Heavy Vehicle National Law - South Australia Class 1 Stobie Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au C2019G00093 In force Gazette

Legislation content

HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

South Australia Class 1 Stobie Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1)

  1. Purpose

 

1)      This Notice exempts prime mover and semitrailer heavy vehicle combinations used to carry utility poles in South Australia from the stated prescribed length limits in Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the MDL Regulation) and particular heavy vehicle standards.

 

Note: This notice replaces the following instrument published in the South Australian Notices:

 

Approval for Emergency Transport of Long Stobie Poles which when

Carried as a Load Exceed a Length of 19m, published on 6 December 2013

 

2.       Authorising Provision

 

1)      This notice is made under Section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), and s169 of the Heavy Vehicle (General) National Regulation.

 

3.       Commencement

 

1)      This Notice commences on 10 February 2019.

 

4.       Expiry

 

1)      This Notice expires on 9 February 2024.

 

5.       Title

 

1)      This Notice may be cited as the South Australia Class 1 Stobie Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2019.


6.       Definitions

 

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

 

2)      In this Notice:-

Eligible vehicle means a prime mover and semitrailer combination, carrying Stobie poles operated by;

a)      SA Power Networks; or

b)      an entity contracted to SA Power Networks to perform utility pole installation or maintenance activities.

SA Power Networks means the entity named CKI Utilities Development Pty Ltd and Hei Utilities Development Ltd and Others, trading as SA Power Networks.

 

Stobie pole means an engineered pole intended for the purpose of supporting overhead electricity transmission lines, telecommunications lines, or other form of infrastructure consisting of a cable.

 

7.       Application

 

1)      This Notice applies to eligible vehicles operating in South Australia carrying one or more Stobie poles that are no longer than 25m in length.

 

8.       Exemptions - Dimension

 

1)      Eligible vehicles operating under this notice are exempt from the following dimension requirements in Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation)

 

a)      Section 3Length, General

b)      Section 4Length, Trailers

c)       Section 5 – Length, rear overhang

 

9.       Conditions - Length

 

1)      The overall length of an eligible vehicle with its load must not exceed 32.0m in length.

 

 

 

 

10.   Condition - Dimension (Rear Overhang)

1)      The rear overhang of an eligible vehicle with its load must not exceed the lesser of 5.5m or 25% of the overall loaded vehicle length.

11.   Conditions Warning devices

 

1)      The requirements in 2) below apply in the place of the following provisions in Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation:

 

a)      Section 2 – Warning Signs and Flags

 

2)      The pole(s) shall be delineated with a least three sight boards as follows;

a)      On the rear of the pole, one sight board displaying a vertical surface 750mm long and 300mm high to the sides and a vertical surface 400mm square to the rear.

b)      Along the length of the pole, two sight boards each displaying a vertical surface of 350mm long and 400mm high to the sides

c)       All vertical surfaces of the sight boards to display 100mm wide alternate red and yellow reflective stripes at an angle of 45 degrees.

d)      At night or during periods of low visibility the section of pole(s) that extends past the rear of the trailer must be delineated at the end with a red stop/tail light facing to the rear and side marker lights which display an amber light to the front and a red light to the rear. Side marker lights shall be spaced no greater than 2.0m apart.

e)      For the purpose of this notice ‘a low visibility’ means the same as specified in Schedule 8, section 8(1) of the MDL Regulation.

 

3)      The vehicle combination must display a warning light or lights visible from all sides fixed to the highest practicable point on the vehicle.

 

4)      A warning sign must be affixed to the front of the vehicle.

 

5)      An eligible vehicle that complies with s2 of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation may use that section as an alternative to the requirements in subsection 2) of this section.

 

Note: This section is intended to:

i)                     Provide an alternative to complying with the warning lights and signs requirement in  requirements by way of  2); and

ii)                   Place additional requirements to Schedule 8 MDL requirements at 3) and 4).

 

 

 

 

 

 

12.   Conditions - Escort requirements

 

1)      An eligible vehicle operating under this Schedule must be accompanied by a pilot vehicle(s) in accordance with the document tilted ‘Escorting Guidelines for Oversize & Overmass Vehicles and Roads’, published by the South Australia Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.

 

13.   Condition - Stated Routes and Areas

 

1)      An eligible vehicle complying with this Notice may travel on all roads in South Australia subject to compliance with requirements of Schedule 8, section 11 Assessing routes of the MDL.

 

14.   Conditions – Prescribed circumstances

 

1)      An eligible vehicle may only operate under this notice for the purpose of transporting Stobie poles in circumstances where SAPN is restoring power to existing networks

 

Peter Caprioli

Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity)

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

 

Overview

The South Australia Class 1 Stobie Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No. 1) was enacted to provide a specific exemption for prime mover and semitrailer heavy vehicle combinations used to carry utility poles, known as Stobie poles, in South Australia. The exemption alleviates certain dimensional restrictions outlined in Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the MDL Regulation) and other related heavy vehicle standards. This Notice was introduced to facilitate the transportation of Stobie poles, which are critical for maintaining and installing overhead electricity transmission lines and other infrastructure, by easing the dimensional constraints that would otherwise hinder their movement. Authorised under Section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Section 169 of the Heavy Vehicle (General) National Regulation, the Notice was enacted by the relevant legislature to streamline the transport process for utility poles in the state. The Notice outlines several conditions to ensure safety and compliance while transporting these oversized loads. These include limitations on the overall length of the vehicle combination, restrictions on the rear overhang, and specific requirements for warning devices and escort vehicles. Furthermore, the Notice mandates that eligible vehicles must adhere to prescribed routes and can only be used for the transportation of Stobie poles when South Australian Power Networks (SA Power Networks) is restoring power to existing networks. This exemption Notice, which commenced on 10 February 2019 and will expire on 9 February 2024, aims to strike a balance between regulatory compliance and the operational needs of utility companies.

Scope and Application

The South Australia Class 1 Stobie Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 applies to prime mover and semitrailer heavy vehicle combinations used to carry utility poles in South Australia, specifically those operated by SA Power Networks or entities contracted to them for utility pole installation or maintenance activities. This Notice exempts such eligible vehicles from certain prescribed length limits and particular heavy vehicle standards specified in the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, provided that the overall length of the vehicle with its load does not exceed 32.0m, and the rear overhang does not exceed 5.5m or 25% of the overall loaded vehicle length. This exemption applies to Stobie poles that are no longer than 25m in length. The Notice imposes several conditions to ensure safety, including the display of warning devices, the requirement for a pilot vehicle when operating, and adherence to escorting guidelines for oversize and overmass vehicles. The Notice is made under Section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and Section 169 of the Heavy Vehicle (General) National Regulation. It commenced on 10 February 2019 and will expire on 9 February 2024, unless otherwise extended or varied. The Notice provides a regulatory framework to facilitate the transportation of utility poles while ensuring safety and compliance with national heavy vehicle standards, with specific provisions tailored to the unique requirements of Stobie pole transportation in South Australia.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of this Notice (South Australia Class 1 Stobie Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2019) focus on the exemption of specific vehicles carrying Stobie poles from certain prescribed length limits and standards. Section 8 provides the exemption from dimension requirements, particularly sections 3, 4, and 5 of the MDL Regulation. This exemption allows eligible vehicles to operate with certain dimensional flexibility, provided they comply with other conditions stipulated in the Notice. These vehicles are defined in Section 6 as prime mover and semitrailer combinations operated by SA Power Networks or an entity contracted to them for utility pole installation or maintenance. The Notice imposes several obligations on the parties involved. Firstly, the overall length of the eligible vehicle with its load must not exceed 32.0m (Section 9). Additionally, the rear overhang must not exceed the lesser of 5.5m or 25% of the overall loaded vehicle length (Section 10). Furthermore, the poles must be delineated with sight boards and reflective stripes, and additional warning devices must be installed on the vehicle (Section 11). An escort vehicle must accompany the eligible vehicle (Section 12), and the vehicle must adhere to specified routes and areas while operating within South Australia (Section 13). The Notice is specifically applicable for the transportation of Stobie poles in circumstances where SAPN is restoring power to existing networks (Section 14). Breaches of the conditions set out in the Notice can lead to various consequences. Although the Notice does not explicitly outline specific penalties for non-compliance, the Heavy Vehicle National Law and related regulations typically include provisions for offences and penalties. For example, failure to comply with the dimensional and operational conditions could result in fines, vehicle impoundment, or other enforcement actions under the HVNL. Additionally, any accidents or incidents resulting from non-compliance could lead to further civil or criminal liability. The exact penalties would be determined in accordance with the broader regulatory framework governing heavy vehicle operations in Australia.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Administrative Law
Environmental Law
Instrument
Notice
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Commencement Provisions
Conditions - Length
Conditions - Dimension (Rear Overhang)
Conditions – Warning devices
Conditions - Escort requirements
Conditions - Stated Routes and Areas
Conditions – Prescribed circumstances

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.