English - Nooteboom Giants on the Road Magazine English - Nr. 4 - 2017 | Page 15
REGULATIONS
Regulations for abnormal transport in Poland
BIG CHANGES IN
THE COMING YEARS
IN THE PERIOD BEFORE 1989 ROAD TRANSPORT WAS LARGELY REGULATED
CENTRALLY BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE BULKIEST AND HEAVIEST TRANSPORTS
THAT WERE NEEDED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ELECTRICITY NETWORK
WERE CARRIED OUT BY ZTE RADOM. WHEN THE WALL CAME DOWN IN
1989 IT BECAME POSSIBLE FOR MANY ENTREPRENEURS TO FULFIL A LONG-
HELD ASPIRATION: TO LAUNCH THEIR OWN TRANSPORT BUSINESS. IN THE
NINETIES EXEMPTIONS FOR ABNORMAL TRANSPORTS WERE REVIEWED PER
TRANSPORT, A SIMPLE BUT TIME-CONSUMING SYSTEM.
companies. Due to the efforts of the OSPTN the regulations for
abnormal transport have been thoroughly reviewed over the past few
years and a large number of changes are being prepared or await the
approval of the government.
THREE TYPES OF ROADS, SEVEN CATEGORIES.
■
Chairman of the OSPTN: Lukasz Chwalczuk
In 2004 Poland joined the European Economic Community, which
made it easier for Polish companies to do business in other European
countries. Soon several Polish transport companies began to specialise in
abnormal transport.
The experience that several operators had gained at the old state-owned
companies, such as ZTE Radom, proved to be extremely useful. In 2008
the OSPTN was founded, the association of Polish heavy transport
The Polish system for abnormal transport is – in principle – simple:
three types of roads and seven categories of exemptions. Roads are
approved for 8, 10 or 11.5 tonnes per axle. Exemptions are classified
into Category 1 to 7. Category 1 is an exemption for regional and local
traffic and Cat. 2 applies to agricultural machinery up to 3.5 metres
wide. Cat. 3 grants exemption up to 3.2 metres wide, 23 metres long
and 4.3 m high, but not for weight. In Cat. 4 the length permitted is 30
metres and the width 3.4 metres, provided the trailer is equipped with
steering axles. In Cat. 5 and 6 the maximum gross weight increases to 60
tonnes. And the final one is the most important: Cat. 7 is meant for all
vehicles that weigh more than 60 tonnes and are higher, wider or longer
than the dimensions mentioned in Cat. 1 to 6. In Poland vehicles with
an exemption in Categories 1 to 6 are allowed on the road during the
day as well as the night. Cat. 7 is an individual exemption. It includes
an assessment whether the journey can take place during the day or
night and how many escort vehicles are needed. If the height exceeds 4.3
metres a route survey must be carried out. The transport operator must
submit a written confirmation showing that the route survey has been
carried out. In that case a height of up to 5 metres will be permitted.
CHECKS AND FINES
Poland is divided into districts and the inspectors in some of the
districts are much more active than in others. The Polish transport
operators know exactly where more or indeed fewer checks take place.
The fines for infringement of the regulations are clear for the categories
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