Heavy Vehicle National Law - Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Amendment Notice 2021 (No.1)

Overview

The Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Amendment Notice 2021 (No.1) was enacted under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and the Heavy Vehicle National (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation. This amendment notice was introduced to address the need for modifications to stated maps for heavy vehicles, following requests from road managers to ensure road safety and infrastructure integrity. It was developed by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and applies to all participating jurisdictions. The purpose of this notice is to make amendments to the specified networks of heavy vehicle routes in response to road manager requests, such as removing roads due to structural concerns or adding conditional and restricted structures. The amendments take effect 28 days after the publication of the Amendment Notice 2021 (No.1). The policy objective of this amendment notice is to ensure the safety and compatibility of heavy vehicles with road infrastructure, as well as to maintain the structural integrity of roads and bridges.

Scope and Application

The Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Amendment Notice 2021 (No.1) applies to all participating jurisdictions and is made under sections 174 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and section 18 of the Heavy Vehicle National (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation as applied in each participating jurisdiction. This Notice aims to amend stated maps for vehicles at the request of road managers, with the changes taking effect 28 days after the publication of the Notice. It applies to specified networks in Queensland and New South Wales, amending routes based on the road manager's reasons, such as proposed upgrades, structural integrity concerns, and incompatibility with road infrastructure. The amendments include removing certain roads from the routes or adding conditional and restricted structures, as outlined in the Appendix A. The Notice does not specify any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, but it may be further extended or restricted through subordinate instruments made under the authorising provisions.

Key Provisions

The Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Amendment Notice 2021 (No.1) amends the stated maps for heavy vehicles in participating jurisdictions as per Sections 174 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and 18 of the Heavy Vehicle National (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation. This Notice allows for amendments to specified heavy vehicle routes at the request of road managers. The amendments become effective 28 days after the publication of the Notice on 8 March 2021, and they apply in all participating jurisdictions. The primary changes under this Notice involve altering specified heavy vehicle routes due to various reasons such as proposed infrastructure upgrades, structural integrity concerns, and incompatibility of vehicle dimensions with road infrastructure. For instance, Section 174 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, as applied in Queensland, removes Brisbane Street in Beaudesert from the 25/26m B-Double (B25) Network because the proposed upgrade works include pedestrian crossings and roundabouts that restrict access for such vehicles, posing significant public safety risks. Similarly, in Queensland, conditional and restricted structures are added to the Special Purpose Vehicles Local Government Network in areas like Chahpingah, Kingaroy, Manneum, Boyneside, Kumbia, and Brooklands due to structural concerns. Road managers have specific obligations to ensure that the amended routes comply with safety and structural standards. They must provide detailed reasons for the changes, as evidenced in the Notice, and ensure that the routes are safe for heavy vehicles. For example, in New South Wales, the removal of Boundary Road in Box Hill from the 25/26m B-Double Network is due to concerns regarding the structural integrity of the culvert caused by continuous heavy vehicle loading. The Notice also includes a table in Schedule 1, which lists the amended routes, localities, changes, and reasons for the alterations provided by the road managers. There are no explicit offences or penalties mentioned in the Notice itself; however, breaches of the amended routes by heavy vehicles could lead to civil or criminal consequences under the Heavy Vehicle National Law. Such breaches might include fines, penalties, or other sanctions as prescribed by the law. The maximum penalties for violations would be in accordance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law provisions, which could vary depending on the severity and circumstances of the breach.