Aide Memoire for notification requirements for the movement of Abnormal Indivisible Loads or vehicles by road when not complying with The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (commonly known as C & U).
Weight
| Gross weight of vehicle carrying the load exceeding C & U limits up to 80,000kgs (78.74 tons) | 2 clear days’ notice with indemnity to Road and Bridge Authorities. |
| Gross weight of vehicle carrying the load exceeding 80,000kgs up to 150,000kgs (147.63 tons) | 2 clear days’ notice to Police and 5 clear days with indemnity to Road and Bridge Authorities. |
| Gross weight of vehicle carrying the load exceeding 150,000kgs (147.63 tons) | Highways England Special Order* plus 5 clear days’ notice to Police and 5 clear days’ notice with indemnity to Road and Bridge Authorities |
Width
| C & U loads:- width exceeding 2.9m (9ft 6ins) up to 4.3m (14ft 1 ins) STGO loads:- width exceeding 3.0m (9ft 10ins) up to 5.0m (16ft 5ins) | 2 clear days’ notice to Police |
| Width exceeding 5.0m (16ft 5ins) up to 6.1m (20ft) | Highways England form VR1** plus 2 clear days’ notice to Police |
| Width exceeding 6.1m (20ft) | Highways England Special Order* plus 5 clear days’ notice to Police and 5 clear days’ notice with indemnity to Road and Bridge Authorities |
Length
| C&U loads:- length exceeding 18.65m (61ft 2in) up to 27.4m (90ft) – See C&U Regulations 1986 for definition of length STGO loads:- length exceeding 18.75m (61ft 6 ins) – See part 2, article 12 of the Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003 (Commonly known as STGO) for definition of length | 2 clear days’ notice to Police |
| Overall length of a part 2 vehicle-combination exceeding 25.9m (85ft) | 2 clear days’ notice to Police |
| Maximum length exceeding 30.0m (98ft 5ins) – see STGO Schedule 1, part 4, paragraph 25 for definition of maximum length. NB For some very light loads, such as yacht masts, that are moved on conventional motor vehicles not exceeding 12 tonnes gross weight or trailers not exceeding 10 tonnes gross weight, a Highways England Special Order* will be required if the rigid length exceeds 27.4m (89ft 11ins) | Highways England Special Order* plus 5 clear days’ notice to Police and 5 clear days’ notice with indemnity to Road and Bridge Authorities |
NOTE 1 “Clear days’ Notice” excludes Saturdays, Sundays or a public holiday in any part of Great Britain in relation to movements authorised by the Special Types General Order only, there being no such exclusion in Special Orders unless specifically stated.
NOTE 2 There is no statutory limit governing the overall height of a load, however, when applying for a Special Order or VR1 it should, wherever possible, not exceed 4.95m (16ft 3ins) in order that the maximum use can be made of the motorway and trunk road network.
NOTE 3 The notification requirements for mobile cranes can be found in the Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003, statutory instrument number 1998 (Part 2 Articles 10 to 18), which is available on the OPSI website: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1998/contents/made
NOTE 4 Application to move Special Types or Special Purpose vehicles, such as very large agricultural vehicles, that may not be fully permitted by the Construction & Use (C&U) Regulations or fall outside the scope of the Special Types General Order should be made to the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). Their website is at https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/other-certification/
*A Special Order application can be completed and submitted online at https://www.highways.gov.uk/esdal The Special-Order application form BE16 can be downloaded and e-mailed to the address below. Approval is not automatic and is at the discretion of the Highways England abnormal loads team acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport. To ensure that the necessary clearances can be obtained in good time from the Police, Highway and Bridge Authorities, you should request permission for the move by returning the completed form 10 weeks prior to the scheduled date of the move. In fact, you cannot apply too early, and we invite manufacturers or hauliers to contact us at pre-tender stage, before making a financial commitment to supply the load, to check whether permission would be granted.
** A VR1 application can be downloaded from Abnormal load movements application and notification forms – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) but must not be e-mailed or faxed because the VR1 form is a legal document and so we must receive the original signed form. Approval is not automatic and is at the discretion of the Highways England abnormal loads team acting on behalf of The Secretary of State for Transport. To ensure that the necessary formalities can be completed in good time, you should request permission for the move by posting the completed form 2 weeks prior to the date of the scheduled move. Again, you cannot apply too early, and we invite manufacturers or hauliers to contact us at pre-tender stage, before making a financial commitment to supply the load, to check whether permission would be granted.
Forms and enquiries to:
National Highways
National Traffic Operations Centre
3 Ridgeway
Quinton Business Park
Birmingham
B32 1AF
E-mail: info@nationalhighways.co.uk
Tel: 0300 470 3004
As well as the obligatory notifications to the Police, there is a requirement to the Highways England and notify Bridge Authorities. This page is designed to offer all relevant forms to be downloaded where the operator is not using the ESDAL system.
For a complete list of downloadable Forms, please visit Abnormal load movements application and notification forms – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
