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Council has heavy vehicle parking controls in place to protect the safety of road users, pedestrians and residents. Parking or storage of heavy vehicles is to be undertaken in such a manner that it does not cause nuisance or disturbance to the community.

Heavy Vehicles Stopping on Roads

The Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 defines a heavy vehicle as any vehicle with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4.5 tonnes or more. A heavy vehicle generally must not stop on the road in a built-up area for longer than one hour.

Heavy Vehicles Parking on Residential Properties

  • Council’s local law definition of a heavy vehicle captures a large range of vehicles, including adjunct vehicles and/or any of the following:
  • Vehicle or combination of vehicles with a GVM of more than 4.5 tonnes or total length exceeding 7.5 m
  • Trailer or semi-trailer standing alone wioth a GVM of 3 or more tonnes or total length exceeding 5 m
  • Any vehicle of whatever size equipped to carry (by whatever means) a motor vehicle
  • Tractors
  • Any vessel with a total length exceeding 9 m
  • Any other vehicle or equipment consistent with the vehicles listed above
  • Adjunct vehicle means any of the following:
    • Trailers designed or adapted for the carriage of goods with a carrying capacity in excess of 2 tonne tare, including the trailer of an articulated vehicle
    • Trailers designed or adapted for earthmoving or road-making purposes, including a vehicle or equipment designed or adapted for excavating materials or equipment such as rollers, compressors or the like, designed or adapted to be drawn behind a heavy vehicle
    • Trailers containing refrigeration units
    • Earthmoving equipment or vehicle capable of being transported on the tray of a heavy vehicle
    • Any other trailers or equipment consistent with the trailers or equipment listed above

For further information on heavy vehicle parking please refer to the fact sheet below:

Heavy and Long Vehicle Parking Permits

Council will take the following into consideration before issuing a permit to park heavy or long vehicles on land in *built-up areas:

  • Government requirements
  • Public interest
  • Safety issues
  • Amenity issues
  • Any additional criteria specified in a subordinate local law

*Built-up areas, in relation to a length of road, means areas in which either of the following is present for a distance of at least 500 m or, if the length of road is shorter than 500 m, the distance of the whole road:

  • Buildings no more than 100 m apart on land next to the road
  • Street lights no more than 100 m apart

Under Council’s local laws you can apply for a heavy vehicle parking permit to park a single heavy vehicle on a residential property.  Such an application is assessed against the criteria set out in local law on a case by case basis. Residents are encouraged to contact Council to discuss the suitability of a proposed site if they are unsure whether the proposal meets the criteria set out in local law.

Note: Parking of more than one heavy vehicle on a residential property constitutes a general industry (truck depot) pursuant to the Ipswich Planning Scheme and would require a planning application to be made to Council. Such a use within a residential area is generally unlikely to be supported due to the impacts on the surrounding area.

If a permit is granted it is valid for the financial year and an application for renewal is required each financial year thereafter.

Non-compliance with Council’s local laws or a condition of the permit may result in a Penalty Infringement Notice (fine) being issued to the owner or driver of the heavy vehicle and in some cases the landowner (if he or she is not also the truck owner/driver).

Council Guidelines for Regulation of Heavy Vehicle Parking

As part of the Ipswich Planning Scheme, Council has developed Implementation Guideline 16 to assist customers in determining whether a heavy vehicle parking permit is applicable to their circumstances. The guideline designates two types of preferred heavy vehicle parking areas and provides maps illustrating these areas:

  • Category A areas: outlines where no permit is required if parking a single heavy vehicle (unless there is a concentration of existing residential use within 100 m)
  • Category B areas: outlines the preferred heavy vehicle parking areas but a permit is still required

For further information refer to the guidelines below: