Recently in the trade press there have been articles reporting calls from the UK’s Heavy Transport Association (HTA) for the law to be changed regarding police escorting of abnormal loads.  Historically police authorities operated their own systems for authorising and escorting abnormal loads, which can lead to inconsistencies between each force on issues such as the charges associated with getting permission to transport an abnormal load as well as the number of days’ notice that the authorities require before permission may be granted.

In June 2025, the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) released updated guidance with the aim of improving “coordination, transparency and efficiency” for both the law enforcement individuals involved as well as the hauliers and transport industry.  The key highlights of the NPCC guidance include:

• 30-day window for acceptance by police forces
• Clarification on embargoes
• A targeted embargo approach
• Information on police escorts and legal authority

It is hoped that these amendments (401 – 414) will remove “long standing inconsistencies in police escort charging and authorisation for abnormal loads, including mobile cranes, which in turn [will] guarantee fairer, more transparent regulations that protect key infrastructure delivery and economic growth”.

To download the full NPCC guidance, click here.

Currently the “Crime and Policing Bill” (which is relevant to this new guidance) is making its way through the House of Lords. The HTA is therefore calling on MPs, peers and industrial stakeholders to get behind the amendments to the guidance now as committee debates take place in the House of Lords into December 2025.

What Are the Rules for Size of Vehicles?

The dimensions and weights of vehicles that may be used on British roads are regulated by the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986, (known colloquially as the ‘C&U’ Regs), and the Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998; the “AW Regs”.

Special types of vehicles are those which do not meet the ‘C&U’ and ‘AW’ regs but can be used outside of these rules under the authority of the Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003 (known as an STGO).

Vehicles most likely to be used under an STGO include:

• Abnormal Indivisible Load (AIL) – loads which cannot be divided into two or more loads to be transported by road.
• Mobile Cranes – specially built or adapted for lifting operations
• Engineering Plant – a moveable piece of plant or equipment which is a motor vehicle or trailer specially built for engineering operations.
• Road Recovery Vehicles – vehicles that are specially built for recovering broken down vehicles.

What Would Count as an Abnormal Load?

On the UK roads, an abnormal load is classified as one that has a weight over 44,000 kg, a width of over 2.9m or a rigid length over 18.65m.

To be permitted to transport an abnormal load the authorities (Police, National Highways Abnormal Loads Team, Bridge and Tunnel Authorities for example) must have been notified in advance.  Specific regulations require planning, route notifications and potentially a police or private escort, depending on the load’s dimensions, weight and type.  Once authorisation is given a ‘Special Order’ will be issued, which must be carried in the vehicle authorised for the trip.

Further information on abnormal loads can be found on the National Highways website by clicking here.

If you have any further questions on this matter or anything else that might be affecting your transport operation, then please call us on 01279 818280 or click here to send us an email.  We are here to help.

© Richard Pelly, December 2025