B-Double and Higher Mass Vehicles

POLICY NO: DCI 26 - CL

B-DOUBLE AND HIGHER MASS VEHICLES

LOCAL ROAD ROUTE

POLICY

Date Resolved By Council: 27 January 2010

Commencement Date: 27 January 2010

Review Date: December 2016

Responsible Department: City Infrastructure

This policy has been authorised and is included on Council’s Website.

Peter Brown

Chief Executive Officer

27 January 2010

B-DOUBLE AND HIGHER MASS VEHICLES LOCAL ROAD ROUTE POLICY

1. PURPOSE

To adopt a policy on processing applications for B-Double and Higher Mass vehicle routes on the local road network in the Moreland municipality.

2. BACKGROUND

The State Government has gazetted all arterial roads in the municipality for use by B-Doubles and Higher Mass Vehicles (with the exception of Gaffney Street between Pascoe Vale Road and Cumberland Road). The routes are outlined in Attachment 1.

For a B-Double or Higher Mass vehicle to travel on the local road network it must have either of the following two permits.

· A general permit (Victorian Government Gazette notice)

· A VicRoads permit for the specified local roads.

In regard to the general permit, Moreland City Council has no local roads within this category. Therefore all B-Double and Higher Mass vehicles require a VicRoads permit to travel on the local road network. In order to obtain a VicRoads permit, the operator must first obtain Council’s written approval.

Council has determined in the past to control the access of these vehicles on the local road network due to safety, noise and infrastructure (road pavement) concerns.

Council also considers the larger capacity of these vehicles also reduces the number of vehicles required to transport a given amount of freight.

Accordingly, the assessment of applications is a balance between safety, protection of infrastructure, noise levels and supporting local business/industry.

Council officers assess the application to determine that the route is the most appropriate route to access the given site.

3. APPLICATIONS

Applications for approval of a B-Double or Higher Mass routes should include the following information:

(a) A statement from the receiving Company as to the impact on the Business to be serviced if the permit is denied

(b) Number of trips per day

(d) Material to be transported

(e) Registration of the vehicles to be delivering to the site

(f) Details of alternate routes in order of preference.

4. GUIDELINES

The approval/rejection of requests for B-Doubles or Higher Mass Vehicles to travel on local roads in Moreland to have regard to:

(a) Road Hierarchy

The use of higher order roads in Council’s road hierarchy as designated in the Moreland Integrated Transport Strategy;

(b) Road Widths

Require travel along roads with a minimum of two 3m wide travel lanes;

Turning manoeuvres at an intersection are geometrically possible and can be conducted in a safe manner.

(d) Residential & Shopping Areas

The avoidance of residential streets and shopping strips;

(e) Community Facilities

Avoid locations with community facilities, particularly those that cater for the aged and young; and

(f) Bicycle Routes

Avoidance of streets designated as bicycle routes.

5. APPROVAL

Any applications approved be authorised by the Director City Infrastructure or Manager Engineering and Transport.

6. VICROADS ARTERIAL ROADS

Freeways

· Tullamarine Freeway

· Western Ring Road

Arterial Roads

· Bell Street

· Sydney Road

· Pascoe Vale Road

· The route starting at Pascoe Vale Road:

o ‘Glenroy Road / Wheatsheaf Road / Plumpton Avenue / Rhodes Parade / Pascoe Street / Boundary Road’

· The route starting at Cumberland Road:

o ‘Gaffney Street/Murray Road’

· The route:

o ‘Nicholson Street/Holms Street/Albion Street/Nicholson Street’

· Elizabeth Street (Murray Road to Bell Street)

· Cumberland Road (Boundary Road to Bell Street)

· Champ Street

· The route:

o ‘Elm Grove/ Drummond Street/ Urquhart Street

· The route:

o ‘Melville Road/ Dawson Street/ Grantham Street’

· Moreland Road

· Brunswick Road