# The Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003, Article 61: Longer semi-trailers – requirements relating to route plans and risk assessments


(1) Subject to paragraph (8), a longer semi-trailer must not be used on a road otherwise than on an established route.
(2) In this article, “established route” means a route which is specified on a route plan complying with paragraph (3), and for which a risk assessment complying with paragraphs (4) and (5) has been completed.
(3) A route plan must—
(a) be in writing, and
(b) specify the road or roads on which the longer semi-trailer is to be used in order to travel to and from its destination.
(4) A risk assessment must—
(a) be in writing,
(b) make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks of personal injury and injury to any animal, damage to any vehicle and damage to any other property of using the longer semi-trailer on the route specified on the route plan, and
(c) conclude in the light of those risks that the route is one on which it would be reasonably safe to use a longer semi-trailer.
(5) A risk assessment is suitable and sufficient within the meaning of paragraph (4)(b) if it considers all relevant risk factors, including the following—
(a) the width and curvature of the part of the road on which the longer semi-trailer is to be used on the route,
(b) the amount of space that is available at any road junction at which the longer semi-trailer is likely to turn as part of the route, and
(c) the likelihood that the presence of other vehicles, pedestrians, horse riders or cyclists on the route will cause difficulties in manoeuvring the longer semi-trailer.
(6) A copy of the route plan and risk assessment for an established route must be kept by the operator of a longer semi-trailer for a period of two years beginning with the date the longer semi-trailer was last used on that route.
(7) A copy of the route plan and risk assessment for an established route must be carried in the motor vehicle towing the longer semi-trailer when the longer semi-trailer is used on that route.
(8) Subject to paragraph (9), a longer semi-trailer may be used on a diversionary route where—
(a) the use of a longer semi-trailer on the whole or any part of an established route is prohibited under any enactment other than this order, or
(b) the operator reasonably considers that the use of a longer semi-trailer on the whole or any part of an established route is likely to be subject to unreasonable traffic delays because of an accident or other obstruction on that route.
(9) An operator who becomes aware of a prohibition, accident or other obstruction on an established route as mentioned in paragraph (8) before the longer semi-trailer reaches that route may not use a diversionary route where—
(a) it is reasonably practicable to use an alternative established route, or
(b) it is reasonably practicable to specify the diversionary route on a route plan, and to complete a risk assessment for it.
(10) Where paragraph (8)(a) applies, the diversionary route may be used for a period of seven days beginning with the day on which the prohibition on the use of the longer semi-trailer came into force, unless the prohibition is revoked or expires before the end of that period.
(11) In this article—
(a) “diversionary route” means a route which—
(i) involves the use of roads or parts of roads which are not on an established route,
(ii) enables the longer semi-trailer to reach or return to an established route as soon as reasonably practicable, and
(iii) is reasonably considered by the operator to be safe for that purpose;
(b) “damage to any other property” means damage to any other property constructed on, fixed to, growing in or otherwise forming part of the land on which the route specified on the route plan is situated or land adjacent to such land;
(c) a risk factor is something which increases or reduces a risk mentioned in paragraph (4)(b).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1998/article/61 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/road-vehicles-authorisation-of-special-types-general-order-2003/article-61
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.