Suffolk Police 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 1 January 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. 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, requires 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 to Suffolk Police and find out when an escort is
required within Suffolk in the related downloads section.
To assist hauliers, please see the related downloads section
where you will find two forms.
Please complete Form One if the gross train weight of the load
does not exceed 44,000kg, or Form Two if the load exceeds 44,000
kg, and forward it by email or fax to 01473 613
889.
It is also the haulier’s responsibility to label the vehicle
with the appropriate markers. A marker board can also be found in
the related download links.
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.
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
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