NSW Government moves to rectify access for oversize light vehicles
6 May 2015
NSW Government moves to rectify access for oversize light vehicles
Farmers across the state can rest easy after the NSW Government acted to ensure they can still use light vehicles to tow many types of farm equipment.
Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay said he welcomed the agency's review of the operation of these combinations after the introduction of the Heavy Vehicle National Law last year.
"The national law was introduced last February for all vehicles weighing 4.5 tonnes or more. Before this time, vehicle combinations weighing a total of 4.5 tonnes or more such as a four wheel drive towing an oversize boat or a ute towing a grain auger were managed via a number of notices which gave them the benefit of dimension concessions,” Mr Gay said.
"Under the national law, this arrangement for management of the combination mass was removed. This meant in some cases farmers who used a light vehicle to tow an auger for example to feed cattle could no longer do so legally.”
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and Member for Bega Andrew Constance said the change which will be done by Ministerial Order now makes transporting this type of equipment legal providing the conditions of the Order are met.
“Conditions vary according to geographical areas of the state. For example, a grain auger combination travelling in the NSW Eastern Zone may be a total of 4.3 metres high, 3.5 metres wide, 25 metres long with a rear overhang of up to 9 metres,” Mr Constance said.
“This is a sensible move which allows farmers to continue business as usual without the threat of being fined for breaches of law.”
The Ministerial Order contains all of the conditions of operation and is accessible to industry to provide greater certainty to light vehicle operators.
The routes and areas where these vehicles can travel as well as the Ministerial Order will be published on the Roads and Maritime website and updated as required.
MEDIA:
Vanessa Juresic (Gay): 0419 618 081
Dominic Cuschieri (Constance): 0467 741 503
View the original media release