SANRAL Draft Rest and Service Facility Policy Amendments

Posted 23 February 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Transport

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has issued draft amendments to the 2021 Rest and Service Facility Policy for National Roads, introducing new policy goals and operational frameworks.

In terms of the South African National Roads Agency Limited and National Roads Act, No. 7 of 1998, SANRAL has gazetted draft amendments to the existing 2021 policy governing rest and service facilities. These facilities, located along the national road network, are subject to specific regulatory standards regarding access, safety, and commercial operations. Stakeholders and interested parties have until 25 March 2026 to submit written inputs on the draft.

The proposed amendments introduce a substantive new section on policy goals that was absent from the 2021 version. These goals are designed to facilitate and promote structured development and operational efficiency within the national road infrastructure. The draft policy seeks to address:

  • The facilitation of safe and accessible rest areas for road users;
  • The promotion of economic opportunities and transformation within the service facility sector;
  • Standardisation of facility requirements across the national road network; and
  • Alignment with broader transport and infrastructure development strategies.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual compliance obligation; however, professionals in the transport sector should monitor how these standards may influence road safety and amenity availability during long-distance travel.
  • For your business: Logistics and transport firms should review the draft to assess how changes to service facility standards and locations might impact driver fatigue management protocols and operational route planning.
  • For your clients: Clients in the retail, petroleum, or hospitality sectors seeking to develop or operate facilities on national roads must evaluate the new policy goals against their current development pipelines and existing lease agreements with SANRAL.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/national-roads-input-sought-on-sanral-rest-service-policy-amendments

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