HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

South Australia Class 1 Utility Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1)

1. Purpose

1)      This notice grants exemptions from dimension requirements for class 1 heavy vehicles that are transporting utility poles while conducting installation or maintenance activities.

2)      This notice revokes the South Australia Class 1 Stobie Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.1).

2.       Authorising provision

1)      This notice is made under the following provision of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL):

a)      section 117 – Regulator’s power to exempt category of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirement.

b)      section 23 of Schedule 1 – Regulator’s power to amend or repeal instrument.

3.       Title

This exemption notice may be cited as the South Australia Class 1 Utility Pole Transportation Dimension Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1).

4.       Commencement date

This notice commences on 3 November 2023.

5.       Expiry date

This notice expires on 2 November 2028.

6.       Definitions

1)      Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this notice have the same meanings as those in the HVNL and its regulations.

2)      In this Notice:

Guide means the South Australia Class 1 Utility Pole Transportation Operator’s Guide, published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

Note: This notice refers to and adopts certain information published in the Guide, and the Guide operates in conjunction with this Notice.

SA Power Networks means the entity trading as SA Power Networks.

Utility pole means an engineered pole intended for the purpose of supporting overhead electricity transmission lines, telecommunications lines, or other form of infrastructure consisting of a cable.

7.       Application

1)      This notice applies to a class 1 heavy vehicle that meets all the requirements in this section.

2)      This notice applies to a prime mover and semitrailer combination that is:

a)      carrying one or more utility poles that do not exceed 26.0m in length; and

b)      is operated by SA Power networks, or an entity contracted to SA Power Networks; and

c)       is being used to perform utility pole installation or maintenance.

3)      This notice applies in South Australia.

4)      A heavy vehicle to which this section applies and that complies with the conditions of this notice is an eligible vehicle.

8.       Exemption – Prescribed dimension requirements

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

a)      section 3 – Length (combination or single vehicle)

b)      section 5 – Length (rear overhang)

2)      An exemption in 1) only applies to the extent that specific conditional dimension limits are provided in section 9.

9.       Condition – Dimension limits

1)      For a parameter given in column 1 of Table 3, an eligible vehicle must not exceed the dimension given in column 2.

Table 3: Maximum dimensions

10.   Condition – Alternative compliance requirements for warning devices

1)      This section provides an alternative to complying with the requirements for warning devices contained in Section 2 of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation.

2)      As an alternative means of complying with warning device requirements, an eligible vehicle may operate under the requirements in sections 3) to 6) below.

3)      For the purposes of the alternative compliance requirements for warning devices set out in this section, pursuant to section 39(5) of the MDL Regulation the conditions in section 2 of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation are disapplied and the eligible vehicle must instead comply with the requirements set out in subsections 4) to 6) below.

4)      A utility pole transported by an eligible vehicle shall be delineated with a least three sight boards as follows;

a)      On the rear of the pole, one sight board displaying a vertical surface 750mm long and 300mm high to the sides and a vertical surface 400mm square to the rear.

b)      Along the length of the pole, two sight boards each displaying a vertical surface of 350mm long and 400mm high to the sides

c)       All vertical surfaces of the sight boards to display 100mm wide alternate red and yellow reflective stripes at an angle of 45 degrees.

d)      At night or during periods of low visibility the section of pole(s) that extends past the rear of the trailer must be delineated at the end with a red stop/tail light facing to the rear and side marker lights which display an amber light to the front and a red light to the rear. Side marker lights shall be spaced no greater than 2.0m apart.

e)      For the purpose of this notice ‘a low visibility’ means the same as specified in Schedule 8, section 8(1) of the MDL Regulation.

5)      The vehicle combination must display a warning light or lights visible from all sides fixed to the highest practicable point on the vehicle.

6)      A warning sign must be affixed to the front of the vehicle.

11.   Conditions - Escort requirements

1)      An eligible vehicle must comply with pilot and escort requirements specified in the document tilted ‘Escorting Guidelines for Oversize and Overmass Vehicles and Loads in South Australia’, published by the South Australia Department for Infrastructure and Transport.

2)      If the rear overhang of a prime mover and trailer combination exceeds 5.5m, then a rear pilot must accompany the load.

12.   Condition – Stated areas or routes

1)      An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice is authorised to operate on all roads in South Australia, subject to conditions elsewhere in this section.

2)      An eligible vehicle must comply with any restrictions or conditions set out in the Stated Areas and Routes section of the Guide.

3)      For the purposes of section 119(1)(a) of the HVNL, an area or route specified in this section is a stated area or route to which this notice applies.

4)      An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in this section must comply with the following conditions as specified for that route or area:

a)      Road conditions pursuant to section 160 of the HVNL; and

b)      Travel conditions pursuant to section 161 of the HVNL; and

c)       Vehicle conditions pursuant to section 162 of the HVNL.

Peter Austin

Director, Policy Implementation

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator