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Land Transport Act 1998

Additional responsibilities concerning road transport

16A: Temporary restriction of heavy traffic on roads

You could also call this:

“Roads can be closed to big trucks if it's dangerous”

If a road controlling authority thinks there’s an urgent risk of damage to a road or danger to people using the road, they can do something about it. They can put up a sign that stops heavy vehicles, or certain types of heavy vehicles, from using specific roads for up to 6 months.

The authority must put this sign in a place where everyone can easily see it on every road where the rule applies.

If you drive a heavy vehicle on a road where there’s a sign telling you not to, you’re breaking the law. You could be fined up to $1,000 if you’re caught. However, you won’t be in trouble if you can prove there was no other way for you to go.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM3820233.

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"Big vehicles must follow weight and size rules"

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"Don't mess with speed cameras or have anything that stops them working"

Part 3 Additional responsibilities concerning road transport

16ATemporary restriction of heavy traffic on roads

  1. This section applies if a road controlling authority decides on reasonable grounds that there is an urgent risk of either or both of the following:

  2. damage to a road:
    1. danger to the safety of road users.

      1. The road controlling authority may, for a specified period of no more than 6 months, by a road closure sign, direct that any heavy traffic, or any specified kind of heavy traffic, may not proceed between any 2 places by way of any specified road or roads.

      2. A sign referred to in subsection (2) must be displayed in at least 1 prominent position on every road to which the sign applies.

      3. A person commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, if the person contravenes the requirements of any sign described in subsection (2) unless the person proves that there was no other way reasonably available for the traffic concerned to proceed.

      Notes
      • Section 16A: replaced, on , by section 49 of the Land Transport Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 34).