OpenLegislation

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

S.I. 2003/1998 · Made 4 August 2003 · Extends to England, Wales and Scotland

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 31 May 2023.

ROAD TRAFFIC

Made 4th August 2003

Coming into force 25th August 2003

The Secretary of State for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988f1, hereby make the following Order:

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

1988 c. 52.

Contents

  1. Part 1: GENERAL
  2. Preliminary
  3. 1Citation and commencement
  4. 2Revocation
  5. Interpretation
  6. 3Interpretation: general
  7. 4Interpretation: vehicles and their measurement
  8. 5Interpretation: lateral projections of loads and their measurement
  9. 6Interpretation: forward or rearward projections of loads and their measurement
  10. 7Interpretation: axles, wheels, axle weights and wheel weights
  11. Authorisation of certain vehicles for use on roads
  12. 8Application of this Order
  13. 9Authorisation of particular vehicles falling within recognised category of special vehicles
  14. Part 2: SPECIAL VEHICLES FOR HAULAGE, LIFTING, ENGINEERING AND VEHICLE RECOVERY
  15. 10Part 2 vehicles and Part 2 vehicle-combinations: recognised categories and defined terms
  16. 11Part 2 vehicles and Part 2 vehicle-combinations: authorisation requirements
  17. Length and width of vehicle and projections of load
  18. 12Length: police notification and attendants
  19. 13Forward and rearward projections: police notification
  20. 14Forward and rearward projections: attendants
  21. 15Width and lateral projections: police notification, Secretary of State notification and attendants
  22. 16Visibility and marking of forward, rearward and lateral projections of loads etc
  23. Weight of vehicle and load
  24. 17Weight: police notification and road and bridge authority notification and indemnity
  25. 18Use on bridges
  26. Part 3: SPECIAL VEHICLES FOR AGRICULTURE
  27. 19Agricultural vehicles: recognised categories and defined terms
  28. 20Agricultural vehicles: authorisation requirements
  29. 21General requirements as to construction and use
  30. 22Restrictions on towing of trailers
  31. 23Forward and rearward projections: police notification, Secretary of State notification and attendants
  32. 24Width: police notification and attendants
  33. 25Visibility and marking of forward, rearward and lateral projections
  34. 26Track-laying agricultural motor vehicles: road and bridge authority notification and indemnity
  35. 27Track-laying agricultural motor vehicles: use on bridges
  36. Part 4: OTHER SPECIAL VEHICLES REQUIRING NOTIFICATIONS OR ATTENDANTS
  37. Vehicles carrying loads of exceptional width
  38. 28Motor vehicles or trailers carrying loads of exceptional width: recognised category
  39. 29Motor vehicles or trailers carrying loads of exceptional width: authorisation requirements
  40. 30Motor vehicles or trailers carrying loads of exceptional width: restrictions on width and speed
  41. 31Motor vehicles or trailers carrying loads of exceptional width: requirements as to width
  42. Local excavation vehicles
  43. 32Local excavation vehicles: recognised category
  44. 33Local excavation vehicles: authorisation requirements
  45. 34Local excavation vehicles: requirements as to width
  46. 35Local excavation vehicles: requirements as to weight
  47. Vehicles for tests, trials or non-UK use etc
  48. 36Vehicles for tests, trials or non-UK use etc: recognised category
  49. 37Vehicles for tests, trials or non-UK use etc: authorisation requirements
  50. 38Vehicles for tests, trials or non-UK use etc: requirements as to length
  51. 39Vehicles for tests, trials or non-UK use etc: requirements as to width
  52. 40Vehicles for tests, trials or non-UK use etc: requirements as to weight
  53. Track-laying vehicles
  54. 41Track-laying vehicles: recognised category
  55. 42Track-laying vehicles: authorisation requirements
  56. 43Track-laying vehicles: restrictions on use
  57. 44Track-laying vehicles: consent of road authorities
  58. Straddle carriers
  59. 45Straddle carriers: recognised category
  60. 46Straddle carriers: authorisation requirements
  61. 47Straddle carriers: restrictions on use, speed and width
  62. 48Straddle carriers: requirements as to length
  63. Part 5: MISCELLANEOUS SPECIAL VEHICLES
  64. 49Vehicles with moveable platforms
  65. 50Pedestrian-controlled road maintenance vehicles
  66. 51Motor vehicles used for cutting grass or trimming hedges
  67. 52Trailers used for cutting grass or trimming hedges
  68. 53Operational military vehicles
  69. 54Track-laying vehicles belonging to Royal National Lifeboat Institution
  70. 55Highway testing vehicles
  71. 56Vehicles propelled by natural gas
  72. 57Longer semi-trailers
  73. 58Longer semi-trailers – legislation which applies as authorisation requirements
  74. 59Longer semi-trailers – length requirements
  75. 60Longer semi-trailers – other construction requirements
  76. 61Longer semi-trailers – requirements relating to route plans and risk assessments
  77. 62Longer semi-trailers – notification of operation for monitoring and evaluation purposes
  78. 63Longer semi-trailers - application of section 53(1) and (2) of the 1988 Act
  79. Signature
  80. Schedule 1: ABNORMAL INDIVISIBLE LOAD VEHICLES
  81. Part 1: DEFINED TERMS
  82. General
  83. 1Paragraph 1
  84. Meaning of abnormal indivisible load
  85. 2Paragraph 2
  86. Meaning of abnormal indivisible load vehicle (AILV)
  87. 3Paragraph 3
  88. Category 1, 2 or 3 AILVs or AILV-combinations
  89. 4Paragraph 4
  90. Part 2: CONSTRUCTION
  91. Wheeled vehicles
  92. 5Paragraph 5
  93. Tyres
  94. 6Paragraph 6
  95. Braking requirements
  96. 7Paragraph 7
  97. 8Paragraph 8
  98. 9Paragraph 9
  99. 10Paragraph 10
  100. 11Paragraph 11
  101. 12Paragraph 12
  102. Part 3: PLATES AND SIGNS
  103. Plates
  104. 13Paragraph 13
  105. 14Paragraph 14
  106. Signs
  107. 15Paragraph 15
  108. Part 4: CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE
  109. General restrictions
  110. 16Paragraph 16
  111. 17Paragraph 17
  112. 18Paragraph 18
  113. 19Paragraph 19
  114. Restrictions on carriage of multiple loads
  115. 20Paragraph 20
  116. 21Paragraph 21
  117. 22Paragraph 22
  118. 23Paragraph 23
  119. Maximum width
  120. 24Paragraph 24
  121. Maximum length
  122. 25Paragraph 25
  123. Restrictions relating to weight: all AILVs and AILV-combinations
  124. 26Paragraph 26
  125. 27Paragraph 27
  126. Restrictions relating to weight: Category 1 AILVs and AILV-combinations
  127. 28Paragraph 28
  128. 29Paragraph 29
  129. Restrictions relating to weight: Category 2 AILVs and AILV-combinations
  130. 30Paragraph 30
  131. 31Paragraph 31
  132. Restrictions relating to weight: Category 3 AILVs and AILV-combinations
  133. 32Paragraph 32
  134. 33Paragraph 33
  135. Speed restrictions
  136. 34Paragraph 34
  137. Part 5: APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 41 OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988
  138. Category 1 AILVs and AILV-combinations
  139. 35Paragraph 35
  140. Category 2 or 3 AILVs and AILV-combinations
  141. 36Paragraph 36
  142. AILVs manufactured before 1st October 1989
  143. 37Paragraph 37
  144. Schedule 2: MOBILE CRANES
  145. Part 1: DEFINED TERMS
  146. General
  147. 1Paragraph 1
  148. Meaning of mobile crane
  149. 2Paragraph 2
  150. Category A, B or C mobile cranes
  151. 3Paragraph 3
  152. Part 2: CONSTRUCTION
  153. Wheeled vehicles
  154. 4Paragraph 4
  155. Tyres
  156. 5Paragraph 5
  157. Suspension
  158. 6Paragraph 6
  159. Braking requirements
  160. 7Paragraph 7
  161. 8Paragraph 8
  162. 9Paragraph 9
  163. 10Paragraph 10
  164. 11Paragraph 11
  165. 12Paragraph 12
  166. Design speed
  167. 13Paragraph 13
  168. Warning beacon
  169. 14Paragraph 14
  170. Part 3: PLATES
  171. 15Paragraph 15
  172. 16Paragraph 16
  173. 17Paragraph 17
  174. 18Paragraph 18
  175. Part 4: CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE
  176. General restrictions
  177. 19Paragraph 19
  178. 20Paragraph 20
  179. 21Paragraph 21
  180. Restriction on carriage of loads etc
  181. 22Paragraph 22
  182. 23Paragraph 23
  183. 24Paragraph 24
  184. Restriction on towing trailers
  185. 25Paragraph 25
  186. Maximum width
  187. 26Paragraph 26
  188. Maximum length
  189. 27Paragraph 27
  190. Restrictions relating to weight: all mobile cranes
  191. 28Paragraph 28
  192. 29Paragraph 29
  193. Restrictions relating to weight: Category A mobile cranes
  194. 30Paragraph 30
  195. Restrictions relating to weight: Category B mobile cranes
  196. 31Paragraph 31
  197. Restrictions relating to weight: Category C mobile cranes
  198. 32Paragraph 32
  199. Speed restrictions
  200. 33Paragraph 33
  201. Part 5: APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 41 OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988
  202. Category A mobile cranes
  203. 34Paragraph 34
  204. Category B or C mobile cranes
  205. 35Paragraph 35
  206. Schedule 3: ENGINEERING PLANT
  207. Part 1: DEFINED TERMS
  208. General
  209. 1Paragraph 1
  210. Meaning of engineering plant
  211. 2Paragraph 2
  212. Part 2: CONSTRUCTION
  213. Wheeled or track-laying vehicles
  214. 3Paragraph 3
  215. Provisions applying to wheeled vehicles
  216. 4Paragraph 4
  217. 5Paragraph 5
  218. Braking requirements
  219. 6Paragraph 6
  220. 7Paragraph 7
  221. Part 3: CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE
  222. General restrictions
  223. 8Paragraph 8
  224. 9Paragraph 9
  225. 10Paragraph 10
  226. Restrictions on carriage of loads etc
  227. 11Paragraph 11
  228. 12Paragraph 12
  229. 13Paragraph 13
  230. Restrictions on towing of trailers
  231. 14Paragraph 14
  232. Maximum width
  233. 15Paragraph 15
  234. Maximum length
  235. 16Paragraph 16
  236. Restrictions relating to weight: gross weight
  237. 17Paragraph 17
  238. Restrictions relating to weight: weight transmitted to road surface
  239. 18Paragraph 18
  240. 19Paragraph 19
  241. Speed restrictions
  242. 20Paragraph 20
  243. 21Paragraph 21
  244. 22Paragraph 22
  245. 23Paragraph 23
  246. Part 4: APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 41 OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988
  247. Engineering plant treated as falling within Category 1, 2 or 3
  248. 24Paragraph 24
  249. Slow plant
  250. 25Paragraph 25
  251. 26Paragraph 26
  252. 27Paragraph 27
  253. 28Paragraph 28
  254. 29Paragraph 29
  255. Schedule 4: ROAD RECOVERY VEHICLES
  256. Part 1: DEFINED TERMS
  257. 1Paragraph 1
  258. Part 2: CONSTRUCTION
  259. 2Paragraph 2
  260. 3Paragraph 3
  261. Part 3: PLATES
  262. 4Paragraph 4
  263. Part 4: CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE
  264. Restriction on carriage of loads and towing of vehicles
  265. 5Paragraph 5
  266. 6Paragraph 6
  267. 7Paragraph 7
  268. 8Paragraph 8
  269. 9Paragraph 9
  270. Beacons
  271. 10Paragraph 10
  272. Maximum width
  273. 11Paragraph 11
  274. Maximum length
  275. 12Paragraph 12
  276. Maximum vehicle weight
  277. 13Paragraph 13
  278. Maximum axle and wheel weights
  279. 14Paragraph 14
  280. 15Paragraph 15
  281. Speed restrictions
  282. 16Paragraph 16
  283. Part 5: APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 41 OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988
  284. 17Paragraph 17
  285. Schedule 5: NOTICES TO POLICE
  286. Defined term
  287. 1Paragraph 1
  288. Notices
  289. 2Paragraph 2
  290. 3Paragraph 3
  291. 4Paragraph 4
  292. Use of vehicle in accordance with notice
  293. 5Paragraph 5
  294. 6Paragraph 6
  295. 7Paragraph 7
  296. Schedule 6: ATTENDANTS
  297. 1Paragraph 1
  298. 2Paragraph 2
  299. 3Paragraph 3
  300. 4Paragraph 4
  301. Schedule 7: NOTICES TO SECRETARY OF STATE
  302. 1Paragraph 1
  303. 2Paragraph 2
  304. Schedule 8: MARKING OF PROJECTIONS
  305. Part 1: DEFINED TERMS
  306. 1Paragraph 1
  307. Part 2: FORWARD AND REARWARD PROJECTIONS
  308. 2Paragraph 2
  309. General visibility of forward or rearward projections
  310. 3Paragraph 3
  311. Markers for the end of a forward or rearward projection
  312. 4Paragraph 4
  313. Markers for the side of a forward or rearward projection
  314. 5Paragraph 5
  315. 6Paragraph 6
  316. Part 3: LATERAL PROJECTIONS
  317. Markers for a lateral projection
  318. 7Paragraph 7
  319. 8Paragraph 8
  320. Part 4: GENERAL VISIBILITY OF MARKERS
  321. 9Paragraph 9
  322. 10Paragraph 10
  323. Part 5: APPEARANCE OF MARKERS
  324. Diagram of end marker surface
  325. Schedule 9: ROAD AND BRIDGE AUTHORITIES
  326. Part 1: NOTICES
  327. 1Paragraph 1
  328. 2Paragraph 2
  329. 3Paragraph 3
  330. 4Paragraph 4
  331. 5Paragraph 5
  332. 2INDEMNITIES
  333. 6Paragraph 6
  334. 7Paragraph 7
  335. Schedule 10: LOCAL EXCAVATION VEHICLES
  336. Part 1: MEANING OF LOCAL EXCAVATION VEHICLE
  337. 1Paragraph 1
  338. Part 2: CONSTRUCTION
  339. Wheels
  340. 2Paragraph 2
  341. Part 3: CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE
  342. General restrictions
  343. 3Paragraph 3
  344. Restrictions on carriage of loads etc
  345. 4Paragraph 4
  346. Restrictions on towing of trailers
  347. 5Paragraph 5
  348. 6Paragraph 6
  349. Maximum width
  350. 7Paragraph 7
  351. Maximum length
  352. 8Paragraph 8
  353. Restrictions relating to weight: gross weight
  354. 9Paragraph 9
  355. Restrictions relating to weight: axle weight
  356. 10Paragraph 10
  357. Speed restrictions
  358. 11Paragraph 11
  359. Part 4: APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS MADE UNDER SECTION 41 OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1988
  360. 12Paragraph 12
  361. 13Paragraph 13
  362. Schedule 11: VEHICLES FOR TESTS, TRIALS OR NON-UK USE ETC
  363. Part 1: INTERPRETATION
  364. 1Paragraph 1
  365. Part 2: CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE
  366. General restrictions
  367. 2Paragraph 2
  368. 3Paragraph 3
  369. 4Paragraph 4
  370. Restriction of carriage of loads etc
  371. 5Paragraph 5
  372. 6Paragraph 6
  373. 7Paragraph 7
  374. Part 3: CONDITIONS RELATING TO USE
  375. 8Paragraph 8
  376. 9Paragraph 9
  377. 10Paragraph 10
  378. Schedule 12: VEHICLES PROPELLED BY COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS SYSTEMS
  379. Defined terms
  380. 1Paragraph 1
  381. Gas containers
  382. 2Paragraph 2
  383. 3Paragraph 3
  384. 4Paragraph 4
  385. Gas container isolation
  386. 5Paragraph 5
  387. Pressure relief devices
  388. 6Paragraph 6
  389. Pipelines
  390. 7Paragraph 7
  391. Unions and joints
  392. 8Paragraph 8
  393. Filling connectors
  394. 9Paragraph 9
  395. Valves, safety devices and control equipment
  396. 10Paragraph 10
  397. Regulators
  398. 11Paragraph 11
  399. Special requirements for buses
  400. 12Paragraph 12
  401. Connections for articulated vehicles
  402. 13Paragraph 13
  403. Marking and labelling of the vehicle
  404. 14Paragraph 14
  405. General requirements
  406. 15Paragraph 15
  407. Explanatory note