Land Transport Rule

Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2012

Rule 41001/7

Note: This Rule should be read in conjunction with the consolidated version of Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002, which includes previous Rule amendments.

Contents

Objective of the Rule

Extent of consultation

Section 1     Application

Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

Section 3     Amendments to Schedules


Objective of the Rule

Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2012 amends Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002 (‘the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule’). The Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule specifies requirements for dimension and mass limits for vehicles operating on New Zealand roads. It sets in place a regulatory regime so that vehicles, in particular, heavy truck and trailer combinations, are operated safely.

The objective of the amendment Rule is to:

Extent of consultation

For the purposes of consultation, amendments proposed to the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule and nine other Land Transport Rules were combined into a single Rule, Land Transport Rule: Omnibus Amendment 2012 (the Omnibus Amendment Rule). Following consultation, the provisions in the Omnibus Amendment Rule were split into 10 separate amendment Rules, including this Rule.

On 17 May 2012, the NZ Transport Agency sent details of the amendment proposals by letter or email to approximately 2500 groups and individuals who had registered an interest in the Rules to be amended. The Omnibus Amendment Rule was made available through the NZ Transport Agency’s Contact Centre and, together with Questions and Answers, was also made available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website. The availability of the amendment proposals for comment was publicised in the daily newspapers in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin and in the New Zealand Gazette.

The NZ Transport Agency received 27 submissions on the Omnibus Amendment Rule, of which 16 commented on the proposed amendments to the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.

The NZ Transport Agency subsequently undertook consultation on a proposed amendment to Schedule 7 that would effectively restore the exception that applied prior to 1 April 2011, allowing overdimension motor vehicles exceeding 4.7 m in height to use the southern section of the Auckland Southern Motorway. This proposal was notified to interested parties and was made available on the NZ Transport Agency’s website on 14 September 2012. A notice of the proposal was also published in the New Zealand Gazette. The NZ Transport Agency received seven submissions on this proposed amendment to the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.

The submissions made on the proposals for amending the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule were taken into account in finalising this Rule before it was submitted to the Associate Minister of Transport for signing.

Section 1     Application

1.1     Title

This Rule is Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2012.

1.2     Commencement

This Rule comes into force on 1 December 2012.

1.3     Scope of Rule

This Rule amends Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002.


Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

2.1     General requirements for dimension and mass limits

2.1(1)     After clause 4.1(4)(j), insert:

2.1(2)     After clause 4.1(4A), insert:

2.1(3)     In clause 4.1(10A), after “combination”, insert “that complies with all of the dimension requirements in Table 4.1, and”.

2.2     Permits for high-productivity motor vehicles

Replace clause 5.2(7)(f), with:

2.3     Pilot vehicles

2.3(1)     Replace clause 7.3(20), with:

2.3(2)     In clause 7.3(21), after “roof”, insert “unless 7.3(21A) applies,”.

2.3(3)     After clause 7.3(21) insert:


Section 3     Amendments to Schedules

3.1     Amendments to Schedule 7

3.1(1)     In Schedule 7, replace the item relating to ‘Auckland Harbour Bridge’ with:

3.1(2)     In Schedule 7, item relating to ‘Auckland Motorways’, replace paragraph (a) with:


Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Amendment 2012 - Rule 41001/7
NZ Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi