The Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003

Weight of vehicle and load

Weight: police notification and road and bridge authority notification and indemnity

17.—(1) In a case falling within paragraph (2), the user of a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must before the start of any journey—

(a) notify in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 9 the authority (within the meaning of that Schedule) for each road or bridge on which the vehicle or vehicle-combination is to be used; and

(b) give to each authority an indemnity in the form specified in Part 2 of that Schedule.

(2) A case falls within this paragraph where—

(a) the total weight of the Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination (whether it is unladen or wholly or partly laden) exceeds 44,000 kilograms; or

(b) the vehicle or vehicle-combination does not comply in all respects with—

(i) the requirements of Schedule 3 to the Authorised Weight Regulations (axle weights); or

(ii) if that Schedule does not apply to it, the equivalent provisions of the Construction and Use Regulations.

(3) In a case falling within paragraph (4), the user of the Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must—

(a) before the start of any journey, notify in accordance with Schedule 5 the chief officer of police for each area in which the vehicle or vehicle-combination is to be used; and

(b) ensure that the vehicle is used in accordance with the requirements of that Schedule.

(4) A case falls within this paragraph if the total weight of the Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination (whether it is unladen or wholly or partly laden) exceeds 80,000 kilograms.

(5) Paragraphs (1) and (3) apply cumulatively.

Use on bridges

18.—(1) The driver of a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must not cause or permit any part of his vehicle (or any part of any vehicle in the vehicle-combination he is driving) to enter on a bridge if he knows that the whole or part of another such vehicle or vehicle-combination is already on the bridge or if he could reasonably be expected to ascertain that fact.

(2) Except in circumstances beyond his control, the driver of a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination must not cause or permit the Part 2 vehicle, or any vehicle in the vehicle-combination, to remain stationary on any bridge.

(3) If a Part 2 vehicle or Part 2 vehicle-combination that falls within article 17(2) or (4) is caused to stop on a bridge for any reason, the driver of the vehicle or vehicle-combination must ensure—

(a) that the vehicle or vehicle-combination is moved clear of the bridge as soon as practicable; and

(b) that no concentrated load is applied to the surface on that part of the road carried by the bridge.

(4) But where the action described in paragraph (3)(a) or (b) is not practicable and it becomes necessary to apply any concentrated load to the road surface by means of jacks, rollers or other similar means, the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle or vehicle-combination must—

(a) before the load is applied to the road surface, seek advice from the authority (within the meaning of Schedule 9) responsible for the maintenance of the bridge about the use of spreader plates to reduce the possibility of damage caused by the application of the load; and

(b) ensure that no concentrated load is applied without using spreader plates in accordance with any advice received.

(5) References to the driver of a Part 2 vehicle-combination are references to the driver of the foremost motor vehicle in the vehicle-combination.