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FICA sees snags in 'no downplating' rule for axle-spacing regs
Page 27
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• The DoE's specific refusal to allow axles to be downplated in order to qualify vehicles for a higher gross weight limit under the proposed new axle-spacing and weight regulations will bring problems for operators, the Freight Transport Association has told the Minister for Transport Industries. And while the FTA welcomes the proposed alterations to the Construction and Use Regulations, it has, in its official comments on the DoE draft, asked fora meeting to try to resolve the problems it foresees.
In the draft schedule 7a, detailing the new weights and spacings, there are numerous instances of more than one gross weight being quoted for a given axle spacing, dependent upon differing plated axle weights. The FTA feels strongly that operators should be able to take full benefit of the options, but the DoE refusal to allow axle downplating will frustrate this.
The FTA gives an actual example submitted by an operator. This concerns a 20-ton-plated six-wheeler which would be allowed 22 tons under the new proposals, except that the rear axles are each plated for 9 tons — and schedule 7a makes it clear that for this vehicle to be plated at 22 tons gross its rear axles must not be plated for more than 8.5 tons.
The Association says it has found several instances in the Standard Lists where similar limitations will be placed on four-axled rigids through prohibition of downplating. It suggests that the situation may apply to new as well as existing vehicles.
Two solutions are proposed: either that vehicle plates should be modified to show the options for any particular vehicle, enabling operators either to take full advantage of the gross weight limit, or else to accept a lower gross weight in order to run at higher plated axle weights; or that the criteria should be amended so that, instead of the plated weight being the critical factor, the actual loading on the axle would be substituted. In no case would the axle design -limit be exceeded.