S.I. No. 51/2002 - Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 2002


In exercise of the powers conferred on the Minister for the Environment and Local Government by sections 5 , 11 and 12 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961) which said powers are delegated to me by the Environment and Local Government (Delegation of Ministerial Functions Order 1997 ( S.I. No. 427 of 1997 ) and for the purposes of giving effect to certain provisions of Directive 96/53/EC1 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic, I Robert Molloy, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government hereby make the following Regulations:

1.       (1)       These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 2002.

(2)       The Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2000 and these Regulations shall be construed as one and may be cited together as the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles Regulations, 1963 to 2002.

2.       In these Regulations -

“the Principal Regulations” means the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 ( S.I. No. 190 of 1963 );

“the Regulations of 1986” means the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986 ( S.I. No. 442 of 1986 );

“the Regulations of 1997” means the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1997 ( S.I. No. 404 of 1997 );

3.       The Schedule hereto is hereby substituted for the Schedule to the Regulations of 1986 (as substituted by article 6 of the Regulations of 1997).

4.       Article 10 of the Principal Regulations, as amended by article 3 of the Regulations of 1997, shall not apply to a vehicle or trailer of the Defence Forces.

SCHEDULE

(Article 3 refers)

Maximum weights, maximum dimensions and related characteristics of vehicles referred to in article 7 of the Regulations of 1986.

Maximum weight laden

Description of Vehicle

Maximum Weight

A two-axle trailer.

18,000 kilograms

A three-axle trailer.

24,000 kilograms

A two-axle mechanically propelled vehicle.

18,000 kilograms

A three-axle mechanically propelled vehicle.

25,000 kilograms

A three-axle mechanically propelled vehicle in a case where the driving axle is fitted with twin tyres and an air suspension system or an equivalent system or, where each of two driving axles is fitted with twin tyres and the maximum weight of each axle does not exceed 9,500 kilograms.

26,000 kilograms

A four-axle mechanically propelled vehicle.

30,000 kilograms

A four-axle mechanically propelled vehicle in a case where the driving axle is fitted with twin tyres and an air suspension system, or an equivalent system or, where each of two driving axles is fitted with twin tyres and the maximum weight of each axle does not exceed 9,500 kilograms.

32,000 kilograms

A two-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with a two-axle trailer.

36,000 kilograms

A two-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with a three-axle trailer.

40,000 kilograms

A three-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with either a two-axle or a three-axle trailer.

40,000 kilograms

A two-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with a two-axle semi-trailer.

36,000 kilograms

A two-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with a two-axle semi-trailer, in a case where the driving axle is fitted with twin tyres and an air suspension system, or an equivalent system.

38,000 kilograms

A two-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with a three-axle semi-trailer.

40,000 kilograms

A three-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with either a two-axle or a three-axle semi-trailer.

40,000 kilograms

A three-axle mechanically propelled vehicle with either a two-axle or a three-axle semi-trailer carrying a 40 foot ISO Container as a combined transport operation

44,000 kilograms

A three-axle articulated bus.

28,000 kilograms

Maximum weight transmitted to the surface of a road by axles, tandem axles and triaxles

Description of axle or tandem or triaxles

Maximum weight

A sole driving axle of a vehicle.

11,500 kilograms

Any other single axle of a vehicle or of a trailer attached to a vehicle.

10,000 kilograms

Tandem axles of a vehicle where the distance between the axles is:

-          less than 1 metre

11,500 kilograms

-          not less than 1 metre and less than 1.3 metres

16,000 kilograms

-          not less than 1.3 metres and less than 1.8 metres

18,000 kilograms

-          not less than 1.3 metres and less than 1.8 metres where the driving axle is fitted with twin tyres and an air suspension system or an equivalent system, or where each of two driving axles is fitted with twin tyres and the maximum weight of each axle does not exceed 9,500 kilograms.

19,000 kilograms

Tandem axles of a trailer or semi-trailer where the distance between the axles is:

-          less than 1 metre

11,000 kilograms

-          not less than 1 metre and less than 1.3 metres

16,000 kilograms

-          not less than 1.3 metres and less than 1.8 metres

18,000 kilograms

-          not less than 1.8 metres.

20,000 kilograms

A tri-axle of a trailer or a semi-trailer, where the distance between adjacent axles is:

-          1.3 metres or less

21,000 kilograms

-          more than 1.3 metres

24,000 kilograms

Maximum dimensions

Description of Vehicle and Dimension

Maximum Value

Length

A mechanically propelled vehicle.

12.00 metres

A trailer.

12.00 metres

An articulated bus.

18.00 metres

An articulated vehicle, other than an articulated bus.

16.50 metres

A combination of a mechanically propelled vehicle and one trailer.

18.75 metres

Width

A conditioned vehicle.

2.60 metres

A vehicle with a design gross vehicle weight in excess of 3,500 kilograms, other than a conditioned vehicle.

2.55 metres

Height

A vehicle or a combination of a mechanically propelled vehicle and one trailer

4.00 metres

Related characteristics

Description of Vehicle

Description of Related Characteristics

All vehicles.

The weight transmitted to the surface of a road by the driving axle or driving axles of a vehicle or of a combination of a vehicle and one trailer shall not be less than 25% of the total weight laden of the vehicle or of the combination, as the case may be.

All vehicles.

A vehicle or combination of a vehicle and one trailer which is in motion must be able to turn within a swept circle having an outer radius of 12.50 metres and an inner radius of 5.30 metres.

A four axle mechanically propelled vehicle.

The maximum weight laden expressed in kilograms, shall not exceed an amount which, when divided by the distance between the foremost and rearmost axles expressed in metres, yields a figure of 5,000 kg/m.

A combination of a mechanically propelled vehicle and one trailer.

The distance measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the combination of vehicles from the foremost external point of the loading area behind the cabin to the rearmost point of the trailer, less the distance between the rear of the drawing vehicle and the front of the trailer, shall not exceed 15.65 metres and the distance measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the combination of vehicles from the foremost point of the loading area behind the cabin to the rearmost point of the trailer shall not exceed 16.4 metres.

A combination of a mechanically propelled vehicle and one trailer.

The distance between the rearmost axle of the vehicle and the foremost axle of the trailer shall not be less than 3 metres.

A semi-trailer of an articulated vehicle first registered on or after the 1st day of January, 1991.

The distance between the axis of the semi-trailer king pin and the rear of the semi-trailer shall not exceed 12 metres and the distance measured horizontally between the axis of the semi-trailer king pin and any point to the front of the semi-trailer shall not exceed 2.04 metres.

A semi-trailer of an articulated vehicle first registered before the 1st day of January, 1991, where the overall length of the vehicle exceeds 15.5 metres.

The distance between the axis of the semi-trailer king pin and the rear of the semi-trailer shall not exceed 12 metres and the distance measured horizontally between the axis of the semi-trailer king pin and any point to the front of the semi-trailer shall not exceed 2.04 metres.

Dated this 20th day of February, 2002

 Robert Mollov

Minister of State at the Department of the

Environment and Local Government.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

These Regulations amend the provisions relating weights and dimensions and related characteristics of vehicles in International traffic contained in Regulations made in 1986 and amended most recently in 1997. These further amendments are required consequent upon the expiry of derogation granted in Directive 96/53/EC. A minor amendment is incorporated to exclude military vehicles from the requirements in the Regulations governing the maximum width of vehicles.

1 O.J. No. L 235/59 of 17 September, 1996