Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Network Suspension and Amendment Notice 2026 (No.5)

Overview

The Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Network Suspension and Amendment Notice 2026 (No.5) was enacted to address safety and infrastructure concerns regarding heavy vehicles across participating jurisdictions in Australia. This notice, issued by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), aims to prevent or minimise serious harm to public safety and significant damage to road infrastructure by amending or suspending certain heavy vehicle routes. The enactment of this notice was prompted by identified risks to public safety and road integrity, including low height clearances, structural damage to road infrastructure, and specific safety requirements imposed by airport operations. The notice provides for the immediate suspension or amendment of routes to address these risks, with certain changes taking effect 28 days after publication to allow for public consultation. This notice applies uniformly across all participating jurisdictions, ensuring a consistent approach to managing heavy vehicle routes to safeguard both public safety and road infrastructure.

Scope and Application

The Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Network Suspension and Amendment Notice 2026 (No.5) is a regulatory instrument that applies to all participating jurisdictions within Australia. The notice is made under the authority of section 175 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, which empowers the Regulator to suspend or amend routes to prevent serious harm to public safety or significant damage to road infrastructure. Additionally, section 173 of the same law allows for the cancellation or amendment of routes on the initiative of the Regulator. The changes to the specified networks in the schedules are made to address issues such as height clearance, structural damage to road infrastructure, and safety concerns related to air traffic. The notice applies to various heavy vehicle networks across different states, including Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales, and affects entities such as state departments, city councils, and other local authorities responsible for managing road infrastructure. The amendments are aimed at ensuring public safety and protecting road infrastructure from potential damage caused by heavy vehicles. Any person affected by the changes can make written representations to the Regulator within 14 days of the publication of the notice, providing reasons why the amendment should not proceed.

Key Provisions

The Heavy Vehicle Stated Maps – Network Suspension and Amendment Notice 2026 (No.5) amends and suspends specified heavy vehicle routes in participating jurisdictions to address safety and infrastructure concerns. The notice is applicable under sections 175 and 173 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), which allow the Regulator to suspend or amend routes to prevent serious harm to public safety or significant damage to road infrastructure, and to cancel or amend routes on the Regulator's initiative (s175, s173). The changes are immediate for suspensions and take effect 28 days after publication for cancellations or amendments (s4(1)(a), s4(1)(b)). The specified networks in Column 2 of Schedule 1 are amended as detailed in Column 4 for the reasons outlined in Column 5. Affected parties can make written representations to the Regulator within 14 days of the notice’s publication if they wish to contest the amendments. The notice imposes several obligations on the parties and entities it governs. Firstly, it mandates that the amended routes must be adhered to by all heavy vehicles within the specified jurisdictions, ensuring that they comply with the new restrictions and route modifications. Furthermore, any person affected by the changes must submit written representations to the Regulator within 14 days of the notice's publication if they wish to contest the amendments (s4(1)(b)). Failure to comply with these obligations can result in significant consequences. Breaches of the provisions outlined in the notice can lead to various civil and criminal consequences. While the notice itself does not explicitly state the penalties for non-compliance, violations of the HVNL can attract fines and other penalties under the relevant state and territory laws. For example, under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Administration) Act 2012, offences related to non-compliance with heavy vehicle regulations can incur fines up to $66,000 for individuals and $330,000 for bodies corporate, depending on the severity of the offence. Additionally, serious breaches that result in significant harm to public safety or road infrastructure may lead to more severe criminal penalties, including imprisonment.