As enacted

Contents

15. Amendment of section 19 of the principal enactment

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

Section 19 of the principal enactment is hereby amended as follows :—

(1)

by the re-numbering of subsections (2) and (3) of that section as subsections (3) and (4) thereof;

(2)

by the insertion immediately after subsection (1) of that section of the following subsection which shall have effect as subsection (2) thereof:—

“(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the Minister may make regulations –

(a)

to regulate the width, height, wheel base, length and overhang of vehicles and trailers and the load carried thereon, the diameter of wheels and the width, nature and condition of tyres of such vehicles and trailers and to prohibit the use of any tyres likely to cause damage to the roads ;

(b)

to prohibit excessive noise from warning devices, noise emitted from engine exhaust and noise due to the design or condition of the motor vehicle or the loading thereof ;

(c)

to regulate the maximum unladen and laden weight of vehicles and trailers and the maximum axle load to be transmitted to the road or any specified area thereof by a motor vehicle of any class or description or by any part or parts of such a vehicle in contact with the road and the conditions under which such weights may be required to be tested ;

(d)

to prescribe the particulars to be marked on vehicles and trailers ;

(e)

to specify the number and nature of springs and brakes on vehicles and trailers and to ensure that springs, brakes, silencers, emission, light, weight and steering gear shall be efficient and kept in proper working order and for empowering any person or classes of persons designated, named or described in such regulations to test and inspect any such springs, brakes, silencers, emission, light, weight and steering gear on a road or, subject to the consent of the occupier of any premises, on any such premises;

(f)

to regulate the appliances to be fitted for signalling the approach of a vehicle or enabling the driver of a motor vehicle to become aware of the approach of another vehicle from the rear or for intimating any intended change of speed or direction of a motor vehicle and to regulate or to prohibit the use of any such appliances and to ensure that they shall be kept efficient and in proper working order ;

(g)

to regulate the lights to be installed in vehicles and trailers whether in respect of the nature of such lights, the positions in which they shall be fixed and the periods during which they shall be kept lighted or otherwise ;

(h)

to prescribe the safety equipment to be installed in vehicles ;

(i)

to control, in connection with the use of a motor vehicle, the emission of smoke, oily substance, ashes, water, steam, visible vapour, noxious fumes, sparks, cinders, gas or grit ;

(l)

to regulate the towing or drawing of motor vehicles by motor vehicles and the manner of attachments used therefor ;

(k)

to prohibit in connection with the use of a motor vehicle the use of any appliances or the commission of any act which is likely to cause annoyance or danger to other users of the road or its vicinity ;

(l)

to regulate the number of trailers that may be attached in train to any motor vehicle, the manner of attachment and the manner in which trailers shall be kept under control and the maximum weight thereof ;

(m)

to prescribe the number of persons to be employed in driving or attending to motor vehicles or trailers and to regulate the duties and conduct of such persons ;

(n)

to prescribe a maximum speed for motor vehicles of any class or description and to provide for exemption in special cases ; and prescribe the procedure of ascertaining the speed by the use of radar detectors and laser speed guns and photographic detection devices ;

For the purposes of this paragraph different speeds may be prescribed as the maximum speed of a motor vehicle or class of motor vehicles in respect of a road or part of a road or a road in any area;

(o)

to regulate or prohibit either generally or in specified areas or roads and either at all times or between specified hours, the use of horns or other warning appliances, and different rules may be made in respect of different classes or description of motor vehicles or in respect of the same class or description of vehicles in different circumstances ;

(p)

to prescribe the degree of transmission of light into a motor vehicle and the procedure for determining the intensity of light penetration ;

(q)

to specify the standards of emission of air pollutants ;

(r)

to regulate the installation of catalytic converters in any prescribed class of vehicles ;

(s)

to regulate the transport of chemicals, gas or other dangerous goods ;

(t)

to prohibit any class or classes or types of motor vehicles using the expressway or any road ; and

(u)

to prescribe procedures for de-registering of motor vehicles (cancellation from the register) and the fees to be charged therefor.”.

Read on from s 16