HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW
Queensland Class 1 and Class 3 Gympie Bypass Notice 2024 (No.1)
- Purpose
- This notice provides access to the Gympie Bypass for eligible vehicles that have a class 1 of class 3 mass or dimension exemption permit (permit) under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
Note: This notice does not apply to all class 1 or class 3 vehicles, but only to those with a permit authorising it to operate on the section of the Old Bruce Highway that now corresponds with the Gympie Bypass.
- Authorising Provision
- This notice is made under the following sections of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL):
- section 117 – Regulator’s power to exempt category of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirement.
- Title
This notice may be cited as the Queensland Class 1 and Class 3 Gympie Bypass Notice 2024 (No.1).
- Commencement
This notice commences on 6 November 2024.
- Expiry
This notice expires on 5 November 2025.
- Definitions
- Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this notice have the same meanings as those in the HVNL and its regulations.
- In this notice:
Gympie Bypass means the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra from the Woondum interchange to the Curra interchange travelling east of the Gympie township.
Old Bruce Hwy means the previous Bruce Highway from the Curra interchange following the now Cooroy–Gympie Road from the Woondum interchange to Gympie and the now Gympie-Curra Road from Gympie to the Curra interchange.
- Application
- This notice applies to a class 1 or class 3 heavy vehicle that meets all the requirements in this section.
- This notice applies to a heavy vehicle operating under a current class 1 or class 3 permit issued before the 24 October 2024, under section 122 of the HVNL that contains as part of its network conditions a route that includes the Old Bruce Hwy
- This notice applies in Queensland.
- A heavy vehicle to which this section applies and that complies with the conditions of this notice is an eligible vehicle.
- Exemption from prescribed mass and dimension requirements
An eligible vehicle operating under this notice must comply with the mass and/or dimension requirements specified in the permit issued for the vehicle and referred to in section 7(2) of this notice.
- Conditions: Routes
This notice applies to an eligible vehicle travelling under a permit in section 7(2) of this notice and operating on the Gympie Bypass.
- Conditions: Gympie Bypass
- An eligible vehicle operating under this notice and travelling under a permit in section 7(2) of this notice may travel on the Gympie Bypass.
- When operating on the Gympie Bypass the eligible vehicle must comply with any condition:
- specified in the permit issued for the vehicle and referred to in section 7(2) of this notice; and
- that apply to the vehicle when operating a route on the old Bruce Hwy.
Jose Arredondo
Manager Network Access Policy
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
Overview
The Queensland Class 1 and Class 3 Gympie Bypass Notice 2024 (No.1) was enacted to address the need for heavy vehicles with class 1 or class 3 mass or dimension exemption permits to access the Gympie Bypass. This notice was made under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and specifically under section 117, which grants the Regulator’s power to exempt categories of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirements. This legislative instrument aims to facilitate the transition of eligible vehicles to the new bypass route while ensuring compliance with the specific conditions outlined in their permits. The notice, which commences on 6 November 2024 and expires on 5 November 2025, applies only to vehicles with current permits issued before 24 October 2024 that include the Old Bruce Highway as part of their network conditions. The overarching policy objective is to support the efficient and safe operation of heavy vehicles within the designated bypass route.
Scope and Application
The Queensland Class 1 and Class 3 Gympie Bypass Notice 2024 (No.1) applies to heavy vehicles with a class 1 or class 3 mass or dimension exemption permit under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) that were issued before 24 October 2024. Specifically, the notice pertains to vehicles with permit conditions that include the Old Bruce Highway. This notice allows eligible vehicles to access the Gympie Bypass, a section of the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra, from the Woondum interchange to the Curra interchange. The notice is effective from 6 November 2024 until 5 November 2025 and is applicable within Queensland. It does not extend to all class 1 or class 3 vehicles but only to those with a permit that allows them to operate on the Old Bruce Highway, now corresponding to the Gympie Bypass. Eligible vehicles must adhere to the mass and dimension requirements specified in their permit and any conditions that apply to their operation on the Old Bruce Highway when travelling on the Gympie Bypass. This notice does not alter the provisions of the HVNL but provides a temporary exemption for specific vehicles on a designated route.
Key Provisions
The Queensland Class 1 and Class 3 Gympie Bypass Notice 2024 (No.1) sets out the conditions for vehicles with specific permits to use the Gympie Bypass. This notice, which commences on 6 November 2024 and expires on 5 November 2025, is applicable to class 1 and class 3 heavy vehicles that hold a permit issued under section 122 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and which includes the Old Bruce Highway as part of its route conditions. A vehicle that meets these criteria is referred to as an "eligible vehicle" (sections 2 and 7(2)). This notice applies to vehicles travelling on the Gympie Bypass, defined as the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra, from the Woondum interchange to the Curra interchange, east of the Gympie township.
The Act imposes specific obligations on the parties it governs. Eligible vehicles must comply with the mass and/or dimension requirements specified in their permit and any conditions that apply to their route on the Old Bruce Highway. These vehicles are also required to adhere to any conditions specified in the permit when operating on the Gympie Bypass (sections 8 and 9). The notice ensures that only vehicles with valid permits can use the Gympie Bypass, maintaining safety and compliance with the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
Breaches of the conditions set out in this notice can result in serious consequences. While the specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the notice, under the HVNL, failure to comply with the conditions of a permit or the notice can result in substantial penalties. These penalties may include fines, vehicle impoundment, or even prosecution in more severe cases. The maximum penalties for such breaches are determined by the relevant state or territory laws and can vary significantly. It is important for vehicle operators to fully understand and adhere to the conditions outlined in this notice to avoid these potential consequences.