A permit is required for all stock movement on our district roads. There are three types of permit available:
Council’s Stock Movement Policy
Council’s Livestock Movement Policy is aimed at protecting the safety of all road users, as well as protecting the road surface and Council structures and utilities contained within the road reserve. The Policy also aims to:
- Prevent roads being used as races
- Minimise inconvenience, nuisance and potential danger to all road users
- Minimise impact on the environment
- Reduce the number of stock crossings in the district
In order to achieve these objectives, Council intends to phase out the majority of stock crossings over a ten year period to 2016, and have them replaced with stock underpasses.
Stock crossings that are allowed to remain, and other livestock movements on district roads, will be required to meet strict safety standards by way of an approved permit. Crossings will be monitored regularly for compliance with permit conditions.
Council’s Livestock Movement Bylaw
The Livestock Movement Bylaw outlines the complete restrictions on livestock movement in the Waikato district, and provides full details on the following:
- Different types of permits available
- Methods used by Council in order to prioritise the conversion of existing at-level crossings to underpasses
- Responsibilities with regard to damage to roads
- Reasons for revoking or suspending a permit
- Relevant offences and penalties
Livestock Crossing Permit
This type of permit is required when a farmer wishes to take stock directly across the road on a regular basis (once a month or more often). New crossing permit applications are evaluated against specific criteria and allocated a score. This score is used to ascertain whether the application can be approved or not. If approved, the permit will generally be issued for two years, after which it will need to be evaluated again
Livestock Moving Permit
This permit is to be used for multiple droves of less than five kilometers and/or infrequent crossings (less than once a month). This allows a farmer to move stock along and/or across a designated section or sections of public road in order to access different parts of the same property, or from one property to another.
This application requires an accompanying traffic management plan showing how the stock manager intends to meet the traffic safety requirements listed on the permit application form and any other special conditions that the stock manager, or Council considers should be included.
If approved, the permit will be issued for a period of two-five years.
Livestock Droving Permit
This permit is a single-use permit to move livestock along a public road for distances greater than 5 km. The permit application must be submitted at least ten days before the intended movement of stock.
This application requires an accompanying traffic management plan showing how the stock manager intends to meet the traffic safety requirements listed on the permit application form and any other special conditions that the stock manager, or Council considers should be included.
Further information on stock moving permits and their requirements can be obtained by contacting the Permits and Bylaws Co-ordinator at Council’s Ngaruawahia office.