Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Operations) (Vehicles Carrying Large Indivisible Items) Notice 2024

Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Operations) (Vehicles Carrying Large Indivisible Items) Notice 2024

The Transport Commission makes the following notice under regulation 35 of the Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Operations) Regulations 2024 .

1.   Short title

This notice may be cited as the Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Operations) (Vehicles Carrying Large Indivisible Items) Notice 2024 .

2.   Commencement

This notice takes effect on 1 December 2024.

3.   Interpretation

(1)  In this notice –

large indivisible item means an item, other than a freight container within the meaning of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Tasmania), that –

(a) cannot, without disproportionate effort, expense or risk of damage, be divided into 2 or more smaller items; and

(b) cannot be carried on any vehicle without exceeding a mass or dimension limit specified in Part 2 of the Vehicle Operations Regulations;

pilot vehicle means a pilot vehicle that complies with Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Vehicle Operations Regulations;

Vehicle Operations Regulations means the Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Operations) Regulations 2024 .

(2)  Unless the contrary intention appears, a word or phrase that is defined in the Vehicle and Traffic Act 1999 or the Vehicle Operations Regulations and used in this notice has the same meaning in this notice as defined in that Act or in those regulations.

(3)  The Acts Interpretation Act 1931 applies to the interpretation of this notice as if it were rules within the meaning of that Act.

4.   Application of notice

(1)  An exemption specified in this notice –

(a) applies to all areas of the State; and

(b) applies at all times of the day; and

(c) remains in force for a period of 3 years commencing on the date on which this notice takes effect.

(2)  For the avoidance of doubt, an exemption specified in this notice does not apply to a person using, or causing or permitting the use of, any of the following:

(a) a light aircraft pig trailer, within the meaning of the Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Operations) (Pig Trailers Transporting Light Aircraft) Notice 2024 ;

(b) a pig trailer built and used for the purposes of transporting a yacht, rowing boat or surfboat.

5.   Exemption of vehicles carrying large indivisible items

(1)  In this clause –

oversize vehicle sign means an oversize vehicle warning sign in accordance with Divisions 1 and 2 of Part 2 of Schedule 2 to the Vehicle Operations Regulations;

truck and dog trailer combination means a light motor vehicle towing a dog trailer.

(2)  Subject to the conditions specified in subclause (3) , regulations 10 , 13 , 14(1) , 16(2)(a) and 28 of the Vehicle Operations Regulations do not apply to a person using, or causing or permitting the use of, a light vehicle or light combination, other than a truck and dog trailer combination, that is carrying one or more large indivisible items.

(3)  The exemption under subclause (2) is subject to the following conditions:

(a) the width of the vehicle, inclusive of its load, must not exceed 3.5 metres;

(b) if the exemption relates to regulation 28 of the Vehicle Operations Regulations, the width of the vehicle, exclusive of its load, must exceed 2.3 metres;

(c) if the width of the vehicle or combination, inclusive of its load, exceeds 2.5 metres –

(i) an oversize vehicle sign must be displayed at the front and rear of the vehicle or combination; and

(ii) flags must be displayed in accordance with clause 4 of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Operations Regulations;

(d) if the vehicle or combination, inclusive of its load, exceeds 2.5 metres in width or 22 metres in length and it is used at night, the vehicle or combination must display warning lights;

(e) if the width of the vehicle or combination, inclusive of its load, exceeds 3 metres and it is used in daylight, the vehicle or combination must display warning lights;

(f) if the vehicle is a light combination, the length of the combination, inclusive of its load, must not exceed 25 metres;

(g) if the vehicle is a light combination that includes a semi-trailer, the rear overhang of the semi-trailer, inclusive of its load, must not exceed 5.5 metres or 25% of the length of the combination, whichever is the lesser;

(h) if the length of the vehicle or combination, inclusive of its load, exceeds 22 metres, an oversize vehicle sign must be displayed at the front and rear of the vehicle or combination;

(i) if the vehicle is a light vehicle, the height of the vehicle, inclusive of its load, must not exceed 4.6 metres;

(j) the vehicle or combination must not carry more than one large indivisible item, if the carriage of a second or subsequent item causes a dimension limit to be exceeded;

(k) the vehicle or combination must display side markers and rear markers for night travel in accordance with clause 6 of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Operations Regulations;

(l) if the vehicle or combination is used in daylight, it must operate its headlights on low beam;

(m) the vehicle or combination must be accompanied by a pilot vehicle if that vehicle or combination is used at night and –

(i) exceeds 22 metres in length; or

(ii) exceeds 3.1 metres in width;

(n) the vehicle or combination must be accompanied by a pilot vehicle if that vehicle or combination –

(i) exceeds –

(A) 21 metres in length; or

(B) exceeds 3.2 metres in width; and

(ii) is used on a road specified in Schedule 1 ;

(o) the vehicle or combination must not be used if –

(i) visibility is less than 250 metres in daylight; or

(ii) the headlights of a standard vehicle approaching within 250 metres would be unable to be seen at night;

(p) if the vehicle or combination has a load that projects more than 150 millimetres beyond one side of the vehicle or combination, and that projection is less than 500 millimetres thick, delineators must be attached in accordance with clause 5 of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Operations Regulations.

6.   Restriction on use of vehicle or combination on certain bridges

An exemption under this notice does not authorise the use of a light vehicle or light combination on –

(a) the Tasman Bridge, if the vehicle or combination, inclusive of its load, exceeds 4.4 metres in height or 3 metres in width; or

(b) the Bridgewater Bridge, if the vehicle or combination, inclusive of its load, exceeds 4.6 metres in height or 2.5 metres in width.

7.   Legislation revoked

The legislation specified in Schedule 2 is revoked.

SCHEDULE 1 - Use of Pilot Vehicles

Clause 5(3)(n)(ii)

1.   The following roads are specified for the purposes of clause 5(3)(n)(ii) of this notice:

(a) Blowhole Rd, Eaglehawk Neck (C338);

(b) Cethana Rd (C136), Cradle Mountain Tourist Rd to Olivers Tourist Rd;

(c) Channel Hwy (B68), Ferry Rd, Kettering to Lymington Rd, Cygnet;

(d) Colebrook Rd (B31), Craigbourne Dam Rd to Brodribbs Rd;

(e) Corinna Developmental Rd (C247);

(f) Cradle Mountain Rd (C132), Belvoir Rd to Ronny Creek Car Park, Dove Lake;

(g) Elephant Pass Main Rd (A4), Tasman Highway to Esk Main Road, St Marys;

(h) Esk Main Rd (A4), Elephant Pass Main Rd to Falmouth Rd Junction (St Marys Pass);

(i) Grass Tree Hill Rd (C324);

(j) Guildford Rd, Guildford;

(k) Highland Lakes Secondary Rd (A5), Breona to Golden Valley;

(l) Highland Lakes Secondary Rd (A5), Poatina Rd junction to Midland Highway;

(m) Huon Hwy (A6), Scotts Rd, Geeveston (the southern junction) to Southport;

(n) Lake Dobson Tourist Rd (C609);

(o) Lyell Hwy (A10 & C601), 14 Mile Road junction to Tungatinah Lagoon;

(p) Lyell Hwy (A10 & B24), Mt Arrowsmith tourist lookout to Penghana Rd, Queenstown;

(q) Lyell Hwy (A10 & B24), Zeehan Hwy junction to Strahan;

(r) Mount Barrow Tourist Rd (C609);

(s) Murchison Hwy (A10), Melba Flats to Anthony Main Rd, Tullah (Mount Black);

(t) Murchison Hwy (A10), Oonah Rd, Henrietta to Blackwell Rd, Parawee (Hellyer Gorge);

(u) Notley Gorge Rd (C731);

(v) Olivers Tourist Rd (C137);

(w) Pipers River Secondary Rd (B83);

(x) Storeys Creek Rd (B42);

(y) Tasman Hwy (A3), Frome Rd, Moorina to Lottah Rd, Goshen (Weldborough Pass);

(z) Tasman Hwy (A3), Whish-Wilson Rd, Scottsdale to Myrtle Bank Rd (Sidling);

(za) Tasmans Arch Rd (C338);

(zb) West Coast Explorer (C249), Corinna Development Rd to Tarkine Tourist Drive.

SCHEDULE 2 - Legislation revoked

Clause 7

This notice was made by The Transport Commission at a meeting held on 13 November 2024.

The common seal of The Transport Commission was affixed on 13 November 2024, in the presence of –

CYNTHIA HEYDON

Commissioner for Transport

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

Notified in the Gazette on 20 November 2024

This notice is administered in the Department of State Growth.