Q What payloads will pre-1965 seven' ton vehicles be allowed to
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carry during the period from commencement of plating (which is understood to be in July 1968) until the vehicle is actually tested and plated? Also, when do the interim brake regulations come into effect?
A The actual gross weight at which you
can operate after plating will be quoted in the standard list which the Ministry of Transport is to issue. This will be that for which the vehicle was designed and sold in the first place, at the minimum, providing it can meet the interim braking standards of 45 per cent and 20 per cent and it has the correct capacity tyres.
The interim standards come into effect on January 1, 1968 for all vehicles on the road before that date and this factor may effect the weight at which you can safely operate. Another point on which there is still some doubt is that the plated weight could conceivably be enforced by the police even before a vehicle is plated. The standard list will quote a certain figure. If you are stopped and the vehicle weighed and found to be well above this it could be said that you were running in an unsafe condition. Nevertheless, there will be no specified figure for the gross weight except that for unplated vehicles, i.e. 14 tons for four-wheelers.