school transport - lighting and signage
Since 24 March 2011 all buses, coaches and minibuses, which provide home to school services, have been allowed to use new high impact illuminated signs and flashing warning lights.
These new signs and lights will be gradually introduced becoming mandatory by September 2014.
This is as a result of regulations, 'The Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011', which were introduced by the Department of the Environment and developed in collaboration with the Department for Education and the Department for Regional Development and key stakeholders from the Education and Library Boards, Translink and the Federation for Passenger Transport (NI).
The new signs and lights will make school buses more noticeable and will remind all motorists and motorcyclists to take particular care when passing buses which have stopped to let children on and off. This initiative will also educate children on how to keep safe around school buses.
Where the new signs and lights are used, the signs must be illuminated when children are travelling to and from school on a ‘school service’ and the flashing warning lights must be in operation while children are getting on and off the bus, and for up to eight seconds after the door is closed.
Further information about the signs and lights can be found on the DOE Road Safety website
DOE has developed a media campaign to let drivers know about these changes and that they should slow down and take care when the see the signs and flashing lights in operation. This first appeared in newpapers and aired on radio in March 2011 when the regulations came into effect. Posters to highlight the new system of signs and warning lights were also distributed to all schools.
The legislation covering lighting and signage applies to travel to and from school. It does not cover the movement of pupils during the school day. Therefore school mini buses and other similiar vehicles are not required to comply with the new regulations.
