know the law
Page 47
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Les Oldridge AIRTE, MAIM!
Motorways (1)
THE Motorways Traffic Regulations 1959, as amended by the Motorways Traffic (England) (Amendment) 1966, lay down special rules for persons driving on motorways. Vehicles which can use motorways are limited, except in. special circumstances discussed later, to those falling within Class I and Class IT in Schedule 4 of the Highway Act 1959.
Vehicles in Class I are motor tractors, heavy motor cars, motor cars, motorcycles of 50 cc and over, and trailers drawn by these vehicles all of which must comply with the Construction and Use Regulations. They must also be wheeled vehicles fitted with pneumatic tyres and not normally restricted to a speed of less than 20 mph.
Vehicles in Class II are heavy and light locomotives being used in connection with the conveyance of abnormal indivisible loads and, subject to authorization by an order by the Minister, any other motor vehicle and trailer used with abnormal indivisible loads or constructed for use by HM Forces or other defence purposes.
Breakdown vehicles, falling within the light locomotive category and fitted with lifting tackle, also come within Class IT provided their speed limit is not less than 20 mph. Towing implements and disabled vehicles being towed by these recovery vehicles are included with them in Class II. Normally, then, vehicles which may use motorways are limited to those types which fall within Classes I and II listed above. Vehicles normally excluded can use a motorway to a very restricted degree on the occasions and in the emergencies listed below: (a) All mechanically propelled vehicles, other than motorcycles under 50 cc capacity and invalid carriages may use a motorway for the maintenance, repair, cleansing or clearage of any part of a motorway or for the erection, laying, placing, maintenance, testing, alteration, repair or removal of any structure, works or apparatus in, on, under or over any part of a motorway.
(b) In an emergency the Minister may authorize the use of a motorway by "excluded traffic" to enable such traffic to cross the motorway to secure access to premises abutting on or adjacent to it.
(c) The Chief Officer of Police (or an officer with the rank of superintendent or above) may authorize the use of a motorway by "excluded traffic" for a period as an alternative route when another road, not a motorway, has become impassable.
In addition to the restrictions on the types of vehicles which may use motorways, the holders of provisional driving licences may not drive on them until they have passed their driving test.
For the purposes of the regulations a motorway comprises: (1) The carriageway, ie the part used by traffic on each side of the central reservation and including the marginal strip on its nearside, if not contiguous to a raised kerb; (2) the central reservation, ie that part which separates the two carriageways; (3) the marginal strip, ie the continuous narrow strip of the nearside carriageway surface which is different in colour from the rest of the surface; (4) the verge, ie any part of a motorway on the nearside of each carriageway.
Carriageway only As well as excluding certain traffic from motorways the Regulations lay down rules governing their use. Subject to certain exceptions, dealt with later, vehicles must only be driven on the carriageway, as defined above. It is an offence to fail to conform to any traffic sign indicating "No Entry", "No Left Turn" or "No Right Turn" or to drive otherwise than with the central reservation, where there is one, on the right or offside. It is also an offence to drive the "wrong" way on the one-way entrances or exits or to make a U-turn on any one way stretch so as to be facing in the wrong direction.
No vehicle must be driven or moved backwards on the carriageway except to ,connect it to another vehicle or as far as is necessary to enable it to move forward again. The former exception obviously permits a recovery vehicle to back on to the vehicle it is about to pick up while the latter caters for the exceptional circumstance where a vehicle stops immediately in front of another and it is necessary for the second vehicle to move backwards before it can continue its journey.
Next week I hope to continue with these regulations and the exceptions to them.