Will Our Truck Fit?

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Fire trucks are large, heavy vehicles that need to quickly locate and access properties and water.

You can help us to help you by ensuring your gates and driveways are wide enough for a fire truck to fit through and its doors to be opened safely.

Driveways that are longer than 30 metres

At a minimum, the driveway needs to be 3.5m wide plus 0.5m clear of obstructions either side. It also needs to be clear of obstructions for 4m above. Obstructions may be things like gates, posts, fences or shrubs.

If the driveway from the road to the building or static water supply, including gates, bridges and culverts, is longer than 30 metres your driveway surfaces need to be 3.5 metres wide, plus another 0.5 metre on either side of the driveway clear of obstructions such as gate posts, bushes and other structures.

It also needs to be clear of obstructions for 4 metres above.

The driveway surface should be of all-weather construction with a load limit of at least 15 tonnes.

Driveways that are longer than 100 metres

The road must be at least 4 metres wide and the arms of the T or the Y must measure at least 8 metres from the centre of the intersection

If your driveway or road is longer than 100 metres, you need to provide a place where fire trucks can turn around.

This could be a turning circle with a radius of at least 8 metres, or it could be a T or Y-shaped turning area. The road must be at least 4 metres wide and the arms of the T or the Y must measure at least 8 metres from the centre of the intersection, as shown in the diagram. A driveway that goes completely around the building would be suitable.

Driveways that are longer than 200 metres

The access road is 200 metres long. The driveway is 3.5 metres wide, plus has a further 0.5 metres either side without obstructions to allow the doors to open. There's also a passing bay with a length of 20 metres along the driveway, making the road width 6metres in total. There is also a turning circle with a radius of 8 metres at the end of the driveway.

If your driveway is longer than 200 metres, it needs to be 6 metres wide, so that fire trucks can pass each other. If the road isn't 6 metres wide along its full length, every 200 metres there needs to be a 20 metre-long passing bay where the road is 6 metres wide.

Urban street access

A fire truck is unable to pass through a narrow suburban street because cars are parked on both sides of the street.

In urban areas, narrow streets can make it difficult for fire trucks and emergency vehicles to access homes quickly — especially during a fire. To ensure access to properties and fire hydrants is always available:

  • Try to leave about 4 metres clearance between parked cars on either side of the road.
  • Be mindful when parking opposite other vehicles, particularly on tight roads. Blocking access could delay emergency services — putting lives and property at risk.
  • Consider parking on the same side of the road as other parked cars, leaving one side clear.

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