Submission on Draft Land Transport Rule, Agricultural Vehicles ...
Submission on Draft Land Transport Rule, Agricultural Vehicles ...
Submission on Draft Land Transport Rule, Agricultural Vehicles ...
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Towing c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> comp<strong>on</strong>ents must be fit for purpose and in<br />
sound c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>;<br />
A coupling pin must:<br />
a) be of a diameter that is appropriate for the diameter of the tractor<br />
or trailer coupling, whichever has the smaller diameter hole; and b)<br />
have a diameter that is less than 75% of the diameter of the larger<br />
of the coupling holes; and<br />
c) have a retaining mechanism<br />
Tow-eyes must not be worn at any point more than the lesser of:<br />
a) 10% of the original diameter; or<br />
b) the manufacturer’s wear tolerance<br />
An <strong>Agricultural</strong> trailer fitted with a towing c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> other than a<br />
two-point or three-point linkage must have a safety chain<br />
permanently attached to it and that chain must:<br />
a) have a breaking strength of a least the gross mass towed; and<br />
b) have its breaking strength identified; and<br />
c) be attached to the trailer by means other than by welding of the<br />
chain itself; and<br />
d) be adjustable in length to eliminate a tight or loose chain.<br />
A tractor used to tow an agricultural trailer must have an attachment<br />
point which a safety chain can be securely c<strong>on</strong>nected.<br />
4.7 Over-dimensi<strong>on</strong> vehicles<br />
4.8 As Federated Farmers previously stated in its submissi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the Agriculture Vehicle<br />
Review, we welcome the proposal to increase the current three metre forward<br />
overhang threshold to four metres. However, many large modern tractors with fr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
end loaders, or fr<strong>on</strong>t mounted implements fitted will still be unable to comply. Despite<br />
this, Federated Farmers understands and shares c<strong>on</strong>cern about the potential safety<br />
risk of increasing the maximum threshold bey<strong>on</strong>d four metres and we agree it is<br />
important to manage the safety risk.<br />
4.9 We would like to reiterate the point we made in our previous submissi<strong>on</strong> that road<br />
c<strong>on</strong>trolling authorities and property owners should ensure there is a clear five metres<br />
between the entrance to a property and the road free from trees or other vegetati<strong>on</strong><br />
do there is clear visibility in both directi<strong>on</strong>s at intersecti<strong>on</strong>s and access ways.<br />
4.10 Hazard warnings<br />
4.11 Federated Farmers welcomes the proposals to introduce alternative hazard panels<br />
and to allow parts of an agricultural vehicle which overhang the fr<strong>on</strong>t of the vehicle to<br />
be painted in high visibility paint.<br />
4.12 The Federati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tinues to believe that European panels should be allowed to be<br />
used, but we do commend NZTA for allowing alternative c<strong>on</strong>figurati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
4.13 The Federati<strong>on</strong> also c<strong>on</strong>tinues to recommend that officials c<strong>on</strong>sider increasing the<br />
vehicle width before hazard panels are required be increased from 2.5 to three<br />
metres.<br />
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