Police Notice
Introduction
One of the sections under the Road Traffic Act of 1988 requires that all movements concerning STGO (Authorisation of Special Types) General
Order 2003 notify the relevant authorities especially the Police. The section under RTA where this order is made is Section 44.
The following referes to the notification requirements and includes a table indicating whether Attendants and Markers for the load and vehicle are required
Police Notification Requirements
All vehicle and load movements permitted by article 12(1), 13(2), 14(3), 17(3), 23(2), 24(4), 31(3), 38(2), 39(2) and 48(2) of the order
which exceed the specified width, length and weight limits will require Police notification in accordance with Schedule 5; as will
any vehicle or combination of vehicles and or load permitted by articles (Special Types Order 2003) which weigh more than 80,000 kgs.
The notice to Police should be of two days clear notice in the prescribed form (see below) and must be given to the police in every district through which the vehicle is to pass if:
- the vehicle or load exceeds 3 metres in width; or
- the vehicle or load exceeds 18.75 metres in length (discounting the length of the towing vehicle on an articulated vehicle); or
- the total length of the vehicle and trailer (including projections) exceeds 25.9 metres; or
- the load projects more than 3.05 metres to the front or rear; or
- the gross weight of the vehicle(s) exceeds 80,000 kgs
Important Points
It is important to note here the following:
- '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.
- There is no statutory limit governing the overall height of a load, however, wherever possible it should not exceed 4.95 metres (16' 3") in order that the maximum use can be made of the motorway and trunk road network.
- If the actual carrier is different from the company organising the load movement and completing the paperwork, the carrier's details must be included in the notification.
- If notification is necessary, the police may vary the journey date, time, or route. They also have power to stop the vehicle in the interests of road safety or to avoid undue traffic congestion.
- It should also be noted that where a load has to travel under or over Railway Lines, that the relevant Authority/Operator is notified.
The following information is to be provided by the user of the vehicle and in the format indicated. One form for vehicles with axle weights
within C&U or AWR limits "form of notice to the police" and one form for all others "Notice to Police and to Highway and
Bridge Authorities".
If a form is produced and transmitted by electronic mail via a PC it may be varied in accordance with the specific operational needs of a
particular police force but must still contain all details listed in the points below. The following information is required by Schedule 5
of the STGO 2003.
The notice must be in a form acceptable to the recipient and should be agreed by both parties; and must contain:
- a list of all police forces to which notice is sent;
- details of the user of the vehicle or vehicle combination, stating - address, telephone number, fax number, email address (if any), user's licence number, user's reference number;
- details of the intended use of the vehicle or vehicle combination, stating - point of departure, point of destination, time, date and route of journey, particulars of any load (including description and profile of load);
- details of the vehicle or vehicle combination used, stating;
- registration number of any motor vehicle
- type of vehicle or vehicles
- overall length of the vehicle or vehicle combination (including length of any front and rear projection)
- overall length of each single rigid unit included in a Part 2 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
- number of wheels per axle
- all axle weights and all axle spacing
The form of notice required by the Police can be downloaded below or a copy obtained from the Highways Agency ESDAL website.
Table of Information
The following table gives an overview of vehicle weights/dimensions, notice period and whether attendants or markers are required.
Included also is the requirement as to whether or not notification is required by the relevant road and bridge authority.
|
Vehicles dimension or weight
limit of application |
Police notice |
Road and bridge
notice |
Working days
notice |
Attendants
and markers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any maximum plated axle weight over 10,000 kgs or 11,500 kgs for drive axle | Yes | 2 days | ||
|
Any maximum plated motor vehicle weight over -
18.000 kgs 2 axle 26,000 kgs 3 axle 32,000 kgs 4 axle 40,000 kgs 5 axle 44.000 kgs 6 axle (44,000 kgs 5 axle) (combined transport operation only) |
Yes | 2 Days | ||
| Any maximum plated weight over 80,000 kgs | Yes 2 days | Yes 5 days with indemnity Form | 2 or 5 days | |
| Width of load or vehicle over 3 metres | Yes | 2 days | ||
| Width of load or vehicle over 3.5 metres | Yes | 2 days | Yes | |
| Width of load or vehicle over 4.3 metres or 5 metres if Abnormal Indivisible Load Vehicle (AILV), requires formal Department for Transport VR1 Order | Yes | Notice required by individual vehicle registration movement order | 5 days from receipt of formal order | |
| Width of any lateral projection over 305 millimetres either side of vehicle body | Yes | 2 days | Markers only required | |
| Length of vehicle or load over 18.75 metres (includes articulated vehicles) | Yes | 2 days | Yes | |
| Length of a combination of vehicles carrying the load over 25.9 metres | Yes | 2 days | Yes |
Forms to Download
The following information is available for download from the Department for Transport website.
Police attendants and markers (at a Glance) - Dept for Transport
Police AIL load Diagram - Dept for Transport
