Width of entrances and exits.
Dooze.
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J
Provided that it shall be sufficient compliance with this paragraph if-
(a) the deck communicates with the rear platform by means of a doorless opening and the exit from the platform to the near side of the vehicle is continuous with an exit to the rear of the vehicle; or
(b) the vehicle has a seating capacity for not more than fourteen passengers and there is an entrance or exit behind the rear wheels.
(2) Where access is obtained to the upper deck of an omnibus by means of an enclosed staircase and that deck is provided with a permanent top an emergency exit which need not be provided with a staircase and shall not be on the near side of the omnibus, shall be provided on the upper deck.
58. Every entrance and exit of an omnibus shall be at least twenty-one inches in width:
Provided that-
(a) where in accordance with proviso (a) to paragraph (1) of regulation 57 of these regulations one exit only is provided, the width of such exit measured along the rear of the vehicle need not exceed eighteen inches if the width of the exit to the side of the vehicle complies with the preceding provisions of this regulation:
(b) the size of an emergency exit from the upper deck of an omnibus shall not be less than four feet by two feet.
(c) where the same entrance is used for both the upper and the lower deck of an omnibus no part of the entrance exclusive of a stanchion measured along the near side of the vehicle shall be less than thirty-six inches in width.
59. (1) Every entrance and exit door of an omnibus shall be capable of being opened by one operation of the locking mechanism:
Provided that for the purpose of securing the vehicle when unattended it shall be permissible to ft to any entrance or exil door a supplementary lock with or without a detachable actuating
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mechanism if such lock is so designed and constructed that the door can at all times be opened by a person inside the vehicle by one operation of the ordinary locking mechanism.
(2) Door handles or levers to door catches shall be recessed or 50 designed and fitted that they are not liable to be dislodged or to be operated accidentally. Where any entrances are provided with doors which are intended to remain open when the vehicle is in motion suitable fastenings shall be provided to hold such doors securely open.
(3) A grab handle shall be fitted to each entrance or exit other than an emergency exit to assist passengers in boarding or alight- ing from the omnibus.
(4) All doors including those of emergency exits shall be so designed as to be readily opened in case of need from both the inside and the outside of the omnibus.
(5) All doors shall open so as not to obstruct clear access to any entrance or exit either from inside or from outside the omnibus.
60. (1) The means of operation of all emergency exits of an Emergency omnibus shall be clearly indicated in English and in Chinese exit. characters;
(2) All emergency exits shall-
(a) be clearly marked as such in English and in Chinese
characters ¦
(b) be designed to open outwards;
(c) be easily accessible to the passengers and between any such exit and any gangway there shall be a passage which shall not be of less dimensions than those prescribed in paragraph (1) of regulation 62 for a gang- way, and shall be so designed that a vertical line projected upwards from the centre line of the passage at floor level shall, to a height of two feet six inches from the floor level, be laterally not less than six inches from any part of the vehicle :
Provided that in all cases a seat on the upper deck of a vehicle placed below or in front of an emergency exit may be deemed to form part of such passage.