The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

Maximum permitted weights for certain closely-spaced axles etc

79.—(1) This regulation applies to—

(a) a wheeled motor vehicle which complies with the relevant braking requirement;

(b) a wheeled trailer which is drawn by such a motor vehicle; and

(c) an agricultural motor vehicle, an agricultural trailer and an agricultural trailed appliance.

(2) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where two closely spaced axles of a vehicle to which this regulation applies are spaced at a distance specified in an item in column 2 of Part V of Schedule 11, the total weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of those axles shall not exceed in a case—

(a) where the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of either of the axles does not in either case exceed one half of the weight specified in that item in column 3, the weight so specified;

(b) where the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of one of the axles exceeds one half of the weight shown in that item in column 3 of that Part but does not exceed 10,170 kg, the weight specified in that item in column 4; or

(c) other than one mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) above, the weight specified in that item in column 5.

(3) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where any two adjoining axles of three closely spaced axles of a vehicle to which this regulation applies are spaced at such a distance apart as is specified in an item in column 2 of Part VI of Schedule 11, the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of each of those axles shall not exceed the weight shown in that item in column 3.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5), where—

(a) the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of any one of three adjacent axles of a semi-trailer to which this regulation applies exceeds 7,500 kg;

(b) the foremost and rearmost of the three adjacent axles are spaced at a distance specified in an item in column 2 of Part VII of Schedule 11; and

(c) the weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of the intermediate axle does not exceed the weight shown in column 3 in that item,

the total weight transmitted to the road surface by all the wheels of those axles shall not exceed the weight shown in column 4 in that item.

(5) Nothing in paragraphs (2), (3) or (4) of this regulation shall apply so as to prevent a vehicle first used before 1st June 1973 from being used on a road at a weight as respects those axles at which it could be used if it fell within item 5 in the Table in regulation 78 and nothing in paragraph (3) of this regulation shall apply so as to prevent a vehicle being used on a road with axle weights shown on the plating certificate issued for the vehicle current on 30th April 1983.