Amendments to Regulation 250 come into force on May 11, 2017, and apply to goods vehicles with a gross vehicle mass of 3 500 kilograms to 9 000 kilograms.
The amendment refers to “a combination of motor vehicles consisting of a goods vehicle, being the drawing vehicle, and one or two trailers of which the sum of the gross vehicle mass of the goods vehicle and of the trailer or trailers exceeds 3 500 kilograms but does not exceed 9 000 kilograms.”
A maximum speed limit of 80 km/h for a goods vehicle or vehicle combinations with a GVM of over nine tons is already in force.
SABS-approved signs stating that the vehicles are limited to 80 km/h may be displayed on the rear of the vehicle.
Certain tractors and trailers or combination vehicles may also not exceed speed limits of 35 km/h and 15 km/h based on their braking capabilities.
Legislation still in the pipeline will see goods vehicles above 9 000 kg GVM being banned from public roads during peak travelling times.
Speed limits are also proposed to be reduced from 60 to 40km/h in urban areas, from 100 to 80km/h in rural areas and from 120 to 100km/h on freeways running through a residential area.
