The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

PART I E+W+S Requirements relating to obligatory rear retro reflectors and optional rear retro reflectors to the extent specified in part ii

1.  Number– (a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b) or (c):	Two
(b) A solo motor bicycle, a pedal cycle with less than four wheels and with or without a sidecar, a trailer drawn by a pedal cycle, a trailer the overall width of which does not exceed 800 mm drawn by a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination, an invalid carriage having a maximum speed not exceeding 4 mph and a vehicle drawn or propelled by hand:	One
(c) 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 requirements of paragraphs 2 and 3 below with two reflectors:	Four
2.  Position– (a) Longitudinal:	At or near the rear
(b) Lateral– (i) Where two rear reflectors are required to be fitted– (A) Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle– (1) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (2), (3) or (4):	400 mm
(2) A bus first used before 1st October 1954 and a horse-drawn vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985:	No requirement
(3) A vehicle constructed or adapted for the carriage of round timber:	765 mm
(4) Any other motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986 and any other vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985:	610 mm
(B) Minimum separation distance between a pair of rear reflectors– (1) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (2):	600 mm. If the overall width of the vehicle is less than 1300 mm, 400 mm or if less than 800 mm, 300 mm
(2) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986 and any other vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985:	No requirement
(ii) Where one rear reflector is required to be fitted:	On the centre-line or off side of the vehicle
(iii) Where four rear reflectors are required to be fitted– (A) Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle– (1) One pair of reflectors:	Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in sub-paragraph 2(b)(i)(A)
(2) The other pair of reflectors:	No requirement
(B) Minimum separation distance between rear reflectors– (1) One pair of reflectors:	Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in sub-paragraph 2(b)(i)(B)
(2) The other pair of reflectors:	No requirement
(c) Vertical– (i) Maximum height above the ground where one or two rear reflectors are required to be fitted– (A) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (B):	900 mm or, if the structure of the vehicle makes this impracticable, [F1 1500 mm]
(B) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986 and any other vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985:	1525 mm
(ii) Maximum height above the ground where four rear reflectors are required to be fitted– (A) One pair of reflectors:	Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in paragraph 2(c)(i)
(B) The other pair of reflectors:	2100 mm
(iii) Minimum height above the ground– (A) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (B):	[F2 250 mm]
(B) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986 and any other vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985:	No requirement
3.  Angles of visibility– (a) A motor vehicle (not being a motor bicycle combination) first used on or after 1st April 1986 and a trailer manufactured on or after 1st October 1985– (i) Where one or two rear reflectors are required to be fitted– (A) Horizontal– (1) Where two rear reflectors are required to be fitted:	30° inwards and outwards
(2) Where one rear reflector is required to be fitted:	30° to the left and to the right
(B) Vertical– (1) Except in a case specified in sub-paragraph (2):	[F3 10°] above and below the horizontal
(2) Where the highest part of the reflecting area is less than 750 mm above the ground:	[F3 10°] above and 5° below the horizontal
(ii) Where four rear reflectors are required to be fitted– (A) One pair of reflectors:	Such that they satisfy the relevant requirements in paragraph 3(a)(i)
(B) The other pair of reflectors:	Plainly visible to the rear
(b) A motor vehicle (not being a motor bicycle combination) first used before 1st April 1986 and a trailer manufactured before 1st October 1985:	Plainly visible to the rear
(c) A motor bicycle combination, a pedal cycle, a sidecar attached to a pedal cycle, a horse-drawn vehicle and a vehicle drawn or propelled by hand:	Plainly visible to the rear
4.  Alignment:	To the rear
5.  Markings– (a) A motor vehicle first used– (i) On or after 1st April 1991:	An approval mark incorporating “I” or “IA”
(ii) On or after 1st July 1970 and before 1st April 1991:	(A) An approval mark incorporating “I” or “IA”, or (B) A British Standard mark which is specified in sub-paragraph (i) of the definition of “British Standard mark” below followed by “LI” or “LIA”; or (C) In the case of a vehicle manufactured in Italy, an Italian approved marking
(iii) Before 1st July 1970:	No requirement
(b) A trailer (other than a broken-down motor vehicle) manufactured– (i) On or after 1st October 1989:	An approval mark incorporating “III” or “IIIA”
(ii) On or after 1st July 1970 and before 1st October 1989:	(A) An approval mark incorporating “III” or “IIIA”; or (B) A British Standard mark which is specified in sub-paragraph (i) of the definition of “British Standard mark” below followed by “LIII” or “LIIIA”, or (C) In the case of a trailer manufactured in Italy, an Italian approved marking
(iii) Before 1st July 1970:	No requirement
(c) A pedal 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– (i) On or after 1st October 1989:	(A) An approval mark incorporating “I” or “IA”; or (B) A British Standard mark which is specified in sub-paragraph (ii) of the definition of “British Standard mark” below
(ii) On or after 1st July 1970 and before 1st October 1989:	(A) Any of the markings mentioned in sub-paragraph (c)(i) above; or (B) A British Standard mark which is specified in sub-paragraph (i) of the definition of “British Standard mark” below followed by “LI” or “LIA”
(iii) Before 1st July 1970:	No requirement
6.  Size of reflecting area:	No requirement
7.  Colour:	Red

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 2(c)(i)(A) substituted (4.1.2010) by The Road Vehicles Lighting and Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3220), regs. 1, 14(2)(a)

F2 Words in Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 2(c)(iii)(A) substituted (4.1.2010) by The Road Vehicles Lighting and Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3220), regs. 1, 14(2)(b)

F3 Word in Sch. 18 Pt. 1 paras. 3(a)(i)(B)(1), (2), substituted (4.1.2010) by The Road Vehicles Lighting and Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/3220), regs. 1, 14(2)(c)

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 1 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

I2 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 2 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

I3 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 3 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

I4 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 4 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

I5 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 5 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

I6 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 6 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

I7 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 7 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

8.  Other requirements– E+W+S

(a) Except in the case of a motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986, any other vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985 and a motor bicycle combination, where two rear reflectors are required to be fitted they shall form a pair. Where four rear reflectors are required to be fitted they shall form two pairs.

(b) No vehicle, other than a trailer or a broken-down motor vehicle being towed, may be fitted with triangular-shaped rear reflectors.

F4 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F4 Sch. 18 para. 8(c) omitted (1.10.1994) by virtue of The Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/2280), regs. 1(2), 16(3)

Commencement Information

I8 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 8 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)

9.  Definitions– E+W+S

• In this Schedule–

  (a)

  “approval mark” means either–

  (i)

  a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 3 or 3A or 3B of Schedule 2 to those Regulations; or

  (ii)

  a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulation and shown at item 4 of Schedule 4 to those Regulations;

  (b)

  “British Standard mark” means either–

  (i)

  the mark indicated in the specification for retro reflectors for vehicles, including cycles, published by the British Standards Institution under the reference B.S. AU 40: Part 2: 1965, namely “AU 40”; or

  (ii)

  the mark indicated in the specification for photometric and physical requirements of reflective devices published by the British Standards Institution under the reference BS 6102: Part 2: 1982, namely “BS 6102/2”; and

  (c)

  “Italian approved marking” means–

  • a mark approved by the Italian Ministry of Transport, namely, one including two separate groups of symbols consisting of “IGM” or “DGM” and “C.1.” or “C.2.”.

Commencement Information

I9 Sch. 18 Pt. 1 para. 9 in force at 1.11.1989, see reg. 1(1)