English - Nooteboom Giants on the Road Magazine English - Nr. 5 - 2018 | Page 15
REGULATIONS
AN OUTLINE
When the 6th State reform was introduced in 2015 the Abnormal
Transport Agency was divided into three regional agencies.
Applications for exemption are submitted digitally via WebTeuv and
the document issued is valid throughout the Belgian territory. Based
on weight and dimensions, transports are divided into Category 1 t/m
4. Exceeding one of the maximum values is conclusive. A combination
length of 40 metres will end up in Category 4 - even if it weighs far less
than 120 tonnes. The classification in these four categories is clear. The
validity of the exemption goes down from 5 years in Cat. 1 to 2 months
in Cat. 4. For escorting the system is clear too: from one escorting
vehicle for a relatively simple transport to three escorts when the length
exceeds 40 metres or the load is wider than 5 metres. Transports wider
than four metres or longer than thirty metres are allowed on the road
between 21.00 hrs and 06.00 hrs only. There are four road networks for
abnormal transports: Network class 90, class 120, Network motorways
and Network crane. A map of these roads is available and a 5 km de-
viation from the route indicated is allowed subject to strict conditions.
In some cases a police escort is mandatory. All transports with escorts
must be registered digitally beforehand. Finally: the escort must check
before the transport starts out whether the permit is in order, inspect
the technical condition of the vehicle and he is responsible for the
route that is to be followed. This is an outline of the regulations, but in
day-to-day practice an abnormal transport has to observe much more
detailed regulations.
■
T he regulations for high loads are more relaxed than in the Netherlands,
but anything higher than 8 metres is always a CAT 4 transport
INTERVIEW WITH GERT BERVOETS
Monitoring the compliance with exemptions for abnormal transport
is in Belgium carried out, among others, by the Federal traffic police.
Within the organisation of the police, regional experts carry out checks.
Together they constitute a ‘network of experts’, who share information.
The chairman of this network is Gert Bervoets, who from the Federal
Traffic Police Limburg, traffic control centre Hasselt, has discussions
every day with police officers who have put an abnormal transport at
■
Gert Bervoets
CLASSIFICATION OF THE CATEGORIES
In Belgium an exemption is needed for a transport with a tractor-trailer that is bigger than 16.5 x 2.55 x 4 metres or heavier than 44 tonnes.
Category
Validity
Type network
Max dimensions (lxbxh)
Max. mass
CAT 1 5 year All roads in Belgium 27 x 3.50 x 4.00 metres 44 tonnes
CAT 2 1 year Network motorways 30 x 4.25 x 4.30 metres 44 tonnes
Network cranes 30 x 4.25 x 4.50 metres 90 tonnes
Network class 90 30 x 4.25 x 4.50 metres 90 tonnes
Travel route 30 x 4.25 x 4.50 metres 90 tonnes
CAT 3 4 mnths Network class 20 35 x 5.00 x 4.80 metres 120 tonnes
Travel route 35 x 5.00 x 4.80 metres 120 tonnes
CAT 4 2 mnths Travel route > 35 of > 5 of > 4.8 metres > 120 tonnes
In each Category it concerns the exceeding of one of the maximum values. So a transport with a length of 32 metres, width of 2.50 metres
and height of 4 metres falls in Cat 3 as long as the total weight does not exceed 120 tonnes.
ESCORTS
All transports larger than 30 x 3.50 x 4.80 metres and heavier than 90 tonnes must be escorted.
1 escort for transports with a length of 30 to 35 metres or a width of 3.5 to 4.5 metres
2 escorts for transports with a length of 35 to 40 metres or a width of 4.5 to 5 metres
3 escorts for transports with a length of more than 40 metres or wider than 5 metres
15