The Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003

PART 2 SPECIAL VEHICLES FOR HAULAGE, LIFTING, ENGINEERING AND VEHICLE RECOVERY

Part 2 vehicles and Part 2 vehicle-combinations: recognised categories and defined terms

10.—(1) The following are recognised categories of special vehicles—

(a) abnormal indivisible load vehicles;

(b) mobile cranes;

(c) engineering plant;

(d) road recovery vehicles.

(2) A vehicle that falls within any recognised category of special vehicles mentioned in paragraph (1) is referred to in this Order as a Part 2 vehicle.

(3) In this Order, a “Part 2 vehicle-combination” means—

(a) in the case of a road recovery vehicle, a vehicle-combination which consists of one motor vehicle of category N3 together with one trailer of category O4; or

(b) in any other case, a vehicle-combination which consists of, or includes, one motor vehicle (whether or not it is a Part 2 vehicle) together with one trailer that is a Part 2 vehicle.

(4) The categories of vehicles specified in sub-paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) of paragraph (1) are defined in Schedules 1 to 4 respectively.

Part 2 vehicles and Part 2 vehicle-combinations: authorisation requirements

11.—(1) The authorisation requirements applicable to Part 2 vehicles or Part 2 vehicle-combinations are—

(a) as respects any vehicle or vehicle-combination falling within Schedule 1, 2, 3 or 4, the requirements specified in the Schedule in question; and

(b) as respects all such vehicles or vehicle-combinations, the requirements specified in articles 12 to 18.

(2) But the requirements specified in articles 12 to 17 do not apply to a mobile crane or road recovery vehicle in any case where—

(a) a civil emergency or road traffic accident has occurred;

(b) as a result, there is a danger to the public;

(c) the owner or user of the crane or vehicle has received a request made by the police for the vehicle to be used for the purposes of immediate clearance of an area affected by the emergency or accident;

(d) the crane or vehicle is used on roads within 24 hours of receipt of the request; and

(e) it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the requirements of those articles.

(3) Nothing in this article prevents a motor vehicle which falls within the definition of a mobile crane in paragraph 2 of Schedule 2, but which does not comply in all respects with the authorisation requirements for mobile cranes specified in that Schedule, from complying instead with the authorisation requirements for engineering plant specified in Schedule 3 provided that the motor vehicle in question also falls within the definition of engineering plant in paragraph 2 of that Schedule.

(4) For the purposes of this Order, a motor vehicle that complies with the authorisation requirements for engineering plant in the manner described in paragraph (3) is to be treated as engineering plant.

Length and width of vehicle and projections of load

Length: police notification and attendants

12.—(1) Where either of the length limits set out in paragraph (2) or (3) is exceeded in relation to a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination, the user of the vehicle or vehicle-combination must—

(a) before the start of any journey, notify in accordance with Schedule 5 the chief officer of police for each area in which the vehicle or vehicle-combination is to be used;

(b) ensure that the vehicle or vehicle-combination is used in accordance with the requirements of that Schedule; and

(c) ensure that the vehicle or vehicle-combination is accompanied during the journey by one or more attendants employed in accordance with Schedule 6.

(2) The first length limit is exceeded where the overall length of any single rigid unit together with the length of any forward or rearward projection of any load carried on the unit exceeds 18.75 metres.

(3) The second length limit is exceeded where the overall length of a Part 2 vehicle-combination exceeds 25.9 metres.

(4) The reference to a single rigid unit is a reference to—

(a) a single vehicle, whether or not included in a Part 2 vehicle-combination; or

(b) any two or more vehicles comprising or included in a Part 2 vehicle-combination which together bear the weight of one or more loads in such a way that, at all times when the vehicles are moving, the longitudinal axis of each vehicle lies in the same vertical plane.

Forward and rearward projections: police notification

13.—(1) This article applies where a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination is to carry a load and the length of any forward or rearward projection of the load exceeds 3.05 metres.

(2) The user of the Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must, unless he has already notified the police under article 12(1)(a)—

(a) before the start of any journey, notify in accordance with Schedule 5 the chief officer of police for each area in which the vehicle or vehicle-combination is to be used; and

(b) ensure that the vehicle or vehicle-combination is used in accordance with the requirements of that Schedule.

Forward and rearward projections: attendants

14.—(1) If paragraph (2) or (3) applies, the user of a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must ensure that the vehicle or vehicle-combination is accompanied during the journey by one or more attendants employed in accordance with Schedule 6.

(2) This paragraph applies where a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination is carrying a load and the length of any forward projection of the load exceeds 2 metres.

(3) This paragraph applies where a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination is carrying a load and the length of any rearward projection of the load exceeds 3.05 metres.

Width and lateral projections: police notification, Secretary of State notification and attendants

15.—(1) This article applies to a Part 2 vehicle or vehicle in a Part 2 vehicle-combination in respect of which one or more of the following width limits are exceeded—

(a) the first width limit is exceeded where the overall width of the vehicle together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of any load carried on it is 3 metres or less but the length of any lateral projection of a load carried on it exceeds 305 millimetres;

(b) the second width limit is exceeded where the overall width of the vehicle together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of any load carried on it exceeds 3 metres;

(c) the third width limit is exceeded where the overall width of the vehicle together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of any load carried on it exceeds 3.5 metres;

(d) the fourth width limit is exceeded where the overall width of the vehicle together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of any load carried on it exceeds 5 metres.

(2) Paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) apply cumulatively.

(3) Where the first or second width limit is exceeded, the user of the vehicle must—

(a) before the start of any journey, notify in accordance with Schedule 5 the chief officer of police for each area in which the vehicle or vehicle-combination is to be used; and

(b) ensure that the vehicle is used in accordance with the requirements of that Schedule.

(4) Where the third width limit is exceeded, the user of the vehicle must ensure that the vehicle is accompanied during the journey by one or more attendants employed in accordance with Schedule 6.

(5) Where the fourth width limit is exceeded, the user of the vehicle must—

(a) before the start of any journey, obtain in accordance with Schedule 7 the written consent of the Secretary of State; and

(b) ensure that the vehicle is used in accordance with the requirements of that Schedule.

Visibility and marking of forward, rearward and lateral projections of loads etc

16.  Schedule 8 (which makes provision as to the visibility and marking of projections exceeding a certain length or width) applies in relation to loads carried on a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination.

Weight of vehicle and load

Weight: police notification and road and bridge authority notification and indemnity

17.—(1) In a case falling within paragraph (2), the user of a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must before the start of any journey—

(a) notify in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 9 the authority (within the meaning of that Schedule) for each road or bridge on which the vehicle or vehicle-combination is to be used; and

(b) give to each authority an indemnity in the form specified in Part 2 of that Schedule.

(2) A case falls within this paragraph where—

(a) the total weight of the Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination (whether it is unladen or wholly or partly laden) exceeds 44,000 kilograms; or

(b) the vehicle or vehicle-combination does not comply in all respects with—

(i) the requirements of Schedule 3 to the Authorised Weight Regulations (axle weights); or

(ii) if that Schedule does not apply to it, the equivalent provisions of the Construction and Use Regulations.

(3) In a case falling within paragraph (4), the user of the Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must—

(a) before the start of any journey, notify in accordance with Schedule 5 the chief officer of police for each area in which the vehicle or vehicle-combination is to be used; and

(b) ensure that the vehicle is used in accordance with the requirements of that Schedule.

(4) A case falls within this paragraph if the total weight of the Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination (whether it is unladen or wholly or partly laden) exceeds 80,000 kilograms.

(5) Paragraphs (1) and (3) apply cumulatively.

Use on bridges

18.—(1) The driver of a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must not cause or permit any part of his vehicle (or any part of any vehicle in the vehicle-combination he is driving) to enter on a bridge if he knows that the whole or part of another such vehicle or vehicle-combination is already on the bridge or if he could reasonably be expected to ascertain that fact.

(2) Except in circumstances beyond his control, the driver of a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must not cause or permit the Part 2 vehicle, or any vehicle in the vehicle-combination, to remain stationary on any bridge.

(3) If a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination that falls within article 17(2) or (4) is caused to stop on a bridge for any reason, the driver of the vehicle or vehicle-combination must ensure—

(a) that the vehicle or vehicle-combination is moved clear of the bridge as soon as practicable; and

(b) that no concentrated load is applied to the surface on that part of the road carried by the bridge.

(4) But where the action described in paragraph (3)(a) or (b) is not practicable and it becomes necessary to apply any concentrated load to the road surface by means of jacks, rollers or other similar means, the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle or vehicle-combination must—

(a) before the load is applied to the road surface, seek advice from the authority (within the meaning of Schedule 9) responsible for the maintenance of the bridge about the use of spreader plates to reduce the possibility of damage caused by the application of the load; and

(b) ensure that no concentrated load is applied without using spreader plates in accordance with any advice received.

(5) References to the driver of a Part 2 vehicle-combination are references to the driver of the foremost motor vehicle in the vehicle-combination.