There are several exceptions in TSRGR 2002 worded similarly to:
3.15 (5) Nothing in paragraph (2)(a) shall apply - (b) to a vehicle for the time being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
Often with a requirement that obeying would hinder those purposes.
i.e. 3.15(2) On an occasion where a vehicle is being used for fire brigade, ambulance, plant or explosive disposal, national blood service or police purposes and the observance of the requirement specified in paragraph (1) would be likely to hinder the use of that vehicle for one of those purposes (...)
This apply to cases like ignoring keep left signs, overtaking on double white lines, red traffic lights, stopping in clearways, stopping on pedestrian crossings etc.
It is my understanding that "ambulance purposes" does not require the vehicle to be operated by an ambulance operator. It just means that the vehicle is being used as an ambulance, even if it is a private car. The "hinder" requirement suggests that it must be an emergency where speeding or ignoring the road sign is required. Note that the exceptions are very specific in terms of what signs may be ignored. It is not a carte blanche. It does not provide exceptions to dangerous driving.
I haven't yet located the exception for speeding, but believe it to be similarly worded.
The 2002 version is very different to previous versions, as the list of excepted vehicles has been expanded.
The example above for "fire brigade, ambulance, plant or explosive disposal, national blood service or police purposes" was previously worded "fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes". I believe this was in response to a very public prosecution of a NBS employee engaged in transfering human organs at speed at night, when a court ruled it was not an ambulance.
Christian.
