Traffic (Vehicle Loads and Dimensions) Amendment (Vehicle Standards Consequential) Regulations 2001

Traffic (Vehicle Loads and Dimensions) Amendment (Vehicle Standards Consequential) Regulations 2001

I, the Governor in and over the State of Tasmania and its Dependencies in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Executive Council, make the following regulations under the Traffic Act 1925 .

15 October 2001

G. S. M. Green

Governor

By His Excellency's Command,

P. A. Lennon

Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources

1.   Short title

These regulations may be cited as the Traffic (Vehicle Loads and Dimensions) Amendment (Vehicle Standards Consequential) Regulations 2001 .

2.   Commencement

These regulations take effect on the day on which the Vehicle and Traffic Amendment (Vehicle Standards) Act 2001 commences.

3.   Principal Regulations

In these regulations, the Traffic (Vehicle Loads and Dimensions) Regulations 1975 are referred to as the Principal Regulations.

4.   Regulation 2 amended (Interpretation)

(1)  Regulation 2(1) of the Principal Regulations is amended as follows:

(a) by inserting the following definition before the definition of "axle group":

articulated bus means a bus with at least 2 rigid sections that allow passengers access between the sections and are connected to allow rotary movement between the sections;

(b) by inserting the following definition after the definition of "centre of an axle group":

converter dolly means a trailer with one axle group or a single axle, and a fifth wheel coupling, designed to convert a semi-trailer into a dog trailer;

(c) by omitting the definitions of "dog trailer" and "draw bar" and substituting the following definitions:

dog trailer means a trailer, including a trailer consisting of a semi-trailer and converter dolly, with –

(a) one axle group or a single axle at the front that is steered by connection to the towing vehicle by a drawbar; and

(b) one axle group or a single axle at the rear;

drawbar means a part of a trailer, except a semi-trailer, connecting the trailer body to a coupling for towing purposes;

fifth wheel coupling means a device, except the upper rotating element and the kingpin (which are parts of a semi-trailer), used with a prime mover, semi-trailer or converter dolly, to allow quick coupling and uncoupling and to provide for articulation;

(d) by inserting the following definition after the definition of "general permit":

ground clearance, of a vehicle, means the minimum distance to the ground from a point on the underside of the vehicle, except a point on a tyre, wheel, wheel hub, brake backing plate or flexible mudguard or mudflap of the vehicle;

(e) by omitting the definition of "GTM" and substituting the following definitions:

GTM (gross trailer mass) means the mass transmitted to the ground by the axles of a trailer when the trailer is loaded to its GVM and connected to a towing vehicle;

livestock carrier means a vehicle built to carry cattle, sheep, pigs or horses;

(f) by inserting the following definition after the definition of "pig trailer":

point of articulation means –

(a) the axis of a kingpin for a fifth wheel; or

(b) the vertical axis of rotation of a fifth wheel coupling; or

(c) the vertical axis of rotation of a turntable assembly; or

(d) the vertical axis of rotation of the front axle group, or single axle, of a dog trailer; or

(e) the coupling pivot point of a semi-trailer;

(g) by omitting the definition of "rear overhang" and "rear overhang line" and substituting the following definitions:

rear overhang of a vehicle, means the distance between the rear overhang line and the rear of the vehicle, inclusive of any load;

rear overhang line of a vehicle, means –

(a) if there is a single axle at the rear of the vehicle, the centre line of the axle; or

(b) if there is an axle group at the rear of the vehicle, the centre line of the axle group, decided without regard to the presence of any steerable axle unless all axles in the group are steerable;

(h) by omitting the definition of "rigid vehicle".

(2)  Regulation 2 of the Principal Regulations is further amended by inserting the following subregulation after subregulation (1):

(2)  Any diagram appearing in these regulations is for illustrative purposes only and does not form part of the law.

5.   Regulation 3 amended (Permits)

Regulation 3 of the Principal Regulations is amended as follows:

(a) by inserting in subregulation (2A) "or Registrar, or by the Commission and Registrar jointly" after "Commission";

(b) by inserting in subregulation (2B)(a) "or Registrar, or by the Commission and Registrar jointly" after "Commission";

(c) by inserting the following subregulation after subregulation (2B):

(2BA)  Notwithstanding subregulation (1), a permit issuing authority, other than the Commission or Registrar acting singly or jointly, must not issue a permit exempting a vehicle or class of vehicle from compliance with a provision of the Vehicle Standards.

6.   Regulation 4 amended (Prohibition of certain acts on public streets)

Regulation 4 of the Principal Regulations is amended as follows:

(a) by omitting from subregulation (1)(b) "street;" and substituting "street.";

(b) by omitting paragraphs (c) and (d) of subregulation (1);

(c) by omitting subregulation (2) and substituting the following subregulation:

(2)  Except as may be authorised by a permit, a person must not drive or use a vehicle on a public street, or cause or permit a vehicle to be driven or used on a public street, if a pneumatic tyre fitted to a wheel of the vehicle is inflated to a pressure of more than –

(a) 825 kilopascals in the case of a radial tyre; or

(b) 700 kilopascals in the case of any other tyre.

7.   Division 2 of Part II substituted

Division 2 of Part II of the Principal Regulations is rescinded and the following Division is substituted:

Division 2 - Dimensions

Subdivision 1 - Vehicle dimensions

5.   Interpretation of Subdivision

A reference in this Subdivision to or about a vehicle's or combination's measurements is, except in regulation 5C(1) , taken to be a reference to or about its measurements inclusive of any load.

5A.   Width

(1)  A vehicle must not be over 2.5 metres wide.

(2)  For this regulation, the width of a vehicle is measured without taking into account any anti-skid device mounted on wheels, central tyre inflation systems, lights, mirrors, reflectors, signalling devices and tyre pressure gauges.

5B.   Length of single motor vehicles

(1)  A motor vehicle, other than a bus, must not be over 12.5 metres long.

(2)  A bus, other than an articulated bus, must not be over 14.5 metres long.

(3)  An articulated bus must not be over 18 metres long.

5C.   Length of single trailers

(1)  On a semi-trailer or dog trailer –

(a) the distance between the point of articulation at the front of the trailer and the rear overhang line must not be over 9.5 metres; and

(b) the distance between the point of articulation at the front of the trailer and the rear of the trailer must not be over 12.3 metres.

(2)  A projection forward of the point of articulation at the front of a semi-trailer must be contained within a radius of 1.9 metres from the point of articulation.

(3)  If a semi-trailer has 2 or more points of articulation at the front of the trailer, it must comply with subregulations (1) and (2) when measured at one of the points.

5D.   Length of combinations

A combination must not be over 19 metres long.

5E.   Rear overhang

(1)  The rear overhang of a semi-trailer or dog trailer must not exceed the lesser of the following:

(a) 60% of the distance between the point of articulation at the front and the rear overhang line;

(b) 3.7 metres.

(2)  A semi-trailer with 2 or more points of articulation at the front must comply with subregulation (1) when measured at the same point used for measurement for compliance with regulation 5C(3) .

(3)  The rear overhang of a pig trailer must not exceed the lesser of the following:

(a) the length of the load-carrying area, or body, ahead of the rear overhang line;

(b) 3.7 metres.

(4)  The rear overhang of a vehicle not mentioned in subregulation (1) or (3) must not exceed the lesser of the following:

(a) 60% of the distance between the centre of the front axle and the rear overhang line;

(b) 3.7 metres.

5F.   Trailer drawbar length

(1)  The distance between the coupling pivot point on the drawbar of a dog trailer and the centre line of the front axle group or of the front single axle of the trailer must not be over 5 metres.

(2)  The distance between the coupling pivot point on a drawbar and the centre line of the axle group or single axle on a pig trailer must not be over 8.5 metres.

5G.   Height

(1)  A vehicle, other than a livestock carrier or double-deck bus, must not be over 4.3 metres high.

(2)  A livestock carrier must not be over 4.6 metres high.

(3)  A double-deck bus must not be over 4.4 metres high.

5H.   Ground clearance

(1)  A motor vehicle or combination must have a ground clearance of at least –

(a) 100 millimetres at any point within one metre of an axle; and

(b) one-thirtieth of the distance between the centres of adjacent axles at the midpoint between them; and

(c) at any other point, the distance that will allow the motor vehicle or combination to pass over a peak in the road with a gradient on either side of 1:15 if the wheels of one axle of the vehicle or combination are on the slope on one side of the peak and the wheels of the next axle are on the slope on the other side.

(2)  However, subregulation (1) does not apply to –

(a) a motor vehicle with less than 4 wheels; or

(b) a combination that includes a motor vehicle with less than 4 wheels.

5I.   Exceeding vehicle dimensions without permission is an offence

Except as may be authorised by a permit, a person must not drive or use a vehicle or combination on a public street, or cause or permit a vehicle or combination to be driven or used on a public street, in contravention of a provision of this Subdivision applying to that vehicle or combination.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 20 penalty units.

Subdivision 2 - Load dimensions

5J.   Load projection

(1)  Between sunrise and sunset, a vehicle's load must not project more than –

(a) 1.2 metres in front of the vehicle; or

(b) unless a red flag is affixed to the rear extremity of the load, 1.2 metres behind the vehicle.

(2)  Between sunset and sunrise, a vehicle's load must not project more than –

(a) 1.2 metres in front of the vehicle; or

(b) unless a red light is affixed to and clearly displayed at the rear extremity of the load, 1.2 metres behind the vehicle.

5K.   Exceeding load dimensions without permission is an offence

Except as may be authorised by a permit, a person must not drive or use a vehicle on a public street, or cause or permit a vehicle to be driven or used on a public street, with a load in contravention of regulation 5J .

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 20 penalty units.

Displayed and numbered in accordance with the Rules Publication Act 1953.

Notified in the Gazette on 24 October 2001

These regulations are administered in the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the regulation)

These regulations amend the Traffic (Vehicle Loads and Dimensions) Regulations 1975 consequent on the reforms effected by the Vehicle and Traffic Amendment (Vehicle Standards) Act 2001, mainly by rescinding redundant provisions, updating definitions and bringing the provisions that set restrictions on the dimensions of vehicles and their loads into line with the new (nationally consistent) vehicle standards laws.