Abnormal and Indivisible Loads Policy (PS 127)

Aims and objectives of the policy

This document provides a framework for the management and operation of Nottinghamshire Police’s response to the administration and regulation of all abnormal indivisible loads.

To revise and set out the policy and procedures that Nottinghamshire police will adopt in respect of the permitted routes, time and date of abnormal indivisible load movement.

Policy statement

Nottinghamshire Police recognises the importance to the nation’s economy of the ability of the haulage industry to safely, successfully and efficiently transport abnormal indivisible loads (Abnormal Loads) on the highways network of the County.

An abnormal indivisible load is defined as ‘a vehicle, or combination of vehicles, carrying a load, which without undue expense or risk of damage, cannot be divided into two or more loads, and is of such dimensions or weight that it cannot be carried on a vehicle that complies in all respects with the Construction & Use Regulations.’

Nottinghamshire Police recognises that it has a duty of care in ensuring the suitability of roads and safety of other road users when accepting the proposed route of an Abnormal Load movement within the County of Nottinghamshire.

1.0 Implications of the Policy

The Head of Contact Management will appoint staff (Abnormal Loads Administrators) to have responsibility for managing the notification process on behalf of the Chief Constable, ensuring that Abnormal Load movements within Nottinghamshire are operated in accordance with this policy and procedure document.

The Chief Officer of Police is the only person empowered to control the movements of Abnormal Loads, and holds the duty of care to ensure that the permitted route, time and date of movements are suitable and risk assessed in compliance with current Health and Safety guidelines. Although there is also a duty of care placed on the haulier when undertaking the movement, road suitability and safety assessments may not be to a standard that the Police would apply from local knowledge or known history for the area. A risk assessment will be undertaken on every abnormal indivisible load notification by this force and subsequently recorded.

The suitability of the route will be assessed for the dimensions of the load, the topography of the roads, local traffic conditions, accident statistics, safety of others road users and police officers or other persons who may provide escort services during the movement.

2.0 Principles

The legislation that permits Abnormal Load movements is:

The Motor Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations (as amended) 1986, and

The Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Type) (General) Order 2003.

Full details of the relevant legislation can be found at Appendix A.

3.0    Hauliers

Hauliers are required to make a notification of an Abnormal Load movement to the Chief Officer of Police through whose area or County the load will pass via the Abnormal Loads Officer

Nottinghamshire Police will only accept notifications via the Electronic Service Delivery of Abnormal Loads (ESDAL) web site administered by Highways England.

ESDAL provides a free to use web site on which a haulier is able to plot a route and submit a notification on line. The ESDAL system then circulates the notification to all authorities required. This is Nottinghamshire Police’s preferred method of contact.

Two clear working days (including Saturday) are required for notification to the police. Sundays and Bank Holidays are not classed as working days, nor is Saturday relative to the Highways and Bridges Authorities. 

Abnormal loads which exceed one or more of the dimensions contained in Appendix B will require a self-escort (see Section 5.1).

3.1 General Movement restrictions

Nottinghamshire Police policy does not normally permit the movement of abnormal loads during peak traffic periods of 0730– 0930 and 1630 – 1830, Monday to Friday on all roads and, additionally, on the M1 Motorway between the hours of 1500 -2000 on Fridays and Sundays.  

3.2     Night Time Movements

Nottinghamshire Police will generally permit the movement of Abnormal Loads during the hours of darkness on Motorways and the A1, providing the abnormal load remains solely on these roads.

The movement of abnormal loads on all other roads is NOT permitted during the hours of darkness except with the prior agreement and permission of the Abnormal Loads Officer.

The movement to or from the M1 Motorway or A1 during the hours of darkness, will not be permitted to include any slip road, roundabout or any non-motorway carriageway leading to or from any lay-by or parking area without permission of or direction by the Abnormal Loads Officer and under the direct supervision of a Police Officer.

4.0 Police Responsibilities

• The records will be stored on Highways England database as all notifications to Notts Police are now submitted via ESDAL
• The Abnormal Loads Officer will examine the route and a risk assessment will be made to ensure that it is on the safest and most suitable roads having regard to the size and type of vehicle and/or load
• The time and date of the proposed movement will also be assessed to ensure that it is suitable
• The Abnormal Loads Officer will also take into account any known road works on the proposed route
• Nottinghamshire Police reserves the right to reject or amend the proposed movement having conducted the risk assessment
• In the event of the route being unsuitable the Abnormal Loads officer will reject the load and attempt to assist the haulier in suggesting an alternative route, together with all other concerned parties. It is the haulier’s responsibility to survey any route discussed to assess its safety and suitability
• The haulier will then need to re-submit the new route to all parties concerned clearly stating that it is a re-route
• Abnormal loads, which are deemed to propose a greater risk due to their size and or weight, should be considered for having an escort vehicle to warn other road users of the presence of the vehicle and load on the highway. Criteria for the dimensions requiring escort and procedures are contained in Appendix B of this policy, but can be varied at the discretion of the Abnormal Loads Officer where it is considered that the load poses a greater or lesser risk dependent on the load or roads to be used
• Where a load is of an exceptional dimension or the route poses greater risk to other road users, police escorts (Special Escort Services) may be provided at a cost to the haulier. The terms and conditions for this are contained in Appendix C.

5.0 Types of approved escorts

5.1 Self or Private Escorts

The escort will be provided for the purposes of giving warning to the driver of that vehicle or combination, and to any other person, of any danger likely to be caused by the presence on the road of that vehicle or combination. An escort driver or any other person or attendant to the Abnormal Load does not have any legislative powers to stop and control other road users.

Nottinghamshire Police will not accredit an escort driver or any other person with the power/authority to stop and control traffic to facilitate the movement of an Abnormal Load.

The self/private escort will at all times comply with any instructions issued by Nottinghamshire Police.

The driver or escort will be required to contact the Force’s Control Room 30 minutes prior to their arrival in Nottinghamshire.

If the abnormal load is being moved from a depot in Nottinghamshire, the driver or escort must contact the Control Room 30 minutes prior to leaving the depot.

The Control Room will advise the driver or escort of any restrictions or incidents on the proposed route that it likely to interfere with the movement.

On arrival at a destination in Nottinghamshire the driver or escort will be again required to contact the Force’s Control Room.

An operator who cannot supply such escort, and/or requests the provision of a police escort, will be required to give at least ten days’ notice of any proposed movement, and to pay for such services in accordance with the scale of charges listed at Appendix C.

Should an incident occur and criminal charges be laid against the driver and/or owner of the abnormal load or the escort driver and they were found to have breached the guidelines set out in 4.0 and 5.1 then this will be disclosed to the court in any subsequent hearing

5.2 Police Escorts

Nottinghamshire Police may continue to play a role in escorting abnormal loads under the following circumstances:

a. Any load which has to contravene road traffic legislation in order to reach its destination.

b. Any load where its dimensions and/or road speed are such that the road network may be markedly disrupted. (VR1 and Special Movement Orders are most likely to fall into this category).

c. Any load where the abnormal loads officer either individually or in conjunction any other appropriate person deems it appropriate.

d. Any load falling into the self-escort criteria where the haulier is unable to provide an escort for a load. The load will require a Nottinghamshire Police escort for which there will be a Special Police Service (SPS) charge. See Appendix C. A minimum of ten working days’ notice will be required for the arrangement of a police escort.

Charges to be paid in full in the event of any cancellation or amendment to the travel date that occurs within seven days of the movement date first indicated.

6.0 Dispensations

6.1 General Dispensation

Nottinghamshire Police will issue a Dispensation to move abnormal indivisible loads with dimensions up to 3.5m (11’6”) wide, without prior notification, to hauliers who can demonstrate the movement of loads of a like nature on a regular basis. The roads permitted will be limited to Motorways and selected A and B class roads.

6.2 Agricultural Dispensation

Nottinghamshire Police will issue a Dispensation to farmers and agricultural contractors for the movement of agricultural tractors, machines and towed appliances, without the requirement to notify the movement of such equipment, up to 4.1m wide, within a 25-mile radius of its normal operating base without prior notification, or for reduced notification period for all other loads up to 4.3m wide.

 

Related documents and Appendices

Appendix A - Legislation

The legislation that permits Abnormal Load movements is:

• The Motor Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations (as amended) 1986, and
• The Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Type) (General) Order 2003

The Motor Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations (as amended) 1986, are the primary legislation for the construction and maximum dimensions for all vehicles, and is the only legislation that can be used for prosecution purposes.

The Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Type) (General) Order 2003 permits the use of vehicles and/or loads, which cannot comply with the maximum permitted weight, either gross or axle weight, for the class of vehicle being used for transporting a load. It also contains the regulations for loads, which exceed the maximum width permitted by Construction and Use, agricultural vehicles and many other miscellaneous vehicles.

The legislation is in the most part permissive, in that, providing the haulier complies with the requirements of notification procedures, an abnormal load can be moved without the need for any permit or authorisation. The only exceptions are as follows:

    (a) Loads exceeding 5.1m wide which require a form VR1 from the department for transport. This authorises the movement, but not the route, day or date. Once the VR1 has been issued the haulier can then use the normal notification procedure, quoting the VR1 reference.

    (b) Loads exceeding 6.0m wide, 27.4m rigid length (C & U) 30m (STGO) or 150,000kgs weight require a special order from the secretary of state. A special order ensures that the route is negotiable and may lay down certain conditions. It does not, however, replace the notification procedure.

 

Appendix B - Dimensions of Vehicles Requiring Escort

Motorways - M1 and A1M

Width – over 4.6m wide
Weight - over 130 tonnes
Length – no overall policy (load, route and dimensions considered)

A1 and the A610 link from J26 M1 to Langley Mill

Width – over 4.3m wide
Weight - over 130 tonnes
Length – over 30.5m rigid length

All other A roads and Minor Roads

Width – over 4.1m wide
Weight - over 100 tonnes
Length – over 30.5m

These dimensions are a general guide and Nottinghamshire Police retains the right to vary them either higher or lower as considered necessary.

Two Abnormal Loads travelling in convoy will, as a minimum, require self-escort even if the dimensions of the individual vehicles fall below that of the self-escort criteria.

 

Appendix C - Scale Of Charges

All Police escorts will be charged for at the hourly rates outlined below. The charges will be reviewed annually (1st April) by HQ Finance in conjunction with the Abnormal Load Administrators.

Escorts will be allocated as appropriate depending on the nature of the abnormal load and the proposed route taking into account any local conditions that the Abnormal Load Administrators are aware of. The staffing levels and escort vehicles required will be determined by Notts Police Operational Support (OS) in conjunction with the Abnormal Load Officer .

Details	Police Constable	Police Sergeant
Per Hour	£76.09	£94.85
Bank Holiday/Short Notice	£101.46	£126.47
Vehicles Per Escort	£35.00/car - £25/motorcycle

Notes

   (a) The minimum charge will be for 4 hours.

   (b) The chargeable time will be calculated from, and will include, up to 45 minutes travelling time from home to base for Officers, the time the escort vehicle commences it’s journey to collect the Abnormal Load, escorting the Abnormal Load itself, the time it takes the escort vehicle to return to it’s usual base and up to 45 minutes travelling time from base to home for Officers.

   (c) Any part hours in excess of 4 will be rounded to a full hour and charged at the rates above.

   (d) In the event of police services being cancelled with less than 7 days notice, a charge will be made for a minimum 4 hours.

   (e) Rates should be increased annually on 1st April to reflect estimated increases for pay and vehicle charges etc.

   (f) These rates include use of Nottinghamshire Police vehicles and equipment as appropriate.

   (g) A written contract will be sent to the haulier outlining the charges which need to be read, signed and returned before the date of the proposed escort.

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PS 127:
Abnormal / Indivisible Loads Policy

Type of Document:
Policy

Version:
1.6

Registered Owner:
Contact Management

Author/Reviewer:
N/A

Effective Date:
May 2022

Review Date:
May 2023

Replaces Document (if applicable):
N/A

Linked Documents:
N/A