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Τhe Swedish Transport Agency’s
Code of Statutes

The Swedish Transport Agency’s regulations
on ;

adopted on .

By virtue of Chapter 4 Sections 12, 13 and 17 f in the Traffic Regulation (1998:1276) and Chapter 8 Section 16 of the Vehicle Regulation (2009:211), the Swedish Transport Agency lays down the following.

THE SWEDISH
Τhe Swedish Transport Agency’s
TRANSPORT
Code of Statutes AGENCY
TSFS 2023:42
The Swedish Transport Agency’s regulations
Published
on technical requirements for road trains with a
on 31 August 2023
length of more than 25.25 meters;
adopted on 23 August 2023. ROAD TRAFFIC
By virtue of Chapter 4 Sections 12, 13 and 17 f in the Traffic Regulation
(1998:1276) and Chapter 8 Section 16 of the Vehicle Regulation
(2009:211), the Swedish Transport Agency lays down1 the following.
Introductory provisions

Section 1 These Regulations lays down detailed rules for the construction of and equipment for road trains exceeding 25.25 metres but not exceeding 34.5 metres as well as for the vehicles included in the road train. The Regulations apply when travelling on roads where the road operator, pursuant to Chapter 4 Section 17 f of the Traffic Regulation (1998:1276), has issued regulations that the length of a road train may not exceed 34.5 metres.

Section 2 Goods that are lawfully marketed in another Member State of the European Union or in Turkey, or that originate from and are lawfully marketed in an EFTA State that is party to the EEA Agreement, are presumed to be in compliance with these provisions. The application of these provisions is covered by Regulation (EU) 2019/515 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the mutual recognition of goods lawfully marketed in another Member State and repealing Regulation (EC) No 764/2008.

Section 3 The terms used in these Regulations have the meaning set out in the Road Traffic Definitions Act (2001:559).

Otherwise, for the purposes of these Regulations, the following terms and definitions are used.

A-double vehicle combination consisting of a tractor coupled to a semi-trailer and a dolly with an attached semi-trailer AB-double vehicle combination consisting of a heavy-duty vehicle coupled to a dolly with coupled with a link semi-trailer, which in turn is coupled to a semi-trailer tractor heavy-duty vehicle equipped with a coupling device (fifth wheel) for a semi-trailer link semi-trailer semi-trailer with a rear fifth wheel for coupling to another semi-trailer performance value value determined by the manufacturer, indicating the load a vehicle and its coupling device can withstand self-tracking axle steering axle, whose delay angle is changed by tyre-road friction

Section 4 For the purposes of these regulations, the following definitions apply:

– ECE Regulation 13: Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles of categories M, N and O with regard to braking,

– ECE Regulation 55: Uniform provisions concerning the approval of mechanical coupling components of combinations of vehicles.

Section 1 These Regulations lays down detailed rules for the construction
of and equipment for road trains exceeding 25.25 metres but not exceeding
34.5 metres as well as for the vehicles included in the road train. The
Regulations apply when travelling on roads where the road operator,
pursuant to Chapter 4 Section 17 f of the Traffic Regulation (1998:1276),
has issued regulations that the length of a road train may not exceed 34.5
metres.
Section 2 Goods that are lawfully marketed in another Member State of
the European Union or in Turkey, or that originate from and are lawfully
marketed in an EFTA State that is party to the EEA Agreement, are
presumed to be in compliance with these provisions. The application of
these provisions is covered by Regulation (EU) 2019/515 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the mutual recognition
of goods lawfully marketed in another Member State and repealing
Regulation (EC) No 764/2008.
Section 3 For the purposes of these Regulations, the following definitions
shall apply:
A-double vehicle combination consisting of a tractor coupled to
a semi-trailer and a dolly with an attached semi-trailer
1 See Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9
September 2015 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field
of technical regulations and of rules on Information Society services.
1

(see Figure 1 in the Appendix)
AB-double vehicle combination consisting of a heavy-duty
vehicle coupled to a dolly with coupled with a link
semi-trailer, which in turn is coupled to a semi-trailer
(see Figure 2 in the Appendix)
tractor heavy-duty vehicle equipped with a coupling device
(fifth wheel) for a semi-trailer
link semi-trailer semi-trailer with a rear fifth wheel for coupling to
another semi-trailer
self-tracking axle steering axle, whose delay angle is changed by tyre-
road friction
performance value determined by the manufacturer, indicating the
value load a vehicle and its coupling device can withstand
Other terms used in these regulations have the same meaning as in the Road
Traffic Definitions Act (2001:559).
Section 4 For the purposes of these Regulations, the following shall apply:
– ECE Regulation 13: Uniform provisions concerning the approval of
vehicles of categories M, N and O with regard to braking,
– ECE Regulation 55: Uniform provisions concerning the approval of
mechanical coupling components of combinations of vehicles.
These ECE Regulations are adopted by the European Union and
published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
General requirements

Section 5 The road train shall consist of an A-double or an AB-double combination. Vehicles and road trains shall comply with the conditions set out in Sections 6 to 12. In addition, an A-double combination shall comply with the conditions laid down in Sections 13 to 23, and an AB-double combination shall comply with the conditions laid down in Sections 24 to 31.

Section 6 The heavy-duty vehicle must have at least three axles. The trailers included in the road train shall have at least two axles.

Section 7 Vehicles with no more than three axles shall have a stability system according to ECE Regulation 13, amendment series 11 Appendix 3, or later.

Section 8 The heavy-duty vehicle shall have equipment that allows the driver to observe the right side of the road train from the driver’s seat.

Section 9 All vehicles of the road train shall be equipped with electronic braking systems with anti-lock function and automatic brake adaptation according to ECE Regulation 13 amendments series 11, or later.

Section 10 The dolly’s fifth wheel shall pivot around a vertical axis through the coupling point.

Section 5 The road train shall consist of an A-double or an AB-double
combination. Vehicles and road trains shall comply with Sections 6 to 12. In
addition, an A-double combination shall comply with Sections 13 to 23, and
an AB-double combination shall comply with
Sections 24 to 31.
Section 6 The heavy-duty vehicle must have at least three axles. The
trailers included in the road train shall have at least two axles.
Section 7 Vehicles with no more than three axles shall have a stability
system according to ECE Regulation 13, amendment series 11 Appendix 3,
or later.
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specified style in
document.
Section 8 The heavy-duty vehicle shall have equipment that allows the
driver to observe the right side of the road train from the driver’s seat.
Section 9 All vehicles of the road train shall be equipped with electronic
braking systems with anti-lock function and automatic brake adaptation
according to ECE Regulation 13 amendments series 11, or later.
Section 10 The dolly’s fifth wheel shall pivot around a vertical axis
through the coupling point.
Signs

Section 11 The road train shall be fitted towards the front and the rear with signs as shown in Figure 1. The lower edge of the signs shall be no more than 2.0 metres above the road. The forward-facing sign shall be located below the lower edge of the windscreen. The rearward-facing sign shall be to the left of the centre line of the vehicle.

Section 11 The road train shall be fitted towards the front and the rear
with signs as shown in Figure 3 in the Appendix. The lower edge of the
signs shall be no more than 2.0 metres above the road. The forward-facing
sign shall be located below the lower edge of the windscreen. The rearward-
facing sign shall be to the left of the centre line of the vehicle.
The signs shall have:

1. a yellow bottom and a red border, which are is retro-reflective,

2. a border width of 3.0 centimeters,

3. text with the font Tratexsvart, text size 75 millimetres, and

4. a width of not less than 0,90 metres and a height of not less than 0.45 metres.

The ratio of width to height shall be 2:1. If the size of the sign is increased, the width of the border and the text size shall also be increased accordingly.

Figure 1. Sign design for a long road train.

3. text with the font Tratexsvart, a text size of 75 millimetres,
4. a width of not less than 0,90 metres, and
5. a height of at least 0.45 metres.
The ratio of width to height shall be 2:1. If the size of the sign is
increased, the width of the border and the text size shall also be increased
accordingly.
Driving axles and engine power

Section 12 If the total gross weight of the road train exceeds 64 tonnes, the heavy duty vehicle shall have at least two driving axles and an engine power of at least 310 kW.

Section 12 If the total gross weight of the road train exceeds 64 tonnes,
the heavy duty vehicle shall have at least two driving axles and an engine
power of at least 310 kW.
Special conditions for A-double combination

Figure 2. A-Double combination

Front semi-trailer

Section 13 The last axle of the front semi-trailer of an A-double combination shall be self-tracking at speeds up to a minimum of 30 kilometres per hour but not more than 40 kilometres per hour.

Section 14 If the front semi-trailer has two axles, the distance between the front coupling device and the centre of the first axle shall be at least 7.7 metres.

If the front semi-trailer has three axles, the distance between the front coupling device and the centre of the first axle shall be at least 7.0 metres.

Section 15 The distance between the last axle and the rear coupling device of the front semi-trailer shall not exceed 1.4 metres.

Section 16 If the front semi-trailer has at least three axles, the first axle shall be retractable. It shall be possible to raise and lower the axle from the driver’s seat during the journey.

Section 13 The last axle of the front semi-trailer of an A-double
combination shall be self-tracking at speeds up to 30 kilometres per hour.
The axle may be self-tracking at speeds up to 40 kilometres per hour.
Section 14 If the front semi-trailer has two axles, the distance between the
front coupling device and the centre of the first axle shall be at least 7.7
metres.
If the front semi-trailer has three axles, the distance between the front
coupling device and the centre of the first axle shall be at least 7.0 metres.
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TSFS 2023:42
Section 15 The distance between the last axle and the rear coupling device
of the front semi-trailer shall not exceed 1.4 metres.
Section 16 If the front semi-trailer has at least three axles, the first axle
shall be retractable. It shall be possible to raise and lower the axle from the
driver’s seat during the journey.
Rear semi-trailer

Section 17 The distance between the front coupling device and the centre of the first axle of the rear semi-trailer shall be at least 6.2 metres.