Heavy Vehicle National Law - South Australia Class 1 and Class 3 Road Grader and Combination Exemption Notice 2020 (No.1)

HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

South Australia Class 1 and Class 3 Road Grader and Combination Exemption Notice 2020 (No.1)

1. Purpose

1)      This Notice exempts road graders and road grader combinations from certain mass and dimension requirements under the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (National Regulation), subject to specified conditions and networks.

2)      This Notice revokes and replaces the South Australia Class 1 Road Grader and Combination Exemption Notice 2019.

Note: The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) does not apply on worksites or other roads or road related areas that are closed or under traffic control. This Notice exclusively relates to vehicles travelling on roads between worksites, or to and from worksites.

2.       Authorising Provision

This notice is made under Section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

3.       Commencement

This notice commences on 23 November 2020.

4.       Expiry

This Notice expires on 22 November 2025.

5.       Title

This Notice may be cited as the South Australia Class 1 and Class 3 Road Grader and Combination Exemption Notice 2020 (No.1).

6.       Definitions

1)      Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Notice have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL.

2)      In this Notice:-

Adelaide Hills Area has the meaning specified in the Motor Grader Operator’s Guide.

Adelaide Metropolitan Area has the meaning specified in the Motor Grader Operator’s Guide.

Roller plant trailer means a special purpose trailer that is a non-powered vehicle fitted with pneumatic tyres, towed by a motor grader and is constructed to aid in road construction and/or maintenance tasks.

the Department means the South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport.

Escorting Guidelines means the document titled Escorting Guidelines for Oversize and Overmass Vehicles and Loads in South Australia, published by the Department.

Motor grader means a machine with its own motive power, fitted with pneumatic tyres, built to perform road construction and road maintenance tasks.

Motor Grader Operator Guide means South Australia Class 1 and Class 3 Road Grader and Combination Operator Guide published by the Department.

Motor grader combination means a motor grader towing one or more trailers or vehicles.

Participating road manager means a road manager that has consented to access under this Notice.

Note: Further information on networks and participating road managers is available in the Motor Grader Operator Guide.

Pastoral unincorporated areas has the same meaning as in the South Australia RAVNet map, published by the Department.

Note: More information regarding pastoral unincorporated areas may be found in the Grader Operator Guide.

7.       Application

1)      This notice applies to:

a)      a motor grader operating alone; and

b)      a motor grader combination consisting of a motor grader towing:

1. one or two trailers; or
2. a roller plant trailer, and no other trailer; or
3. in pastoral unincorporated areas, any combination of towed trailers up to 53.5m in length.

2)      If a participating road manager includes a condition allowing a vehicle to be towed, a vehicle may be substituted for a trailer.

3)      This Notice applies in South Australia.

4)      A motor grader or motor grader combination to which this section applies that complies with the conditions of this Notice is an eligible vehicle.

8.       Exemption- Mass Requirements (Axle groups and towed mass)

1)      An eligible vehicle that is a grader is exempt from the following mass requirements of Schedule 1 of the National Regulation:

a)      Section 2(4A) as it relates to masses for towed mass.

b)      Section 4 and Table 1 of Part 2 as they relate to mass on a single axle group.

2)      The exemptions in this section only apply to the extent of the conditional mass limits set out in section 9 and 10, and when all other conditions in the Notice are met.

9.       Condition – Mass (Tandem Axle Groups)

An eligible vehicle must not exceed the axle masses specified in Table 1.

Table 1: Axle Mass Limits for Motor Graders

10.   Condition – Mass (Towed mass)

A trailer or vehicle towed as part of a motor grader combination under this Notice is not limited by the mass of the towing motor grader.

11.   Exemption- Dimension Requirements (Width and height)

1)      An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following dimension requirements of Schedule 6 of the National Regulation:

a)      section 3 – Length of a single vehicle

b)      Section 4 – Length of a trailer

c)       section 7 – Width

2)      The exemptions in this section only apply to the extent of the conditional dimensions set out in section 12, 13 or 14, and when all other conditions in the Notice are met.

Note:  The conditional maximum width allowed in sections 12 and 13 only apply to motor graders themselves, and not the vehicles and trailers towed. Towed units in a motor grader combination are still restricted to 2.5m in width under the National Regulation.

12.   Conditions – Dimension (width up to 2.8m)

1)      A motor grader must not exceed 2.8m in width when operating on:

a)      State controlled roads, including roads in the pastoral unincorporated areas; and

b)      roads managed by Participating Road Managers.

13.   Conditions – Length

An eligible vehicle must not exceed the maximum length specified in a given area or route condition in section 14.

Note: Section 14 provides maximum length requirements for specific routes and areas. If the eligible vehicle is using a route or network prescribed in section 14, it must not exceed the length specified for that section.

14.   Conditions – Areas and Routes (Networks)

1)      Pursuant to section 119(1)(a) of the HVNL, an eligible vehicle may only operate on the areas and routes specified in this section.

2)      Single grader up to 12.5m long may operate on:

a)      State roads published to the 40t Special Purpose Vehicle Network; or

b)      a road managed by a participating Road Manager as specified in the Motor Grader Operator Guide.

3)      An eligible vehicle up to 26m long may operate on any road that is:

a)      a State controlled road that is published to the 26m B-Double Network; or

b)      a road managed by a participating Road Manager as specified in the Motor Grader Operator Guide.

4)      An eligible vehicle exceeding 19m may not operate in the Adelaide Metropolitan Area, or the Adelaide Hills Area.

5)      An eligible vehicle up to 53.5m long may operate on roads that are part of a Pastoral Unincorporated Area.

6)      An eligible vehicle up to 53.5m long may operate on the Barrier Highway, Eyre Highway and Stuart Highway subject to the following conditions:

a)      Where the combination exceeds 26m in length, one (1) pilot vehicle must accompany the combination and must operate according to the Escorting Guidelines; and

b)      The pilot vehicle must display a “Slow Vehicle” sign, which meets the size, design, colouring and placement requirements of Schedule 8, Part 3 Division 2 of the National Regulation and as described in the Motor Grader Operator Guide; and

c)       A vehicle that is operating as a pilot vehicle in accordance with b) above must have a GVM not exceeding 12t.

7)      Access under this section is subject to all travel and road conditions that apply to specific roads or areas specified in the Motor Grader Operator Guide.

Note: The following networks are published by the Department and are available on the Department’s website:

 -  40t Special purpose vehicle network;

 - 26m B-Double Network.

15.   Conditions – Purpose of travel

1)      An eligible vehicle may only operate for the purpose of:

a)      Undertaking activities directly involved with road construction and/or maintenance; or

b)      Transport from a place of road construction or road maintenance operation to another place of road construction or road maintenance; or

c)       For a road grader as a single vehicle only, to return from a place of repair to the nearest depot or base.

16.   Conditions – Vehicle requirements

1)      An eligible vehicle must be designed for road use and must not be constructed on a conventional truck chassis.

2)      Any road construction equipment towed as part of the combination must not travel with any additional material or items ordinarily used as ballast when the equipment is being used.

17.   Conditions – Times of travel

1)      An eligible vehicle may only travel during the daytime.

2)      Operation during periods of low visibility is not permitted under this Notice.

18.   Dis-application – Schedule 8 of the National Regulation

1)      Pursuant to section 39(5) of the National Regulation, the following conditions in Schedule 8 are dis-applied for eligible vehicles.

a)      Section 18 - Prohibition on towing other vehicles

b)      Section 26(1) – Maximum mass of a pilot vehicle

2)      The disapplication in (1)(b) relating to maximum mass of a pilot vehicle only applies to pilot vehicles escorting motor grader combinations under section 15(7) of this Notice.

Note: The disapplication of section 26 is intended to allow a heavy vehicle accompanying a motor grader or motor grader combination to act as a pilot assuming it meets all other criteria for being a pilot vehicle.

Peter Caprioli

Executive Director (Freight & Supply Chain Productivity)

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator