New Controls for Large
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Loads from November 1
ON Tuesday the Minister of Transport announced the introduction of additional controls on the movement of vehicles carrying large and awkward loads. These controls come into force on November 1 and are detailed in The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations, 1962, price Is., The Motor Vehicles (Authorization of Special Types) General Order. 1962. price is. 6d.. and The Road Vehicles Lighting (Long Vehicles and Trailers) Regulations. 1962. price 5d., which are obtainable from H.M. Stationery Office.
A consolidation of the Construction and Use Regulations is in hand and will follow later.
Under the new regulations, the carriage of indivisible loads over 20 ft. wide or 90 ft. in rigid length on normal vehicles will be banned. A load between 14 ft. and 20 ft. wide will require approval from the Ministry before it can be moved on a "special-type" vehicle.
The existing provisions for the Minister's authority for each individual movement for a loaded " special-type " vehicle over 20 ft. in overall width or over 150 tons in gross weight will be extended to cover vehicles which, with their loads, arc more than 90 ft. in rigid length. Requirements as to the carriage of attendants and notifying the police will apply to vehicles with a shorter rigid length. i.e., between 50 ft. and 90 ft.. and to road trains more than 85 ft. in length overall.
Projecting loads of more than 10 ft. (either front or rear) will have to be marked by standard type of marker board, attendants will be required and advance notice must be given to the police. Modified requirements will apply where the forward projection is between 6 ft. and 10 ft. or 3 ft. 6 in. and 10 ft. to the rear.
The new regulations will permit the use of sirens as an alternative to gongs or bells on ambulances as well as fire. salvage and police vehicles. The use of horns on stationary vehicles in built-up areas at night will continue to be prohibited except to raise alarm against attempted theft. Existing provisions are also to be extended to require that the means of attachment between a vehicle and trailer must be clearly visible where it exceeds 5 ft. in length.
Vehicle combinations which, with their loads, are more than 60 ft. long will require marker lamps along each side showing white to the front and red to the rear. One will he necessary within 30 ft. of the front and others rearwards at roughly 10-ft. intervals: With certain exceptions, trailers exceeding 7 ft. 6 in. in length are to require white front corner marker lamps.