Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1997

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Year: 1997
• Citation: IR SI 181/1997

The Minister for the environment, in exercise of the powers vested in him by sections 5 and 86 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961), section 95 of the said Act (as amended by section 6 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968 (No. 25 of 1968) and by section 37 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994 (No. 7 of 1994)), and section 96 of the said Act (as amended by section 6 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968 (No. 25 of 1968)) hereby makes the following Regulations:—
PART I PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL
	1 Short Title.	1. These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1997.
	2 Commencement.	2. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1st day of October, 1997.
	3 Interpretation.	3. (1) In these Regulations:—
"the Act of 1961" means the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961);
"the Act of 1968" means the Road Traffic Act, 1968 (No. 25 of 1968);
"the Act of 1994" means the Road Traffic Act, 1994 (No. 7 of 1994);
"access" means entry or exit by vehicles to or from premises adjacent to or accessible only from a road and includes stopping a vehicle on a roadway solely for the purposes of loading or unloading goods on to or from such vehicle from or to such premises;
"buffer area" means an area between two parking bays;
"bus stop sign" means a sign to indicate a stopping place or stand for omnibuses provided under, or in pursuance of, section 86 of the Act of 1961;
"cycle track" means a part of a road including part of a footway or part of a roadway which is reserved for the use of pedal cycles and from which all mechanically propelled vehicles other than mechanically propelled wheelchairs are prohibited from entering except for the purpose of access;
"design" when used in relation to a sign means the layout of the sign and includes the relative size and position of any symbols, figures, letters, or other markings shown thereon;
"disabled persons parking bay'" means a space intended for the parking of a mechanically propelled vehicle in which is displayed a disabled persons parking permit;
"disabled persons parking permit" means a permit granted in accordance with Regulations made under section 35 of the Act of 1994;
"disc parking place" means a place on a public road where the parking of vehicles is subject to the exhibition of a document in accordance with bye-laws made under section 36 of the Act of 1994;
"dual carriageway" means a road, the roadway of which is divided centrally so as to provide two separate carriageways, on each of which traffic is required by a road regulation to proceed in one direction only;
"goods vehicle" means a vehicle used exclusively for carrying goods and taxed for commercial purposes;
"left" and "right" shall be construed with reference to the direction in which traffic is facing;
"loading bay" means that portion of a road indicated by means of a traffic sign on which, at certain times, a vehicle, other than a goods vehicle being used for loading or unloading, shall not be parked;
"meter parking place" means a place on a public road where the parking of vehicles is subject to the payment of fees by means of parking meters;
"one-way roadway" means a roadway, the traffic on which is for the time being required by a road regulation to proceed in one direction only;
"parking bay" means a space in a meter parking place or a disc parking place, or any other place on a public road, intended for the parking of a mechanically propelled vehicle;
"pedestrian crossing" means a portion of the roadway specially marked for use by pedestrians crossing the road;
"regulatory sign" means a sign which indicates the existence of a road regulation or implements such a regulation, or both, or indicates the existence of a provision in an enactment relating to road traffic;
"road" has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 (1) of the Roads Act, 1993 ;
"road regulation" has the meaning assigned to it by section 95(1) of the Act of 1961 (as amended by section 37 of the Act of 1994);
"roadway markings" means markings placed on the surface of the roadway;
"t" appearing on any sign represents one tonne;
"traffic" does not include pedestrians;
"traffic refuge" means a refuge for pedestrians on a roadway provided by a raised pavement, guard posts or similar means;
"traffic sign" has the meaning assigned to it by section 95(1) of the Act of 1961 (as amended by section 37 of the Act of 1994).
(2) A reference in these Regulations to an information plate accompanying a traffic sign shall, unless otherwise specified, be to an information plate which shall indicate the period during which the restriction or prohibition indicated by such traffic sign applies.
(3) (a) In these Regulations, any reference to an article or Schedule which is not otherwise identified is a reference to an article of, or Schedule to, these Regulations.
(b) In these Regulations, any reference to a sub-article, paragraph, or sub-paragraph which is not otherwise identified is a reference to the sub-article, paragraph, or sub-paragraph of the provision in which the reference occurs.
	4 Revocations.	4. The Regulations specified in the Tenth Schedule are hereby revoked.
PART II REGULATORY SIGN — UPRIGHT
	5 Mandatory Signs.	5. (1) Subject to sub-article (3), a mandatory traffic sign shall consist of a blue disc with a white border and appropriate symbols shown in white on the disc, and shall indicate
(a) the direction or route in which traffic must proceed, or
(b) a cycle track.
(2) The following shall be as set out in the First Schedule:—
(a) the dimensions and designs of signs to which this article applies, other than those specified in the Ninth Schedule;
(b) the symbols to be used on such signs;
(c) the sign numbers applying to such signs.
(3) The traffic signs RUS 001A, RUS 004A, RUS 005A, RUS 006A and RUS 009A may be provided, respectively, in lieu of the mandatory traffic sign numbers RUS 00I, RUS 004, RUS 005, RUS 006 and RUS 009 set out in the First Schedule.
	6 Prohibitory Signs.	6. (1) A prohibitory traffic sign shall consist of a white disc with a red border, appropriate symbols, figures or letters shown in black on the disc, and one or more oblique red bars, and shall indicate any of the following:—
(a) that a vehicle shall not proceed in the direction indicated in the arrow depicted on the sign; or
(b) that a vehicle, or specified type or category of vehicle, shall not enter a road at the entrance to which the traffic sign bas been provided; or
(c) that a vehicle, or a specified type or category of vehicle, shall not proceed past a certain point on a road at which the traffic sign has been provided; or
(d) that a vehicle, or a specified type or category of vehicle, shall not be parked or stopped in an area, or on a road, or on part of a road, where the traffic sign has been provided.
(2) The following shall be as set out in the Second Schedule:—
(a) the dimensions and designs at prohibitory traffic signs;
(b) the symbols, figures and letters to be used on such signs;
(c) the sign numbers applying to such signs.
(3) The traffic signs to which this article refers may be accompanied by an information plate as defined in article 3(2) or on an information plate indicating the type or category of vehicle to which the prohibition or restriction applies.
(4) Traffic sign numbers RUS 01I, RUS 012 and RUS 013 may be accompanied by a rectangular plate which shall be placed below the sign and on which may be shown in black letters on a white background, the message "Except Buses and Taxis — Ach amháin Busanna agus Tacsaithe", to indicate that the prohibitions indicated by the said signs do not apply in the case of omnibuses and taxis.
	7 Speed Limit Signs.	7. (1) A speed limit sign other than the sign referred to in sub-article (2) shall consist of a white disc with a red border, and with appropriate figures and letters to indicate the relevant speed limit shown in black on the disc, and shall indicate that the built-up area speed limit, a special speed limit, or the motorway speed limit applies in relation to a road or an area,
(2) The traffic sign to indicate the commencement of the general speed limit shall consist of a white disc crossed obliquely by a black bar.
(3) The following shall be as set out in section 1 of the Third Schedule:—
(a) the dimensions and designs of signs to which sub-article (1) applies;
(b) the figures and letters to be used an such signs;
(c) the sign numbers applying to such signs.
(4) The dimensions and design of the sign to which sub article (2) applies and the sign number applying to such sign shall be as set out in section 2 of the Third Schedule.
	8 Yields and Stop Signs.	8. (1) Traffic sign number RUS 026 shall—
(a) indicate that traffic shall yield right of way to traffic on a major road ahead; and
(b) consist of a red inverted equilateral triangle with rounded corners, the space inside the triangle being coloured white an which shall be shown, in black letters, the words "Yield", "Yield Right of Way', or "Géill SIP'.
(2) Traffic sign number RUS 027 shall—
(a) indicate that traffic shall stop before entering a major road; and
(b) consist of a red octagon with a white border and showing the word "Stop" in white letters.
(3) The dimensions and design of the sign to which sub-article (1) applies shall be as set out in section 1 of the Fourth Schedule.
(4) The dimensions and design of the sign to which sub-article (2) applies shall be as set out in section 2 of the Fourth Schedule.
	9 Bus Lanes.	9. (1) Traffic sign number RUS 028 or RUS 029 shall, in association with traffic sign number RRM 023, indicate a bus lane and traffic sign number RUS 030 shall, in association with traffic sign number RRM 023, indicate a contra-flow bus lane.
(2) Traffic sign numbers RUS 028, RUS 029 and RUS 030 shall consist of a blue rectangle with...