Queensland Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle (Northern Coastal Zone 1) Dimension Exemption Notice 2016 (No. 1)

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

Legislation au C2016G01381 In force Gazette

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HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Queensland Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle (Northern Coastal Zone 1) Dimension Exemption Notice 2016 (No. 1)

Statutory Instrument Series: 

Class 1/3 Heavy Vehicle Exemption Notice - Mass and Dimension Exemption

 

1        Purpose

The purpose of this notice is to exempt the stated categories of class 1 heavy vehicles operating on minor and major roads in the Northern Coastal Zone from the prescribed dimension requirements specified in the Notice subject to the conditions specified in the Notice.

Note -  

An eligible vehicle that is wider than 2.5m and not wider than 3.5m may operate under the Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations Vehicles and Drivers, Form Number 14, Version 4 October 2013.

An eligible vehicle that is wider than 3.5m and not wider than 4.0m operating on a road other than a minor road may operate under the Queensland Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle (Coastal Zone 1) Dimension Exemption Notice 2016.

2        Authorising Provision(s)

This notice is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL)as in force in each participating jurisdiction.

3        Commencement

This Notice commences on 21 October 2016.

4        Expiry

This Notice expires on 20 October 2021.

5        Definitions

Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this notice have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL; or

In this Notice—

Critical Road means a road marked in red on the Critical Areas and Roads in Queensland map.

Eligible Vehicle means an agricultural vehicle, machine, implement or combination up to 5m wide that complies with the definitions of the Form 14 guideline.

Form 14 means the Guideline for Excess Dimension Agricultural Vehicles and Agricultural Combinations Vehicles and Drivers Form Number 14, Version 4, October 2013.

Form 17 means the Guideline for Conditionally Registered Vehicles in Queensland – Form 17, Version 3.2, October 2014.

Major Road means a road marked in blue on the Critical Areas and Roads in Queensland map.

Minor Road means a road other than a major road or a critical road.

NHVR means the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

Northern Coastal Zone means the area bounded by the northern boundary of the Rockhampton Regional Council area,  the northern boundary of the Cairns Regional Council area and  the western boundary of the TMR Zone 1 as defined in the Heavy Vehicle Zone Map published on the TMR website.

TMR means Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland.

6        Application

This Notice applies to an eligible vehicle that is wider than 3.5m and not wider than 5.0m operating on a minor or major road in the Northern Coastal Zone.

7        Exemption from prescribed dimension requirements

(1)    An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following dimension requirements of Schedule 6 to the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the National Regulation)

a)        Section 3(1)(a) and (g) – Length – general; and

b)       Section 5(1)(b) and (c) - Length—rear overhang; and

c)        Section 7(1) – Width; and

d)       Section 8(d) – Height.

8        Areas or Routes

This notice applies to the following roads within the local government areas set out in Schedule 1:

a)        major and minor roads managed by TMR; and

b)       minor roads managed by the relevant local government road manager.

9        Conditions - general

(1)    An eligible vehicle operating under this Notice must comply with any condition, exclusion, restriction or requirement, however described, in Form 14 that would apply if the vehicle was operating in Zone 2.

(2)    Travel on critical roads is not permitted under this notice.

(3)    The operator of an eligible vehicle operating under this Notice indemnifies TMR, the NHVR and their employees against any claim, action or process for damage or injury that may be sustained against them due to the use of vehicles specified.

(4)    If an eligible vehicle must be conditionally registered—

a)        It must comply with all requirements of the Guideline for Conditionally Registered Vehicles in Queensland – Form 17 including any more restrictive conditions applying to travel distance in that guideline; and

b)       The appropriate registration category for the level of access obtained must be held.

Note—The Form 17 Guideline contains maximum travel distances and in case of any inconsistency with this notice, the lesser of the distances in this notice and Form 17 must be adhered to.

10    Conditions- road manager

 

In addition to the conditions above and applicable conditions in Form 14, operators must comply with the special conditions required by specific Road Managers listed in Schedule 1 of this Notice for travel on minor roads.

 

 

Dated: 17 October 2016

 

 

 

Sal Petroccitto

Chief Executive Officer

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

 


Schedule 1: Northern Coastal Zone Local Government Areas

The following table sets out participating local government areas and corresponding Road Managers.

Operators must comply with all Road Manager Special Conditions for a given local government area while travelling on Road Manager controlled minor roads.

Local Government Area and

Road Manager

Road Manager Special Conditions

Burdekin Shire Council

No special conditions

Cairns Regional Council

No special conditions

Cassowary Coast Regional Council

This notice only applies to roads where bridges and culverts are at least 5.5m wide.

Permits will be required for travel on any road where the journey involves a vehicle, 4.0m or wider, traversing any bridge or culvert that is not at least 5.5m wide.

This notice only applies to roads where the formation is at least 6.0m wide to allow for passing manoeuvers.

Permits will be required for travel on any road where the journey involves a vehicle, 4.0m or wider, traversing any road where the formation is not at least 6.0m wide.

Hinchinbrook Shire Council

No travel permitted in urban areas except;

  • McIlwraith Street, Ingham;
  • Tully Street, Ingham;
  • Davidson Street, Ingham;
  • Skinner Street, Ingham.

Isaac Regional Council

No special conditions

Mackay Regional Council

No travel is permitted in urban areas.

 

A 4.0m to 5.0m wide eligible vehicle must be accompanied by

  1. 2 pilot vehicles operated by agricultural pilots; or
  2. 1 pilot vehicle operated by an agricultural pilot, and portable road side warning signs placed—

a)       at least 350m in advance of the travel zone in both/all directions; and

b)       at any major road intersecting with the road along which the eligible vehicle is travelling;

on the following roads:

  •  Stockroute Rd (Bruce Hwy to Walkerston Homebush Rd)
  • Walkerston Homebush Rd
  • Horse and Jockey Road
  • Lansdowne Road (Horse and Jockey to Lagoon St)
  • Farleigh Dumbleton Road
  • Glendaragh Road
  • Holts Road ( Mackay Bucasia to Gelndaragh)
  • Grasstree Road
  • Eversleigh Road
  • Armstrong Beach Road
  • Cowleys Road
  • Schmidtkes Road
  • Farleigh Habana Road
  • Nebia Coningsby Road
  • Pleystowe Connection Road
  • Sugarshed Road

All journeys must be undertaken in periods outside off peak traffic hours of 7am-9am and 4pm-6pm, Monday to Friday.

Townsville City Council

The operation of an agricultural vehicle  over 3.7m wide up to 5.0m wide must have 1 agricultural pilot when travelling along “minor roads” on a school bus route between the hours of 7am-9am and 3pm-5pm on school days.

Whitsunday Regional Council

No special conditions

 

Overview

The Heavy Vehicle National Law Queensland Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle (Northern Coastal Zone 1) Dimension Exemption Notice 2016 (No. 1) was enacted to provide specific dimension exemptions for certain class 1 heavy vehicles operating on minor and major roads in the Northern Coastal Zone of Queensland. The notice was introduced to address the need for flexibility in dimension regulations to accommodate agricultural operations while ensuring road safety. This notice was made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law as in force in each participating jurisdiction and commenced on 21 October 2016, expiring on 20 October 2021. The notice exempts eligible vehicles wider than 3.5m but not wider than 5.0m from prescribed dimension requirements, subject to conditions that ensure compliance with safety guidelines and indemnities for potential damages or injuries. Operators of these vehicles must also comply with any additional conditions set by local road managers for travel on minor roads within the specified zone.

Scope and Application

This Notice is made under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) as it applies in each participating jurisdiction and sets out specific exemptions from certain dimension requirements for class 1 heavy vehicles operating within the Northern Coastal Zone in Queensland. The Notice applies to eligible agricultural vehicles that are wider than 3.5m but not wider than 5.0m and are operating on minor and major roads within the specified Northern Coastal Zone. The Notice exempts these vehicles from certain dimension requirements such as length, rear overhang, width, and height as specified in Schedule 6 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, subject to specific conditions. The Notice also includes provisions for conditional registration and special conditions required by specific road managers in certain local government areas. The exemption and conditions outlined in this Notice are in effect from 21 October 2016 and will expire on 20 October 2021. The Notice does not permit travel on critical roads and requires operators to indemnify relevant authorities against any claims arising from the use of the vehicles under this exemption.

Key Provisions

The Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle (Northern Coastal Zone 1) Dimension Exemption Notice 2016 (No. 1)) exempts certain agricultural vehicles from specific dimension requirements if they are operating in the Northern Coastal Zone of Queensland. Specifically, vehicles up to 5.0 meters wide but over 3.5 meters and not exceeding 4.0 meters wide are exempt from certain dimension requirements, such as length and width, if they meet the conditions set out in the notice (Section 7). This exemption is limited to minor and major roads, excluding critical roads, and applies to roads within the local government areas listed in Schedule 1 (Section 8). Operators of vehicles subject to this exemption must adhere to a number of conditions and requirements. They must follow the guidelines set out in Form 14, which governs excess dimension agricultural vehicles and agricultural combinations vehicles and drivers (Section 9(1)). If the vehicle requires conditional registration, it must comply with all requirements of Form 17, including travel distance restrictions (Section 9(4)). Operators must also indemnify the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), and their employees against any claims for damage or injury resulting from the vehicle's use (Section 9(3)). Failure to comply with the conditions and requirements of the notice can result in various consequences. Although the notice does not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance, breaches of the Heavy Vehicle National Law can result in civil and criminal penalties. For example, under Section 117 of the HVNL, an operator who fails to comply with the notice could be subject to fines up to $5,500 for individuals and $27,500 for bodies corporate, as well as potential disqualification from driving. Additionally, operators who cause damage or injury may face further civil liability. The notice also stipulates that travel on critical roads is not permitted, and operators must obtain permits for certain journeys involving bridges, culverts, or roads with specific width restrictions (Section 10). Furthermore, local government areas may impose special conditions that operators must adhere to while travelling on minor roads, such as restrictions on urban travel or the requirement to be accompanied by agricultural pilots and warning signs (Schedule 1). Operators who do not comply with these conditions risk facing additional penalties or being denied exemption under the notice.

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