Suffolk Constabulary is committed to safety on the county’s roads and the escorting of abnormal loads is required to protect the public and minimise disruption to traffic.

In line with guidelines from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) routine escorting of abnormal loads by Suffolk Police ceased from January 1, 2004.

This means hauliers are now responsible for arranging their own escorts (either providing their own escort vehicle(s) or engaging  the services of an escort provider to escort it for them). The Highways Agency code of practice gives advice on self escorting and can be forwarded if requested or found on the Highways Agency web page  - opens in a new window. Details of road works on the trunk roads can be also found on this website. 

Suffolk Police will still engage in escorts upon specific request of the haulier or where it is deemed that a load, due to its size or other extenuating circumstances, necessitates a police escort. These will usually be loads in need of a VR1 form or ‘special order’ permission to move.

Hauliers are required to notify the police of the movement of abnormal loads. Here you can view the basic conditions of notification and find out when an escort is required within Suffolk.

To assist hauliers, they can use either of the attached forms. Please complete form 1 if the gross train weight of the load does not exceed 44,000kg, or form 2 if the load exceeds 44,000 kg, and forward it by email or fax to 01473 613889.

Abnormal Load Form 1 - 49.5kb - (pdf) - opens in a new window.

Abnormal Load Form - 38.7kb - (pdf)  - opens in a new window.

It is also the haulier’s responsibility to label the vehicle with the appropriate markers.

View our marker board requirements - 140kb - (pdf)  - opens in a new window.

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What is an abnormal load?

It is a load that cannot without undue expense or risk of damage be divided into two or more loads for the purpose of being carried on a road.

What legislation covers the movement of abnormal loads?

The movement of large or heavy loads (abnormal loads) on the road is covered by the Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order, 2003, and Regulation 81/82 of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.  

For further details email  abloads@suffolk.pnn.police.uk