Page:The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1975 (UKSI 1975-1536).pdf/10

 "vehicle combination" means a combination of vehicles made up of one or more motor vehicles and one or more trailers all of which are linked together when travelling;

"abnormal transport unit" means-

(i) a motor vehicle or a vehicle combination-

(A) the overall length of which, inclusive of the load (if any) on the vehicle or the combination, exceeds 55 feet;

(B) the overall width of which, inclusive of the load (if any) on the vehicle or the combination, exceeds 9 feet 6 inches, or

(C) the weight of which, inclusive of the load (if any) on the vehicle or the combination, exceeds 32 tons; or

(ii) a motor vehicle, or a vehicle combination, which in either case is incapable of proceeding, or is unlikely to proceed, over an automatic half- barrier level crossing at a speed exceeding 5 miles per hour; and

"driver", in relation to an abnormal transport unit means where that unit is a single motor vehicle the driver of that vehicle and, where that unit is a vehicle combination the driver of the only or the foremost motor vehicle forming part of that combination.

(b) The requirement conveyed by the sign shown in diagram 649 shall be that no abnormal transport unit shall proceed onto or over an automatic half- barrier level crossing unless:—

(1) the driver thereof has himself before the unit so proceeds used a telephone at or near the said sign or the one at the crossing for the purpose of obtaining from a person duly authorised by the railway authority permission for that unit so to proceed;

(ii) such permission has been obtained before the unit so proceeds; and

(iii) the unit so proceeds only in accordance with the terms of that permission:

Provided that conditions (ii) and (iii) above shall not apply if—

(A) on the use by the driver of the telephone placed at the crossing he receives an indication for not less than two minutes that the telephone at the other end of the telephone line is being called, but no duly authorised person answers it; and

(B) the driver then drives the unit on to the crossing with the reasonable expectation of crossing it within times specified in a railway notice at that telephone as being times between which trains do not normally travel over that crossing.

Permitted variants

12.—(1) Where the circumstances so require, the indications given by the signs shown in the diagrams in Schedule 1 shall or may be varied as hereinafter provided in this paragraph

(a) any indication given by such a sign may be varied in the respect (if any) in which it is shown below the diagram relating to that sign that the indication may be varied;

(b) in the signs shown in diagrams 502, 503, 523.1, 524.1, 530,531, 534.I to 535.1, 556.2, 626,628 to 629.2, 712.1,719.3 and 729.2 the numerals shall be varied to accord with the circumstances except that no fractions of a number shall be used;

(c) in the signs shown in diagrams 527, 570, 571, 715,724, 724.2, 728.1 to 729, 730 to 733.838.1, 911,915 and 916, the numerals shall be varied to accord with the circumstances, distances being expressed in miles to the nearest mile