Belarus. The axle loads for the goods vehicles driving by the motorways are restricted from March 25, 2018.

In accordance with the Decree №5 of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus “On introduction of the temporary load restrictions in 2018 for axles of vehicles, self-propelled machinery with regard to Republican public roads”, dated February 26, 2018 and enforced on March 18, 2018, the spring - time restrictions concerning the vehicles with the maximum axle loads within range of 6t. - 9 t. will be effective from March 25 up to April 20, 2018.

The map of the bearing capacity of the pavement of the national public roads during the spring season is given here.

At the same time the temporary axle load restriction does not apply to the national motorways and their sections indicated in the sub-paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of the Decree №5, and to the carriage of passengers, live animals, flowers, humanitarian aid, concrete and asphalt mixes, road bitumen, grain, feed, rapeseed, dangerous and perishable goods. Furthermore, the restriction does not apply to the transport related to the prevention and elimination of emergency situations and consequences of road accidents. The vehicles used for maintenance, repair and development of highways are also included in the list of the exceptions.

If there is a special permit for the transit of heavy and (or) bulky vehicles on the public roads of the Republic of Belarus, the following vehicles are allowed to travel on the Republican highways with the exceeding of the permissible parameters established by sub-paragraph 1.1 of paragraph 1 of Decree № 5:
- transporting the export (import) goods of the Member States of the Eurasian Economic Union;
- which have started movement from the loading point outside the Republic of Belarus before March 25, 2018 inclusive (if there are transport documents confirming the commencement of traffic within the specified period);
- transporting goods on sections of public roads to settlements (from settlements), which are located up to 50 kilometers inclusive of the Republican highways that make up the main traffic route, which did not reveal the excess of the permissible parameters prescribed by this Decree. 

The restrictions for the vehicles with the maximum single axle loads not exceeding 6t. will be effective from May 21 up to August 31, 2018 (hereinafter – the summer period). These restrictions will be effective from 11:00h. a.m. to 08:00h. p.m. inclusive at a daily air temperature above +25 °C in relation to the National highways of Belarus with asphalt concrete pavement.

However the temporary restrictions in summer do not apply to the vehicles while driving on the toll roads (sections of the toll roads) of the Republic of Belarus in accordance with Annex 2 to the Decree №5 of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus.

The summer restrictions do not apply also to:
- vehicles, self-propelled vehicles transporting passengers, live animals, flowers, humanitarian aid, concrete and asphalt mixes, bitumen used for the road works, dangerous goods, perishable goods, grain, animal feed, rapeseed;
- vehicles engaged in the carriage of animal waste for recycling and (or) processing;
- vehicles, self-propelled vehicles, carrying out activity on maintenance, repair and development (construction, renovation) of public roads;
- vehicles, self-propelled vehicles, transports related to the prevention and elimination of emergency situations and the consequences of accidents.