CT axle limit ignites ‘abnormal’ anger

Abnormal load hauliers are up in arms following what they call an arbitrary decision by the Western Cape Department of Transport to only allow trucks 12 tons per axle in the province. At an urgent meeting convened at the offices of the Road Freight Association in Isando last week, representatives of the abnormal loads industry said they had had enough and were taking legal advice on the matter. According to RFA spokesman Gavin Kelly, there was no forewarning from the Western Cape government that axle load regulation would be changed in the province. “We have engaged in discussion with the provincial and national transport departments to try to establish why the axle loads have been changed to a minimum of 12 tons per axle but have not had any satisfactory response.” The RFA, on behalf of the abnormal loads industry, has also requested a meeting with Western Cape Transport MEC Robin Carlisle and is hoping to meet with him this week. “We have asked them to give us reasons why they have taken this decision and also to explain on what basis it was done. There was no consultation with industry who are severely impacted by the move.” Edward Poole of Edlynway Transport & Cranes in Cape Town was the first person to be informed about the new axle load for abnormal loads. “We bought a vehicle that can carry 32 tons on its riding axles, and when we applied for the abnormal vehicle registration, we were told that the 32 tons was illegal as the new regulation in the province was 12 tons per axle.” Poole told FTW that the decision was impacting hugely on economic activity in the province as many cranes and other heavy vehicles were now not able to do the work for which they had been bought. The new ruling by the Western Cape also means a vehicle will be legal while travelling in any of the other provinces, but once it enters the Western Cape will have to reduce its load to ensure it only carries 12 tons per axle. “Some official decided to effect this change and it is unacceptable. They had no mandate to do it and we have had enough,” said Poole. Other operators echoed his sentiment saying they now had expensive equipment standing, as it was illegal to operate in the Western Cape. According to Kelly, most of the trailers and trucks in the abnormal loads industry are built to carry anything from 20 to 32 tons per axle. Poole said when he was told that his rig would not be issued an abnormal vehicle registration, officials told him the axle load was changed as abnormal loads caused huge damage to the roads. The RFA has since commissioned the CSIR to conduct a study on the impact of abnormal loads on roads in an effort to bring some scientific data to the debate.