79A. Doors to be equipped with warning light

This rule shall apply to —

every vehicle licensed as a school bus under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules (R 14) —

with effect from 1st July 2005, where the school bus is so licensed before 4th January 2005; and

with effect from 4th January 2005, where the school bus is so licensed on or after that date; and

every vehicle licensed as an excursion bus, a private hire bus or a private bus under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules and which is used to convey school children to and from their school —

with effect from 1st July 2005, where the bus is so licensed before 4th January 2005; and

with effect from 4th January 2005, where the bus is so licensed on or after that date.

Every vehicle to which this rule applies shall be fitted with a device so as to operate simultaneously —

every direction indicator of the vehicle; and

the warning light illuminating the marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule,when any door (except the driver’s door or any door provided solely for use during an emergency) of the vehicle is opened and is not fully closed.

The device required to be fitted under paragraph (2) may include a switch that allows the driver to turn off the warning light illuminating the marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule when the vehicle is not used to convey school children to and from their school.

The marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule shall meet the following requirements:

it shall be constructed with a body casing of plastic material and the front face of the casing shall be affixed with white and red wide-angle prismatic retro-reflective material with black figures at the centre;

the retro-reflective material shall be triangular in shape with a size of up to 1½ times the specified dimensions as set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule;

the retro-reflective material shall comply with ASTM Standards D4956 Type VII, Type VIII or Type IX (Specifications for retro-reflective sheeting for traffic control);

the red portion of the marking shall be equipped with a warning light to illuminate the marking in accordance with paragraph (5); and

it shall be securely affixed inside the vehicle at the bottom right portion of its rear windscreen as seen from outside of the vehicle.

The warning light illuminating the marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule —

shall comprise at least 50 units of ultra-bright red light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in 2 rows per side; (b)shall not be obstructed by the retro-reflective materials on the marking; (c)shall have a luminous intensity of at least 2500 milli-candela; and

shall, when the device required to be fitted under paragraph (2) is not switched off, display regular flashes of red light that alternate between the 2 rows of LEDs —

at the rate of at least 60, and not more than 120, flashes a minute, with each flash being of such duration so as to permit the light to achieve its full brightness and to be fully observable to the eye at a reasonable distance; and

automatically when any door (except the driver’s door or any door provided solely for use during an emergency) of the vehicle is opened and is not fully closed.

This rule shall apply to —

every vehicle licensed as a school bus under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules (R 14) —

with effect from 1st July 2005, where the school bus is so licensed before 4th January 2005; and

with effect from 4th January 2005, where the school bus is so licensed on or after that date; and

every vehicle licensed as an excursion bus, a private hire bus or a private bus under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules and which is used to convey school children to and from their school —

with effect from 1st July 2005, where the bus is so licensed before 4th January 2005; and

with effect from 4th January 2005, where the bus is so licensed on or after that date.

Every vehicle to which this rule applies shall be fitted with a device so as to operate simultaneously —

every direction indicator of the vehicle; and

the warning light illuminating the marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule,when any door (except the driver’s door or any door provided solely for use during an emergency) of the vehicle is opened and is not fully closed.

The device required to be fitted under paragraph (2) may include a switch that allows the driver to turn off the warning light illuminating the marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule when the vehicle is not used to convey school children to and from their school.

The marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule shall meet the following requirements:

it shall be constructed with a body casing of plastic material and the front face of the casing shall be affixed with white and red wide-angle prismatic retro-reflective material with black figures at the centre;

the retro-reflective material shall be triangular in shape with a size of up to 1½ times the specified dimensions as set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule;

the retro-reflective material shall comply with ASTM Standards D4956 Type VII, Type VIII or Type IX (Specifications for retro-reflective sheeting for traffic control);

the red portion of the marking shall be equipped with a warning light to illuminate the marking in accordance with paragraph (5); and

it shall be securely affixed inside the vehicle at the bottom right portion of its rear windscreen as seen from outside of the vehicle.

The warning light illuminating the marking set out in Diagram 1 of the Schedule —

shall comprise at least 50 units of ultra-bright red light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in 2 rows per side; (b)shall not be obstructed by the retro-reflective materials on the marking; (c)shall have a luminous intensity of at least 2500 milli-candela; and

shall, when the device required to be fitted under paragraph (2) is not switched off, display regular flashes of red light that alternate between the 2 rows of LEDs —

at the rate of at least 60, and not more than 120, flashes a minute, with each flash being of such duration so as to permit the light to achieve its full brightness and to be fully observable to the eye at a reasonable distance; and

automatically when any door (except the driver’s door or any door provided solely for use during an emergency) of the vehicle is opened and is not fully closed.