HML win in NSW

The New South Wales Government has taken another step to slash red tape for the heavy vehicle industry by opening up to 98 per cent of the state-owned road network to Higher Mass Limit (HML) vehicles.

A permit was previously required to operate HML vehicles in NSW but thanks to a recent Declaration released by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), transport operators no longer need permits to operate eligible vehicles on assessed and approved routes, which also include some regional and council-owned roads.

NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Duncan Gay, said that from April 2 this year a significant number of pre-approved HML routes across the state had become accessible under the NSW HML Declaration.

"Removing the requirement to obtain permits and offering a higher degree of access certainty to NSW transport operators will improve efficiency and delivery times for industry," he said.

NHVR Chairman Bruce Baird thanked the minister, Roads Maritime Services (RMS) and the industry for their hard work and contribution to this new arrangement.

"Over the past year the NHVR has listened to what our customers want and need. We have made the required changes to our business and results like this speak for themselves. We know that there is still more work to be done, but we now have the right tools to continue delivering outcomes to provide a safer and more productive heavy vehicle industry for the benefit of all," Mr Baird said.

For the 219 transport operators with more than 1166 vehicles enrolled in the NSW Intelligent Access Program, the initiative provides a more transparent and efficient access system, says NHVR. Click here for the RMS maps and lists of approved roads, including approved council roads.

Kelvin Baxter, Managing Director of Baxter Transport – a major NSW HML permit applicant with up to 30 permits issued since last February – said he believes the improved HML process is a step in the right direction.

"By removing the individual HML process, this will shorten our paperwork timeframe by four to seven days," he said.

The Declaration applies to eligible short combinations, B-doubles, Type 1 A-double road trains (including Modern Road Trains), AB-triples, B-triples and Modular B-triples.

Click here for the NHVR's HML fact sheet for more information.