Heavy Vehicle National Law
Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations, Vehicles and Drivers (Form 14) Amendment Notice 2017 (No. 1)
Statutory Instrument Series
Instrument Carried Over From Former Legislation - Amendment Notice
1 Purpose
The purpose of this Notice is to amend certain dimension requirements contained in the Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations, Vehicles and Drivers (Form 14), Version 4 October 2013.
Note- The amendments in this Notice increase from 25m to 30m the length of certain agricultural combinations operating under the primary notice under certain circumstances.
2 Authorising Provision
This Notice is made under Section 23 of Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
3 Commencement
This Notice commences on the day of its publication.
4 Expiry
This Notice expires when the primary notice expires or otherwise ceases to operate.
5 Definitions
In this Notice—
primary notice means the Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations, Vehicles and Drivers (Form 14), Version 4 October 2013.
6 Amendment of primary Notice
(1) The primary notice is amended as follows—
Insert:
4A Agricultural Vehicle Over-Dimension Movement – Extended Dimensions
Agricultural vehicles may operate up to 30 metres in length in Heavy Vehicle Zones 2 and 3 on state controlled roads and in Local Government areas listed in the Form 14 Extended Dimension Area provided they also meet all other relevant requirements of Form 14.
4A.1 General Requirements – Dimensions
4A.1.1 The length of an agricultural combination operating in Heavy Vehicle Zones 2 and 3 must not exceed 30 metres.
4A.1.2 An agricultural combination operating under this clause must be accompanied by an agricultural pilot in the manner described in clause 12 of the primary notice.
4A.1.3 If the combination already requires a pilot due to exceeding another dimension, such as width, a second pilot is not required unless the rear overhang of the combination exceeds 5.5 metres.
4A.1.4 The Form 14 Extended Dimension Area is published and maintained by the NHVR.
Note: the Form 14 Extended Dimension Area is a list of participating Local Governments, and can be found on the NHVR website.
4A.1.5 An agricultural combination operating under this clause and no wider than 3.2 metres may operate on road train routes in Heavy Vehicle Zones 2 and 3 between 7.00am and 9.00am and between 4.00pm and 6.00pm on business days.
4A.1.6 An agricultural combination operating under this clause must comply with all other dimension requirements in clause 4.1 of the primary notice.
4A.2 Other Requirements – Compliance with other sections of Form 14
4A.2.1 An agricultural combination operating under this clause that does not exceed 2.5 metres in width and is between 19 and 30 metres in length, must have when travelling on a road, one warning sign at its rear.
4A.2.2 An agricultural combination operating under this clause must not travel in convoy except where no agricultural vehicle or combination in the convoy exceeds a maximum of 5 metres in width and 30 metres in length.
4A.2.3 An agricultural combination operating under this clause must comply with all other relevant requirements of the primary notice.
Dated: 13 December 2017
Peter Caprioli
Executive Director Access
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
Overview
The Heavy Vehicle National Law Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations, Vehicles and Drivers (Form 14) Amendment Notice 2017 (No. 1) was enacted to address the need for more flexible dimension requirements for certain agricultural vehicles, specifically extending the permissible length of agricultural combinations from 25 metres to 30 metres under certain conditions. This amendment was made under Section 23 of Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and came into effect on the day of its publication. The policy objective behind this Notice is to accommodate the operational needs of the agricultural sector while ensuring road safety and compliance with regulatory standards. The Notice specifies that agricultural vehicles may operate up to 30 metres in length in designated areas provided they adhere to all other relevant requirements outlined in Form 14.
Scope and Application
The Heavy Vehicle National Law Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations, Vehicles and Drivers (Form 14) Amendment Notice 2017 (No. 1) applies to agricultural vehicles and combinations that meet specific dimensional criteria and operate under the provisions of the primary Notice, which is the Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations, Vehicles and Drivers (Form 14), Version 4 October 2013. This Notice extends the permissible length of certain agricultural combinations from 25 metres to 30 metres in Heavy Vehicle Zones 2 and 3 on state controlled roads, as well as in Local Government areas listed in the Form 14 Extended Dimension Area, provided they comply with all other relevant requirements. The Notice is made under Section 23 of Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and it commenced on the day of its publication, expiring when the primary Notice expires or otherwise ceases to operate. The Notice applies nationally, encompassing all states and territories within Australia, and is subject to modification through subordinate instruments as necessary.
Key Provisions
The key provision of this Notice (section 6) modifies the Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations, Vehicles and Drivers (Form 14) by increasing the permissible length of certain agricultural combinations to 30 metres. This change applies to vehicles operating in Heavy Vehicle Zones 2 and 3 on state controlled roads and in Local Government areas listed in the Form 14 Extended Dimension Area. This extended length provision applies provided the vehicles also meet all other relevant requirements outlined in Form 14 (section 4A). For example, agricultural combinations must be accompanied by an agricultural pilot (section 4A.1.2), and if they exceed a rear overhang of 5.5 metres, a second pilot is required (section 4A.1.3). Additionally, vehicles must adhere to specific timings for operation on road train routes, namely between 7.00am and 9.00am and 4.00pm and 6.00pm on business days (section 4A.1.5).
The Notice imposes specific obligations on agricultural vehicle operators to comply with the amended dimension requirements. Operators must ensure that their vehicles do not exceed the specified dimensions, have the necessary pilots when required, and comply with all other relevant requirements of Form 14. Additionally, vehicles must display a warning sign at the rear if they are between 19 and 30 metres in length and do not exceed 2.5 metres in width (section 4A.2.1). Vehicles must also comply with convoy travel restrictions, ensuring no vehicle in the convoy exceeds 5 metres in width and 30 metres in length (section 4A.2.2). Failure to adhere to these obligations could result in legal consequences.
Breach of the requirements set out in this Notice can lead to civil or criminal penalties. While the Notice itself does not specify particular penalties, breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, under which this Notice is made, can result in fines. For example, contravening dimension requirements can attract fines up to $13,260 for individuals and $66,300 for corporations. Additionally, persistent or serious breaches may result in more severe penalties, including imprisonment, depending on the specific circumstances and the discretion of the court. Operators must therefore ensure strict compliance to avoid these consequences.