Senior police officers have issued new guidance on the movement of abnormal loads following collaboration with industry experts

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), in collaboration with the Abnormal Loads Group (ALG), has today released new national guidance to support police forces in the management of abnormal load movements across the UK.  The new guidance marks a significant step forward in improving coordination, transparency, and efficiency for both law enforcement and the transport industry.

This landmark document reflects extensive consultation with the transport and logistics sectors and is designed to ensure a safer and more predictable operating environment for the movement of abnormal loads, while also supporting the operational requirements of police forces.

Key highlights of the new NPCC guidance include:

• 30-Day Window Acceptance
• Clarification on Embargoes
• Targeted Embargo Approach
• Police Escorts and Legal Authority

NPCC spokesperson said:

“This new guidance is a testament to what can be achieved through close collaboration between law enforcement and industry.  It brings greater clarity to both police forces and operators, reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and focusing resources where they are truly needed.”

ALG spokesperson said:

“We’re delighted that the NPCC has listened and understand that this guidance is an economic enabler and we look forward to continuing to work with them collaboratively going forward.

“We recognise that police have an incredibly challenging job to do and abnormal loads movements are a specialism.  It’s only right that officers across all forces have the most up-to-date guidance that will help them support operators moving abnormal loads.

“This will also give infrastructure project leaders and hauliers the certainty that they will have a consistent service from officers when they require their support.”

The NPCC has agreed that the guidance will be subject of ongoing review and amendment, so it remains fit for purpose.

HTA spokesperson said:

"The HTA welcomes that the guidance now encourages police forces to explore the benefits of accrediting selected private escorts under CSAS to direct traffic for the purposes of escorting an abnormal load with limited but targeted powers.  The HTA has long believed that this will be a positive move to help drive compliance in the industry, provide greater flexibility, and ease the burden on many police forces.  The association are keen to ensure that these powers should be piloted in a controlled and monitored way in order to establish best practice.  To this end the HTA SAbLE project team have been in discussion with a number of police forces about controlled pilots (in liaison with NPCC). Police forces wishing to explore joining these pilots should eMail HTAadmin@heavytransportassociation.org.uk."

A formal review will take place twelve months after publication.

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HTA Special Open Meeting - Updated NPCC Abnormal Loads Guidance

Contributions of evidence/information from members/non-members has been a vital tool in presenting facts to authorities and it is felt that the matter has sufficient importance to take the unprecedented decision to hold a special 'open' meeting available to a limited number of non-members on a first-come first-served basis.  We can now announce that the meeting will be online by Teams/Zoon and take place at 14:00 on Weds 11 June 2025.

If you are already a HTA member, you can register for the meeting by logging into your HTA account online as usual here.

Non-Members

To attend as a non-member your business would have to be eligible for operator membership and attendance will be subject to availability (one attendee per company). If you wish to attend, please use this link to apply (online submissions close 12:00 noon, Saturday 07 June 2025).

Successful applicants will receive the online meeting link by eMail from HTAadmin@heavytransportassociation.org.uk.

In anticipation of the interest around this issue, please use the same online form to pre-advise any question so that we can maximise the meeting time on the day (questions will be curated to understand priorities for discussion).