps are required to be fitted— | |
(A)Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle— | |
(1)One pair of lamps: | Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in sub-head 2(b)(i)(A) |
(2)The other pair of lamps: | No requirement |
(B)Minimum separation distance between rear position lamps— | |
(1)One pair of lamps: | Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in sub-head 2(b)(i)(B) |
(2)The other pair of lamps: | No requirement |
(c) Vertical— | |
(i)Maximum height above the ground where one or two rear position lamps are required to be fitted— | |
(A)Any vehicle not covered by sub-head (B) or (C): | 1500 mm or, if the superstructure makes this impracticable, 2100 mm |
(B)A bus first used before 24th January 1996: | 1050 mm |
(C)A motor vehicle first used before 24th January 1996 not being a bus, a trailer manufactured before 24th January 1996, an agricultural vehicle, a horse-drawn vehicle, an industrial tractor and engineering plant: | 2100 mm |
(ii)Maximum height above the ground where four rear position lamps are required to be fitted— | |
(A)One pair of lamps: | Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in paragraph 2(c)(i) |
(B)The other pair of lamps: | No requirement |
(iii)Minimum height above the ground: | 350 mm |
3. Angles of visibility— | |
(a) A motor vehicle, other than a motor bicycle combination, first used on or after 24th January 1996 and a trailer manufactured on or after 24th January 1996— | |
(i)Horizontal— | |
(A)Where two lamps are required to be fitted: | 45° inwards and 80° outwards |
(B)Where one lamp is required to be fitted: | 80° to the left and to the right |
(C)Where four lamps are required to be fitted— | |
(1)The outer pair of lamps: | 0° inwards and 80° outwards |
(2)The inner pair of lamps: | 45° inwards and 80° outwards |
(ii)Vertical— | |
(A)Where one or two rear position lamps are required to be fitted— | |
(1)Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (2) or (3): | 15° above and below the horizontal |
(2)Where the highest part of the illuminated area of the lamp is less than 1500 mm above the ground: | 15° above and 10° below the horizontal |
(3)Where the highest part of the illuminated area of the lamp is less than 750 mm above the ground: | 15° above and 5° below the horizontal |
(B)Where four rear position lamps are required to be fitted— | |
(1)One pair of lamps: | Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in paragraph 3(a)(ii)(A) |
(2)The other pair of lamps: | Visible to the rear |
(b) A motor vehicle, other than a motor bicycle combination, first used before 24th January 1996 and any other vehicle manufactured before 24th January 1996: | Visible to the rear |
(c) A vehicle drawn or propelled by hand, a pedal cycle, a horse-drawn vehicle and a motor bicycle combination: | Visible to the rear |
4. Alignment: | To the rear |
5. Markings (see also regulation 2(5))— | |
(a) A motor vehicle or a trailer not covered by sub-paragraph (b), (c), (d) or (e): | An approval mark |
(b) A motor vehicle first used before 1st January 1974 and a trailer, other than a trailer drawn by a cycle, manufactured before that date: | No requirement |
(c) A solo motor bicycle and a motor bicycle combination, in each case first used before 24th January 1996, and a trailer manufactured before 24th January 1996 and drawn by a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination: | No requirement |
(d) A cycle, a trailer drawn by a cycle, an invalid carriage having a maximum speed not exceeding 4 mph, a horse-drawn vehicle and a vehicle drawn or propelled by hand in each case manufactured before 24th January 1996: | An approval mark or a British Standard mark |
(e) A cycle, a trailer drawn by a cycle, an invalid carriage having a maximum speed not exceeding 4 mph, a horse-drawn vehicle and a vehicle drawn or propelled by hand in each case manufactured on or after 24th January 1996. | An approval mark or the British Standard mark which is specified in sub-paragraph (c) of the definition of “British Standard mark” |
6. Size of illuminated area: | No requirement |
7. Colour: | Red |
8. Wattage: | No requirement |
9. Intensity— | |
(a) A rear position lamp bearing any of the markings mentioned in paragraph 5: | No requirement |
(b) Any other rear position lamp: | Visible from a reasonable distance |
10. Electrical connections: | No individual requirement |
11. Tell-tale: | No requirement |
12. Other requirements—
Except in the case of a motor vehicle first used before 24th January 1996, any other vehicle manufactured before 24th January 1996 and a motor bicycle combination, where two rear position lamps are required to be fitted they shall form a matched pair and where four rear position lamps are required to be fitted they shall form two matched pairs.
13. Definitions—
In this Schedule “approval mark” means—
(a)in relation to a solo motor bicycle, a motor bicycle combination and a trailer drawn by a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination, a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 50A of Schedule 2 to those Regulations, and
(b)in relation to any other motor vehicle or any other trailer, either—
(i)a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 6 or, if combined with a stop lamp, at item 8 of Schedule 4 to those Regulations, or
(ii)a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 7A or, if combined with a stop lamp, at item 7C of Schedule 2 to those Regulations; and
“British Standard mark” means—
the mark indicated in the specification for cycle rear lamps published by the British Standards Institution under the reference 3648: 1963 as amended by Amendment PD 6137 published in May 1967 and by AMD 4753 published in July 1985;
the mark indicated in the specification for photometric and physical requirements for lighting equipment published by the British Standards Institution under the reference BS 6102: Part 3: 1986, namely “BS 6102/3”; or
the mark indicated in the specification for photometric and physical requirements for lighting equipment published by the British Standards Institution under the reference BS 6102: Part 3: 1986 as amended by AMD 5821 published on the 29th April 1988, namely “6102/3”.
Any number may be fitted and the only requirement prescribed by these Regulations in respect of any which are fitted is that specified in paragraph 7 of Part I.