Amendment of the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 19933.

(1)

In paragraph (1) of regulation 2 (general interpretation)—

(a)

after the definition of “the Driving Licences Regulations” insert—

““large bus” means a motor vehicle which—

(a)

is constructed or adapted for use for the carriage of passengers,

(b)

has more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat,

(c)

has four or more wheels,

(d)

has a maximum design speed exceeding 25 kilometres per hour, and

(e)

has a maximum laden weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes;

“light goods vehicle” means a goods vehicle which—

(a)

has four or more wheels,

(b)

has a maximum design speed exceeding 25 kilometres per hour,

(c)

has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes;

“licensed for private hire” in relation to a taxi means licensed to carry passengers for hire but not for standing or plying for hire on a road or public place;

“licensed for public hire” in relation to a taxi means licensed to stand or ply for hire on a road or public place;

“local service” has the meaning given by Article 24B of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 19953.”;

(b)

after the definition of “motor car” insert—

““operator” in relation to a small or large bus, means—

(a)

the owner of the bus, or

(b)

if the bus is in the possession of any other person under an agreement for hire, hire-purchase, conditional sale, loan or otherwise, that person;”;

(c)

after the definition of “seat belt” insert—

““small bus” means a motor vehicle which—

(a)

is constructed or adapted for use for the carriage of passengers,

(b)

has more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat,

(c)

has four or more wheels,

(d)

has a maximum design speed exceeding 25 kilometres per hour, and

(e)

has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes;

“taxi” has the same meaning as in Article 79A (8) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.”.

(2)

In paragraph (2) of that regulation in the definition of “small child” for “150” substitute “135”.

(3)

In paragraphs (3)(d) and (4)(b) of that regulation—

(a)

for “in a relevant vehicle (“the vehicle in question”)” in each place where those words occur substitute “in a vehicle”, and

(b)

for “in the vehicle in question in that State” in each place where those words occur substitute “in that vehicle in that State”.

(4)

For paragraph (7) of that regulation substitute—

“(7)

For the purposes of these Regulations, a seat belt is appropriate—

(a)

in relation to a small child, if it is a child restraint of a description prescribed for a child of his height and weight by regulation 8;

(b)

in relation to a large child, if it is a child restraint of a description prescribed for a child of his height and weight by regulation 8 or an adult belt; or

(c)

in relation to a person aged 14 years or more, if it is an adult belt.”.

(5)

After paragraph (8) insert the following—

“(9)

For the purposes of these Regulations, references to a bus being used to provide a local service in a built up area shall be construed in the same way as in Article 24A(5) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 19953.”