Road Rules 2014

A driver must not drive on a nature strip adjacent to a length of road in a built-up area, unless the driver is—

entering or leaving, by the shortest practicable route, an area on the nature strip indicated by information on or with a traffic control device as an area where vehicles may drive, or

driving on a part of the nature strip indicated by information on or with a traffic control device as a part where vehicles may drive, or

driving on the nature strip to enter or leave, by the shortest practicable route, a road related area or adjacent land and there is not a part of the nature strip indicated by information on or with a traffic control device as a part where vehicles may drive, or

riding a bicycle or animal, and there is not another law of this jurisdiction prohibiting the rider from riding a bicycle or animal on the nature strip, or

driving a ride-on lawnmower that is cutting grass on the nature strip, or

driving a motorised wheelchair, or

driving any of the following vehicles—

a motor vehicle (other than a ride-on lawnmower) that is constructed and used solely for cutting grass, or for purposes incidental to cutting grass,

a motor vehicle that is designed for the purposes of cleaning a footpath, is being driven on the nature strip for that purpose and is displaying an amber flashing signal by means of a light or lights mounted on the top of the vehicle,

a vehicle that is being used for the carriage of goods or materials for use in (or for the purposes of) the construction or maintenance of roads by or on behalf of Transport for NSW.

Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.

Note 1.

Adjacent land, built-up area, length of road, nature strip, traffic control device, wheelchair and with are defined in the Dictionary, bicycle is defined in rule 15–1 and road related area is defined in rule 13.

Note 2.

Subrule (1)(g) is not uniform with the corresponding paragraph in rule 289 of the Australian Road Rules. However, the corresponding paragraph in the Australian Road Rules allows another law of this jurisdiction to permit a driver to drive on a nature strip adjacent to a length of road in a built-up area. Different rules may apply in other Australian jurisdictions.

A driver driving on a nature strip (except the rider of an animal, or a driver driving on the nature strip to enter a road from a road related area or adjacent land, or to enter a road related area or adjacent land from a road) must give way to all other road users, and to animals, on the nature strip.

Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.

Note 1.

Road user is defined in the Dictionary.

Note 2.

For subrule (2), give way means the driver must slow down and, if necessary, stop to avoid a collision—see the definition in the Dictionary.

Note 3.

Rules 74 and 75 deal with drivers giving way when crossing a nature strip adjacent to a road to enter or leave a road related area or adjacent land.

Note 4.

The rider of an animal on a nature strip must give way to any pedestrian on the nature strip—see rule 302.

This rule does not apply to the rider of a motor bike (with or without a trailer attached) that is a postal vehicle if—

the rider gives way to pedestrians and other vehicles and takes reasonable precautions to avoid collision or danger or obstruction to any person or thing on or next to the nature strip, and

the rider does not exceed 10 kilometres per hour, and

the motor bike has an engine capacity not exceeding 125 cc.

Note.

Motor bike and postal vehicle are defined in the Dictionary.