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Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg Only Road Sign – R123

The Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg Only road sign, designated R123, is a South African regulatory command sign used to indicate that a public road or portion of a public road is reserved for goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM or GCM.

R123 is a mandatory vehicle-class command sign. It communicates that the designated roadway is intended for goods vehicles above the specified mass threshold and forms part of the South African regulatory signing system for controlling different classes of vehicles.

What Does the R123 Road Sign Mean?

R123 means GOODS VEHICLES EXCEEDING 3500 kg ONLY.

The official SARTSM description refers to all goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM only/must. The sign therefore relates to the vehicle's applicable Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) or Gross Combination Mass (GCM), rather than an approximate weight of the vehicle at the time it passes the sign.

For road-sign purposes, the 3,500 kg threshold is important when determining whether a vehicle falls within the class indicated by R123.

What Does 3500 kg GVM/GCM Mean?

GVM means Gross Vehicle Mass, while GCM means Gross Combination Mass. The SARTSM notes that masses expressed in tonnes are equivalent to the applicable GVM or GCM. It also specifies that “goods vehicles” in this context includes trucks over 3,500 kg GVM/GCM but excludes buses.

Drivers and fleet operators should use the vehicle's official mass information when determining whether a vehicle falls within the R123 category.

Purpose of the R123 Sign

The purpose of R123 is to control access to a public road or portion of a public road according to the vehicle class and applicable mass threshold.

It can form part of a traffic-management arrangement where goods vehicles above 3,500 kg need to use a designated roadway or lane while other vehicle classes use different routes.

The exact reason for creating a goods-vehicle-only route depends on the particular road and traffic-management arrangement. R123 itself does not mean that the roadway has a specific weight restriction on its pavement or bridge.

Where Are R123 Goods Vehicle Signs Used?

R123 may be used where a public road or portion of a public road has been designated for goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM.

Possible applications include:

• Designated goods-vehicle routes
• Goods-vehicle-only roadway sections
• Commercial access routes
• Industrial areas
• Warehouse and distribution areas
• Logistics facilities
• Freight access routes
• Commercial developments with designated goods-vehicle routes
• Roadways where goods-vehicle traffic is managed separately from other vehicles

The exact application should be determined according to the road layout, traffic-management arrangement and applicable road-sign requirements.

R123 Is a Regulatory Command Sign

R123 is a mandatory command sign, not simply an information sign.

The SARTSM lists R123 under mandatory command signs as “All goods vehicles exceeding 3500 kg (GVM/GCM) only/must.” This places R123 within the regulatory system used to require particular vehicle classes to use designated road facilities.

Where R123 is applied to a lane, the SARTSM explains that a mandatory command sign applied to a lane means that the lane shall only be used by the class of vehicle displayed.

R123 and Goods Vehicle Routes

R123 can be used where a road authority has designated a particular roadway or lane for qualifying goods vehicles.

In some traffic-management arrangements, separating goods-vehicle movements from other traffic can help organise vehicle flows. Additional directional signs, lane markings and other regulatory signs may be required depending on the road layout.

Drivers should always consider R123 together with other signs and road markings displayed along the route.

R123 vs R122 Delivery Vehicles Only

R123 and R122 are different regulatory command signs:

• R122 – Delivery Vehicles Only: identifies a roadway designated for delivery vehicles.
• R123 – Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg Only: identifies a roadway for goods vehicles above the 3,500 kg GVM/GCM threshold.

The two signs should not be treated as interchangeable. A delivery vehicle may fall within the R123 category depending on its vehicle classification and applicable GVM/GCM, but the signs communicate different regulatory criteria.

R123 vs R124 Goods Vehicles Over 10 Tonnes

R123 should also be distinguished from R124.

• R123: Goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM.
• R124: Goods vehicles exceeding 10 tonnes GVM/GCM.

The SARTSM specifically lists these as separate vehicle-class command signs.

R123 vs R102 Heavy Vehicles Over 10 Tonnes

R123 is also different from R102.

R102 relates to all heavy vehicles exceeding 10 tonnes GVM/GCM, while R123 relates to goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM. The SARTSM notes that “all heavy vehicles” over 10 tonnes includes buses over 10 tonnes, whereas “goods vehicles” over 3,500 kg excludes buses.

R123 and Goods Vehicle Parking

R123 should not automatically be interpreted as a goods vehicle parking sign.

The primary purpose of R123 is to control the use of a public road or roadway section according to the goods-vehicle class and mass threshold.

Where the specific requirement is to reserve a parking area or facility for goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg, a separate reservation sign may be appropriate. The SARTSM identifies R313 as the reservation sign for goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM.

R123 Sign Placement

R123 should be positioned so that approaching drivers can clearly identify the beginning of the roadway or lane to which the vehicle restriction applies.

Placement should consider:

• Approaching traffic direction
• Visibility and sight distance
• Road layout
• Lane configuration
• Intersections and access points
• Other regulatory signs
• Road markings
• Possible obstructions

Where the restriction applies to a particular lane, the sign should be positioned so that the affected lane and vehicle requirement are clear to approaching drivers.

R123 Sign Design and Appearance

R123 is a circular mandatory command sign. The permanent sign uses the standard command-sign appearance, with a blue retroreflective background and a white retroreflective symbol and border. The official SARTSM examples show the R123 vehicle-class command sign within this blue-and-white regulatory sign system.

The sign should be manufactured according to the applicable South African road-traffic-sign specifications, including the required dimensions, materials and retroreflective properties for the particular installation.

Temporary Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg Sign

Where temporary traffic management requires the same type of vehicle-class restriction, the applicable temporary regulatory-sign version should be used in accordance with the SARTSM requirements.

Temporary signing may be relevant during roadworks, temporary route changes, construction activities or other situations where normal traffic arrangements are changed.

R123 Sign Size

The appropriate R123 sign size depends on the applicable regulatory-sign requirements and installation environment.

For public-road installations, the relevant road authority or traffic-management professional should determine the appropriate sign specification, size and placement for the particular road.

R123 on Private Property

Businesses, warehouses, factories, logistics facilities, distribution centres and other properties may need signs to manage goods-vehicle movements within their premises.

However, the official R123 is a regulatory road sign relating to a designated public road or roadway facility. On private property, the property owner or site manager should determine whether an official regulatory sign, private traffic-management sign or another access-control sign is appropriate.

Site traffic plans, municipal requirements, landlord requirements and other applicable property-management conditions should be considered where relevant.

Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg and Loading Areas

R123 should be distinguished from signage that identifies a loading bay or delivery area.

A goods-vehicle-only roadway controls vehicle access, while a loading-area sign communicates where vehicles should stop or load and unload goods. A site may require both types of signage where goods vehicles travel through a designated route and then use a separate loading facility.

Benefits of Clear Goods Vehicle Signage

• Clearly communicates the applicable goods-vehicle restriction.
• Identifies roadways or lanes designated for qualifying goods vehicles.
• Helps communicate the 3,500 kg GVM/GCM threshold.
• Can support organised commercial and freight traffic movement.
• Can form part of a wider traffic-management system.
• Can be used alongside appropriate lane markings, directional signs and reservation signs.

Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg R123 FAQs

What does the R123 road sign mean?

R123 means Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg Only. The official SARTSM describes it as applying to all goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM.

What does 3,500 kg refer to?

The 3,500 kg threshold refers to the applicable Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) or Gross Combination Mass (GCM), as specified by the SARTSM.

Does R123 apply to buses?

No. The SARTSM distinguishes goods vehicles from heavy vehicles and specifically states that goods vehicles over 3,500 kg include trucks but exclude buses.

What is the difference between R123 and R124?

R123 applies to goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM, while R124 applies to goods vehicles exceeding 10 tonnes GVM/GCM.

Is R123 a goods vehicle parking sign?

No. R123 is a vehicle-class command sign. A separate reservation sign, such as R313, is used where a facility is reserved for goods vehicles exceeding 3,500 kg GVM/GCM.

Can R123 be used for a goods-vehicle-only lane?

Yes, where the lane has been formally designated for the applicable vehicle class. The SARTSM states that applying a mandatory command sign to a lane means that the lane shall only be used by the class of vehicle displayed.

Can R123 be used on private property?

Private properties can use goods-vehicle traffic signage to manage internal access, but the official R123 regulatory sign should be distinguished from private-property traffic-management signage. The appropriate sign depends on the site's requirements and applicable rules.

Where should an R123 sign be installed?

The sign should be positioned where approaching drivers can clearly understand the vehicle restriction before entering the designated roadway or lane. The exact position should follow the applicable road-sign and traffic-management requirements.

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Signs4SA can assist with R123 Goods Vehicles Exceeding 3500 kg Only signs and other vehicle-class, traffic-management, access and loading signage for commercial, industrial, logistics and transport applications.

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More About Goods vehicles exceeding 3500 kg only

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