ABNORMAL LOADS HAULERS FACING ABNORMAL ENFORECEMENT CHECKS

Many operators in the UK’s specialist and heavy transport sector are aware that the police, driver and vehicle standards agency (DVSA) and other authorities have increased the levels of enforcement regarding the movement of oversize and abnormal loads in many parts of the UK in recent months. They are also aware that such enforcement appears to be applied subjectively, rather than in a standardised approach to regulations.

Speaking to Bob Beech of Heavy Torque, a specialist publication for the heavy haulage and abnormal loads sector, Jason Priest, of Priest Abnormal Load Services, said:

“In certain areas the authorities have taken to scrutinising every aspect of any abnormal load moving through their area. This includes the vehicle, the load being moved and the exact wording, dimensions and fine details of the movement order. Quite a few operators have found that their long-term understanding of the regulations and the requirements placed upon both the operator, driver and escort driver (where required), differs from the interpretation of the rules by some enforcement operators. “Also, the increased use of social media by police forces and other government agencies, often to highlight their activities to the general public, have stated that operators are wilfully breaking regulations – when it has been subsequently proven that they were complying with the regulations as stated on government websites and from other official sources. In these situations, the officer on the ground is using their own interpretation of the regulations, but the public only sees and remembers that they were told that the drivers and truck operators were flouting the law. In many instances, the authorities are correct when they say that they are at fault, but unfortunately, it is rarely ever qualified, especially when it is a very minor indiscretion. “Recent examples are where the police now want the make and model of a piece of construction equipment included in abnormal load notification procedure, something that was never required in the past, but is now insisted upon by certain forces. All of the weights and dimensions are correct, as are all of the other details required, but this new requirement for additional details has caught out the haulier. If the authorities have moved the goalposts without properly informing the industry, that is hardly fair. Also, in many of these cases, the notification has been accepted by other forces and the load travelled through their area without problems, but it has been stopped and parked up for two days or more to seek new authorisation in the next police area!”

RHA TACKING THE ISSUES HEAD-ON

This issue of inconsistent and subjective enforcement is such that the Road Haulage Association and other transport bodies are urging police to apply regulations on moving large or heavy cargo fairly and consistently. The call comes after hauliers reported that some police forces have imposed and are actively enforcing blanket movement embargoes on abnormal loads, causing unnecessary increased bureaucracy and cost. Firms have said that forces are inflexible on dates, won’t accept short-notice movements, and are deviating from legislative guidance without industry consultation. The RHA, Heavy Transport Association, British Holiday & Home Parks Association, and National Caravan Council said police actions are delaying projects and increasing operating costs, directly impacting on UK PLC. They’ve written to senior officers calling for clear guidelines to be issued to forces to enforce regulations consistently. In a letter to the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), which coordinates forces to work together on common issues they said: “Increased restrictions on movements and notification requirements are causing unsustainable difficulties for operators and impacting business viability with significant financial implications.

“Difficulties in submitting short notice movement notifications, refusal to accept minor alterations on movement notifications, disproportionate enforcement actions, and increasing levels of unlegislated detail required on notifications, is having a significant impact on costs and reduces the amount of work haulage firms are able to complete.

“We ask the NPCC to establish a clear set of guidelines and best practice for Chief Constables on abnormal load movements as well as help address the immediate challenges of the increased restrictions and notification requirements.”

NOTE: Bob Beech’s interview with Jason Priest of Priest Abnormal Load Services has been reproduced with the kind permission of Andy Adams, editor-inchief of Heavy Torque magazine.