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

Article 10(4) and 11 (1)(a)

SCHEDULE 3 ENGINEERING PLANT

PART 1 DEFINED TERMS

General

1.  In this Schedule—

“Goods Vehicles Type Approval Regulations” means the requirements applicable to goods vehicles which are prescribed by regulations made under section 54(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988(1);

“slow” has the meaning given in paragraph 20(2); and

“wheel-track combination vehicle” means a track-laying vehicle designed and constructed so that the weight of the vehicle is transmitted to the road surface by a combination of wheels and continuous tracks.

Meaning of engineering plant

2.—(1) In this Order “ engineering plant” means any moveable plant or equipment which is a motor vehicle or trailer and which—

(a) in the case of a motor vehicle that falls within the definition of a mobile crane in paragraph 2 of Schedule 2, satisfies the conditions specified in sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) of this paragraph;

(b) in any other case, satisfies the conditions specified in sub-paragraphs (2) to (4) of this paragraph.

(2) The first condition is that the motor vehicle or trailer is specially designed and constructed for the special purposes of engineering operations that cannot safely be carried out by a motor vehicle or trailer that complies in all respects with—

(a) the Construction and Use Regulations; and

(b) the Goods Vehicles Type Approval Regulations.

(3) The second condition is that the motor vehicle or trailer is not constructed to carry any load apart from a load of a description specified in paragraph 13(2).

(4) The third condition is that the motor vehicle or trailer is operated by a driver or other person riding on it.

(5) The fourth condition is that the motor vehicle does not comply in all respects with the authorisation requirements for mobile cranes specified in Schedule 2.

PART 2 CONSTRUCTION

Wheeled or track-laying vehicles

3.  Engineering plant must be a wheeled vehicle, a track-laying vehicle or a wheel-track combination vehicle.

Provisions applying to wheeled vehicles

4.—(1) Any wheel of engineering plant which is not fitted with a pneumatic tyre of soft or elastic material must be fitted with a smooth tyre and have the edges rounded to a radius of not less than 12 millimetres and not more than 25 millimetres.

(2) But, in the case of plant which is a gritting machine designed for use (and used) for gritting frosted and icebound roads, any tyre of the gritting machine may be fitted with diagonal cross bars which—

(a) are of equal width (which must not be less than 25 millimetres);

(b) extend the full breadth of the tyre; and

(c) are arranged so that the distance between the adjacent cross bars is not greater than the width of the crossbars.

(3) A tyre is not to be taken to be of soft or elastic material unless the material—

(a) is continuous around the circumference of the wheel, or fitted in sections so that, as far as is reasonably practicable, no space is left between the ends of each section;

(b) is of a thickness and design that, as far as is reasonably practicable, minimises vibration when the vehicle is in motion; and

(c) is free from any defect which might in any way cause damage to the surface of a road.

5.  Engineering plant which has wheels and may (in accordance with paragraph 21) travel on roads at speeds exceeding those specified for slow plant in paragraph 20, must be fitted with tyres marked with a load and speed rating that is greater than the maximum load and speed that the plant can achieve when used on roads under its own power.

Braking requirements

6.  Engineering plant that is designed and constructed to operate on roads at speeds exceeding 12 miles per hour must be fitted with a braking system that complies with regulation 16 of the Construction and Use Regulations.

7.—(1) Any other engineering plant must be fitted with—

(a) an efficient brake capable of braking the vehicle at the maximum weight permitted under paragraphs 17 to 19 when travelling at the maximum speed permitted by this Schedule; and

(b) an efficient parking brake capable of holding the vehicle stationary when necessary.

(2) In the case of engineering plant that is a motor vehicle propelled by steam—

(a) the requirements of sub-paragraph (1)(a) are to be treated as met if the vehicle has an engine capable of being reversed; and

(b) the requirements of sub-paragraph (1)(b) are to be treated as met if the engine can be set to hold the vehicle stationary.

(3) Where engineering plant cannot be fitted with a parking brake on account of the nature of the engineering operations that it is specially designed and constructed to carry out, the requirements of sub-paragraph (1)(b) are to be treated as met if suitable scotches (or similar devices capable of holding the vehicle stationary when necessary) are fitted.

PART 3 CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE

General restrictions

8.  Engineering plant must not be used on roads for, or in connection with, engineering operations of any description if those operations may safely be carried out by a vehicle that complies in all respects with the Construction and Use Regulations and the Goods Vehicles Type Approval Regulations.

9.  Engineering plant may only be used on roads for—

(a) testing;

(b) demonstration;

(c) delivery on sale;

(d) proceeding to, or returning from, a manufacturer or repairer for repair or maintenance;

(e) proceeding to, or returning from, the site of engineering operations; or

(f) carrying out such operations.

10.  Engineering plant which has an overall width exceeding 3 metres may only be used on roads for, or in connection with, engineering operations that are of the character that the plant is specially designed and constructed to carry out.

Restrictions on carriage of loads etc

11.—(1) Engineering plant which is used on roads must not—

(a) carry any load; or

(b) lift or transport goods or burden.

(2) But that is subject to paragraphs 12 and 13.

12.  Engineering plant may carry its own necessary gear and equipment.

13.—(1) This paragraph applies at any time when engineering plant is engaged on the construction, maintenance or repair of roads.

(2) Engineering plant may carry—

(a) materials that have been excavated and raised from the ground by apparatus on the plant; or

(b) materials that the plant is specially designed to treat while carried on the plant.

Restrictions on towing of trailers

14.—(1) Except as stated in sub-paragraph (2), engineering plant must not tow a trailer.

(2) Engineering plant falling within sub-paragraph (3) may tow—

(a) a trailer which is itself engineering plant; or

(b) a living van or office hut used in connection with the construction, maintenance or repair of roads.

(3) Engineering plant falls within this sub-paragraph if it is a motor vehicle with an overall length that does not exceed 8 metres.

Maximum width

15.  The overall width of engineering plant, together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of any load carried on it in accordance with this Schedule, must not exceed 6.1 metres.

Maximum length

16.  The overall length of engineering plant (or of any vehicle-combination permitted by this Schedule), together with any forward or rearward projections of any load carried on it in accordance with this Schedule, must not exceed 30 metres.

Restrictions relating to weight: gross weight

17.—(1) The gross weight of engineering plant, together with the weight of any load carried on it in accordance with this Schedule, must not exceed 150,000 kilograms.

(2) The weight of the plant is to be calculated—

(a) in the case of plant which is a motor vehicle, by taking the sum of the weights transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels and tracks of the vehicle;

(b) in the case of plant which is a trailer, by taking the sum of the weights transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels and tracks of the trailer and of any weight of the trailer imposed on the towing vehicle.

Restrictions relating to weight: weight transmitted to road surface

18.—(1) This paragraph applies to determine the maximum weight that may be transmitted to the road surface by the wheels of any engineering plant that is a wheeled vehicle or a wheel-track combination vehicle.

(2) The wheel weight of the plant must not exceed 11,250 kilograms.

(3) The weight transmitted to any strip of road surface on which the wheels of the plant are resting must not exceed the following limits (measuring the strip of road surface referred to in those limits as the distance contained between any two parallel lines drawn on the road surface at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the plant)—

(a) if the strip of road surface measures a distance of 0.5 metre or less, the weight must not exceed 45,000 kilograms;

(b) if the strip of road surface measures a distance that lies between 0.5 metre and any greater distance up to, and including, 2 metres, the weight must not exceed the sum of—

(i) 45,000 kilograms; and

(ii) an additional weight allowance which is to be calculated by reference to the difference between 0.5 metre and the overall measurement of the strip of road surface, with additional weight being allowed in respect of that difference at a rate of 30,000 kilograms per metre;

(c) if the strip of road surface measures a distance of more than 2 metres, the weight must not exceed the sum of—

(i) the weight determined in accordance with paragraph (b), as calculated in respect of the first 2 metres of the measurement of the strip of road surface; and

(ii) a further additional weight allowance which is to be calculated by reference to the difference between 2 metres and the overall measurement of the strip of road surface, with further additional weight being allowed in respect of that difference at a rate of 10,000 kilograms per metre.

(4) But where the plant has one or more wheels that are not fitted with a pneumatic tyre, the total weight transmitted to the road surface by—

(a) any such wheel (if no other wheel is in the same line transversely); or

(b) all such wheels as are in line transversely;

must be such that the average weight per 25 millimetres width of tyre in contact with the road surface does not exceed 750 kilograms.

19.—(1) This paragraph applies to determine the maximum weight that may be transmitted to the road surface by the tracks of any engineering plant that is a track-laying vehicle or a wheel-track combination vehicle.

(2) The weight transmitted to any strip of road surface on which each track of the plant is resting must not exceed the following (measuring the strip of road surface referred to in those limits as the distance contained between any two parallel lines drawn on the road surface at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the plant)—

(a) if the strip of road surface measures a distance of 0.5 metre or less, the weight must not exceed 11,500 kilograms;

(b) if the strip of road surface measures a distance that lies between 0.5 metre and any greater distance up to, and including, 2 metres, the weight must not exceed the sum of—

(i) 11,500 kilograms; and

(ii) an additional weight allowance which is to be calculated by reference to the difference between 0.5 metre and the overall measurement of the strip of road surface, with additional weight being allowed in respect of that difference at a rate of 7,500 kilograms per metre;

(c) if the strip of road surface measures a distance of more than 2 metres, the weight must not exceed the sum of—

(i) the weight determined in accordance with paragraph (b), as calculated in respect of the first 2 metres of the measurement of the strip of road surface; and

(ii) a further additional weight allowance, which is to be calculated by reference to the difference between 2 metres and the overall measurement of the strip of road surface, with further additional weight being allowed in respect of that difference at a rate of 2,500 kilograms per metre.

Speed restrictions

20.—(1) Unless paragraph 21 applies, engineering plant must not travel on roads at speeds exceeding—

(a) 30 miles per hour on a motorway; or

(b) 12 miles per hour on any other road.

(2) Engineering plant falling within sub-paragraph (1) is referred to in this Schedule as slow plant.

21.—(1) This paragraph—

(a) applies to any engineering plant that satisfies the speed condition specified in sub-paragraph (2), and to any vehicle-combination that includes engineering plant and that satisfies that condition; but

(b) does not apply to engineering plant mentioned in paragraph 2(1)(a).

(2) The speed condition is that the plant or vehicle-combination would be able to comply with such requirements of Schedule 1 to this Order as are specified in sub-paragraph (3), if those requirements applied to it as they apply to an AILV (or AILV-combination) falling within Category 1, 2 or 3.

(3) The requirements of Schedule 1 referred to in sub-paragraph (2) are—

(a) the requirements as to brakes, plates and signs in paragraphs 7 to 15;

(b) the requirements as to weight in paragraphs 26 to 33; and

(c) such of the requirements of the Construction and Use Regulations, the Authorised Weight Regulations and the Lighting Regulations as are specified in paragraph 35 or 36.

(4) For the purposes of the remaining provisions of this Schedule, any engineering plant, or vehicle-combination that includes engineering plant, which complies with the requirements applicable to an AILV (or AILV-combination) falling within Category 1, 2, or 3 (as the case may be) is itself to be treated as falling within the Category in question.

22.—(1) Engineering plant, or a vehicle-combination that includes engineering plant, which falls within Category 1, 2 or 3 must not travel on a motorway, dual carriageway or other description of road at speeds exceeding the speed specified in Table 10 for that Category in respect of the description of road in question.

Table 10

Speed restrictions for engineering plant treated as falling within Category 1, 2 or 3

Vehicle or vehicle-combination	Motorway	Dual carriageway	Other roads
Category 1	60 mph	50 mph	40 mph
Category 2 or 3	40 mph	35 mph	30 mph

(2) But where the plant or vehicle-combination does not have suspension on all axles, the plant or vehicle-combination must not travel at speeds exceeding 20 miles per hour.

23.  Nothing in this Schedule is to be taken to authorise travel at any speed in excess of any speed restriction imposed by or under any other enactment.

PART 4 APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 41 OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988

Engineering plant treated as falling within Category 1, 2 or 3

24.  Engineering plant, or a vehicle-combination that includes engineering plant, which falls within Category 1, 2 or 3 must comply with—

(a) the Construction and Use Regulations;

(b) the Authorised Weight Regulations; and

(c) the Lighting Regulations;

to the same extent as an AILV (or AILV-combination) falling within the same Category must, by virtue of paragraph 35 or 36 of Schedule 1, comply with those Regulations.

Slow plant

25.—(1) Slow plant must comply with—

(a) the Construction and Use Regulations, apart from the provisions of those Regulations specified in Table 11 and, in the case of slow plant to which any of paragraphs 26 to 29 apply, apart from such additional provisions of those Regulations as are specified in the paragraph in question; and

(b) the Lighting Regulations.

(2) But regulation 16 of the Construction and Use Regulations (braking systems) does apply to slow plant that is a wheeled motor vehicle.

Table 11

Slow plant: Construction and Use Regulations that do not apply to any slow plant

Non-applicable Regulations	Subject
7	Length
8	Width
10A to 14	Other provisions as to dimensions and manoeuvrability
15,16	Braking systems
17	Vacuum or pressure brake warning devices
18(1A) to (9)	Maintenance and efficiency of brakes
19	Application of brakes of trailers
20 to 22, 24 to 26	Wheels, springs, tyres and tracks
35 to 36C	Instruments and equipment
39A, 39B	Fuel
49 to 53B	Protective systems
62 to 65	Control of emissions
66 to 74	Plates, markings, testings and inspection
75	Maximum permitted laden weight of vehicle
76 to 80	Other maximum permitted weight limits of vehicle and trailer, other than articulated vehicle
82	Restrictions on use of vehicles carrying wide or long loads

26.—(1) This paragraph applies to any slow plant that is a wheeled motor vehicle.

(2) Regulation 23 (wheel loads) of the Construction and Use Regulations does not apply to any wheeled motor vehicle that is designed and used solely for the purpose of laying materials for the repair or construction of road surfaces if the weight transmitted to the road surface by any two wheels in line transversely does not exceed 11,180 kilograms.

(3) Regulation 27(1)(f) (tyre tread) of the Construction and Use Regulations does not apply to any wheeled motor vehicle that—

(a) is designed for use in work of construction and repair of road surfaces;

(b) has wheels fitted with pneumatic tyres with smooth treads for such use; and

(c) is incapable by reason of its construction of exceeding a speed of 20 miles per hour on the level under its own power.

27.—(1) This paragraph applies to any slow plant that is a wheeled trailer.

(2) Regulation 27(1)(b) and (f) (tyre inflation level and tyre tread) of the Construction and Use Regulations does not apply to a wheeled trailer that—

(a) is designed for use in work of construction and repair of road surfaces; and

(b) has wheels fitted with pneumatic tyres with smooth treads for such use.

28.—(1) This paragraph applies to any slow plant that is a track-laying motor vehicle.

(2) Regulation 28 (tracks) of the Construction and Use Regulations does not apply to a road roller.

(3) The following provisions of the Construction and Use Regulations do not apply to a vehicle which was registered (within the meaning of the Construction and Use Regulations) on or before 31st December 1951—

(a) regulation 31 (glass); and

(b) regulation 34 (windscreen wipers and washers).

29.—(1) This paragraph applies to any slow plant that is a track-laying trailer (including a road roller).

(2) Regulation 28 (tracks) of the Construction and Use Regulations does not apply.

(1)

1988 c. 52.