Hong Kong Regulations

ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLES) REGULATIONS - REGULATION 68

Doors

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) In every bus and light bus-

   (a)  means shall be provided for holding every entrance and exit door
        securely in the closed position and, where any such door is capable of
        remaining open when the vehicle is in motion or of being accidentally
        closed by the movement of the vehicle, means shall also be provided
        for holding that door securely in the open position;

   (b)  subject to paragraph (3), every entrance and exit door shall be
        provided with at least 2 devices (of which one may be a device
        provided for use in circumstances of normal operation only by a person
        authorized by the owner of the vehicle, and one, but not more than
        one, shall be provided on the outside of the vehicle) being in each
        case a device for operating the means for holding the door securely in
        the closed position, and every such device shall be so designed that a
        single movement of it will allow that door to be readily opened;

   (c)  there shall be clearly indicated-

        (i)    the method of operation of any device referred to in
               sub-paragraph (b);

        (ii)   the position of such a device where it is not placed on the
               door;

        (iii)  the direction and points of application of any manual effort
               required to open any door; and

        (iv)   in the case of a power-operated door, a prohibition against
               passengers using the device except in an emergency;

   (d)  where any device referred to in sub-paragraph (b) is not placed on the
        door, it shall be placed so as to be readily associated with that door
        and so that a person of normal height may conveniently operate the
        device without risk of being injured by movement of the door;

   (e)  every device referred to in sub-paragraph (b), other than a device
        provided on the outside of an emergency exit on the upper deck of a
        double-decked bus or in the roof of a half-decked bus, shall be easily
        accessible to persons of normal height;

   (f)  the means and devices referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) shall
        be so designed and fitted that they are unlikely to become dislodged
        or be operated accidentally;

   (g)  every door shall operate so as not to obstruct clear access to any
        entrance or exit from inside or outside the vehicle;

   (h)  the storage and transmission system of the power for operating any
        power-operated door shall be such that operation of the doors does not
        adversely affect the efficient operation of the braking system of the
        vehicle and the apparatus shall be so designed and constructed that in
        the event of the system becoming inoperative the door shall be capable
        of being operated manually from inside and outside the vehicle;

   (i)  the design of power-operated doors and their associated equipment at
        entrances and exits shall be such that, when opening or closing, the
        doors are unlikely to injure any passenger; and

   (j)  no power-operated door shall be capable of being operated while the
        vehicle is in motion except by operation of a device referred to in
        sub-paragraph (b) not being a device provided for use in circumstances
        of normal operation only by a person authorized by the owner of the
        vehicle.

(2) Any bus or light bus which has a power-operated door which, when open or
being operated, projects laterally beyond the body of the vehicle, shall be so
constructed or adapted that it cannot move from rest under its own power when
the door is open.

(2A) Subject to paragraph (2B), every bus and light bus fitted with a
power-operated door rearward of the driver's seat shall be fitted with- (L.N.
306 of 1998)

   (a)  a red warning light in the driver's compartment clearly visible to the
        driver which will remain illuminated when any such door is not
        completely and securely closed; and

   (b)  a warning buzzer which will remain audibly activated when any such
        door is closing and which will deactivate only when all such doors are
        completely and securely closed. (L.N. 96 of 1997)

(2B) Paragraph (2A) shall not apply to a bus or light bus registered before 1
May 1997 until-

   (a)  that bus is required to be produced at any time on or after 1 November
        1998 for examination pursuant to section 78 of the Ordinance; or

   (b)  1 November 1999, whichever is the earlier. (L.N. 306 of 1998)

(3) A bus or light bus shall not be deemed to fail to comply with paragraph
(1)(b) by reason only of the fact that, for the purposes of securing the
vehicle when unattended, any entrance or exit door has been fitted with a
supplementary lock with or without an actuating mechanism if the lock is so
designed and constructed that a single movement of any device referred to in
paragraph (1)(b), being a device provided on the inside of the vehicle, will
at all times allow that door to be readily opened.