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

Article 15(5), 23(4) and 34(5)

SCHEDULE 7 NOTICES TO SECRETARY OF STATE

1.—(1) An application for the consent of the Secretary of State must be made in writing.

(2) The application(1) must contain—

(a) contact details for the applicant (and, if different, the haulier) stating—

• address,

• telephone number,

• fax number,

• email address (if any);

(b) details of the intended use of the vehicle or vehicle-combination, stating—

• point of departure,

• point of destination,

• approximate distance of road movement,

• approximate date of movement;

(c) details of the vehicle or vehicle-combination, stating—

• type of vehicle or vehicles,

• overall length (including length of any front and rear projection),

• overall length of each single rigid unit included in a vehicle-combination (including length of any front and rear projection),

• overall width (including width of any lateral projection),

• maximum height,

• gross weight or gross train weight of vehicle;

(d) where a vehicle or vehicle-combination is to carry an abnormal indivisible load or a load of exceptional width, information relating to the load, stating—

• nature and description,

• dimensions and weight,

• number of separate pieces (and number of loads this represents),

• approximate value,

• implications of dividing the load,

• approximate cost of any alternative to road movement that has been considered,

• approximate cost of road movement,

• any proposed movements of load additional to that for which the application for consent is made;

(e) any other relevant matter.

(3) In sub-paragraph (2)—

(a) “single rigid unit”, in relation to a Part 2 vehicle-combination, has the meaning given in article 12(4); and

(b) a vehicle is to be treated as carrying a load of exceptional width only where it falls within the recognised category of special vehicles mentioned in article 28(1) and the overall width of the vehicle, together with the width of any lateral projection or projections of the load, exceeds 5 metres.

2.—(1) If, following an application under paragraph 1, the Secretary of State gives consent in respect of any road movement of a vehicle or vehicle-combination, any written document from the Secretary of State which evidences the consent must be carried in the vehicle (or in one of the vehicles included in the vehicle-combination) at all times when the vehicle or vehicle-combination is being used for the purpose of the journey to which the consent relates.

(2) The vehicle or vehicle-combination must be used in accordance with the details in the written document.

(3) But if—

(a) a direction as to the time, date or route of the journey is given to the applicant (or, if different, the haulier) by a chief officer of police for any area in which the vehicle is to be used; and

(b) the Secretary of State gives his approval to the direction;

• the vehicle must be used in accordance with the direction.

(1)

Applications can be made through esdal.nationalhighways.co.uk or a standard application form can be obtained on the National Highways website or by calling the Abnormal Loads team on 0300 470 3004.