Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Telecommunications Act 2001

Networks - Maintenance of networks - Miscellaneous

149: Lines must not interfere with public traffic

You could also call this:

"Keep roads safe: wires must be high enough not to block traffic"

Illustration for Telecommunications Act 2001

If you are a network operator, you must not put wires in a way that stops people from using the road legally. You can put wires across a public road if they are 5.5 metres or more above the road surface. Elsewhere, wires must be 4.25 metres or more above the ground to avoid interfering with traffic.

When putting wires up, you need to make sure they do not get in the way of people using the road. This rule helps keep roads safe for everyone to use. You can find more information about this rule by looking at the Telecommunications Act 2001 and similar laws, such as the law from 1987 No 116 s 17(1).

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM127459.

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"Paying to move telecom lines on your road to access your land"

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Part 4Networks
Maintenance of networks: Miscellaneous

149Lines must not interfere with public traffic

  1. A network operator must not intentionally place the wires of a line so that they interfere with the lawful traffic on a road.

  2. However, wires of a line do not interfere with the lawful traffic on the road if the wires are placed at a height of 5.5 metres or more above the surface of the road where the wires cross a public road, or at a height of 4.25 metres or more elsewhere.

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