
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as The Westlink (Busways) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 24th October 2008.
(2) In these Regulations—
 “busway” means a length of special road specified in the Schedule;
 “bus” means a motor vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than 8 passengers (exclusive of the driver);
 “lay-by” means a surfaced area adjacent to the carriageway intended for the waiting of vehicles; and
 “medical practitioner” means a registered person within the meaning of the Medical Act 1983.
2 

(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), a person shall not except upon the direction or with the permission of a constable in uniform, cause or permit traffic of Classes I-VI, VIII and X-XI of Schedule 1 to the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 to enter, proceed or wait in a busway.
(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply to buses.
3 
Subject to regulation 7, a person shall not, except upon the direction or with the permission of a constable in uniform, cause or permit any bus to proceed—
(a) on the busway described in paragraph 1 of the Schedule other than in a north-easterly direction; and
(b) on the busway described in paragraph 2 of the Schedule other than in a westerly direction.
4 
Subject to regulation 7, a person shall not cause or permit a bus to be driven or moved backwards on a busway except insofar as it is necessary to back the bus to enable it to proceed forward along the busway or to be connected to any other vehicle.
5 

(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), and subject to regulation 7, a person shall not cause or permit a bus to stop or remain at rest on a busway.
(2) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not render it unlawful for any person to cause or permit a bus to stop on a busway—
(a) because of a breakdown or mechanical defect or lack of fuel, oil or water required for the bus; or
(b) because of an accident, illness or any other emergency; or
(c) to permit any person carried in or on the bus to recover or move any object situated on the busway; or
(d) where it is prevented from proceeding along the busway by the presence of any other bus, a person or object.
(3) The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply to a bus stopping within the limits of a bus stop in a lay-by or a bus stop as delineated by markings on the carriageway.
6 
A pedestrian may use a busway:—
(a) when it is necessary for him to do so as the result of an accident or emergency or a vehicle being at rest on a busway in any of the circumstances specified in regulation 5(2); or
(b) to gain access to a bus stop in a lay-by or a bus stop as mentioned in regulation 5(3); or
(c) in any of the circumstances specified in regulation 7(a), (b), (c) or (d).
7 
Nothing in regulations 3, 4 or 5 shall prohibit a person from using a busway in contravention of those regulations where:—
(a) he does so in the exercise of his duty as a constable or as a member of the military, fire brigade or ambulance service or in an emergency by a medical practitioner;
(b) he does so in accordance with the permission of a constable for the purpose of investigating any accident which has occurred on the busway;
(c) it is necessary for him to do so for the removal of a vehicle from the busway;
(d) it is necessary for him to do so to carry out in an efficient manner—
(i) the inspection, maintenance, repair, cleaning, clearance, alteration or improvement of the busway; or
(ii) the erection, laying, placing, testing, of works or apparatus in, on, under or over the busway; or
(e) he does so in accordance with any direction or permission given by a traffic sign.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Regional Development on 31st July 2008
(L.S.)R Sherman
A senior officer of the Department for Regional Development

SCHEDULE
Regulation 1(2)
1. 
802 metres of segregated road extending in a generally north-easterly direction from its junction with the A12 Broadway roundabout to a point 70 metres east of the footbridge spanning Westlink near Roden Street, Belfast.
2. 
180 metres of slip road extending in a generally westerly direction from a point 70 metres east of the footbridge spanning Westlink near Roden Street, Belfast, to a point 109 metres west of that footbridge.