Recent Months have seen more and more Police Forces cutting back the responsibilities of their Abnormal Load Officers and insisting that all notifications are submitted by ESDLA.  Merseyside Police have now been joined by Greater Manchester, Dorset and Devon and Cornwall in this requirement. The HTA has remained resolute in our stance that this insistence in not in accordance with the STGO legislation but has been working with Highway’s England (HE) to improve ESDAL where possible for the benefit of our members and the industry.

Through HTA petitioning HE have released a form to enable the inputting of a notification and e-mailing to ESDAL rather then using the web based procedure and third party software is now able to interface with the system providing an alternative option for those who use other software providers for notifications.  Some members have reported other concerns with the system which have been highlighted to HE for resolution.

On the 4th of September 2018 the HTA received a letter from Duncan Price, Head of Freight, Operator Licencing and Roadworthiness for the Department for Transport (DfT).  The letter’s stated purpose was to inform the industry that the DfT has been considering how the policy works in practice.  There are two areas for consideration.  Firstly, whether the indicative thresholds for financial reasonableness for inland water, when applied to ad hoc unpredictable moves, should be applied to costal as well as inland waters.  This essentially would mean all hauliers would be compelled to use a costal port that is considered by an authority to meet the financial reasonableness bar.  Secondly, whether the appointment of a ‘Transport Specialist’ would be beneficial to the decision making process for such moves.  The appointment of the Transport Specialist would entail an hourly rate and could range from £500 for simple cases and up to £10,000.

The HTA responded to this letter on the 22 September and questioned how such a policy could be implemented without an industry impact assessment, why Highway England are effectively out-sourcing their decision making procedure, why is a Transport Specialist required for ‘simple cases’ and what are the specialist’s terms of reference?

We await the response from the DfT by return.

The HTA has been made aware that Stop and Direct powers will be devolved by Avon & Somerset Constabulary (ASC) using Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) powers to the Traffic Management Company (Somerset Infrastructure Alliance (SIA)) who are used by EDF Energy to manage their abnormal loads.  The companies who form SIA are Skanska and Forest Traffic Management Ltd.

Being the first time CSAS powers have been devolved for Stop and Direct for Heavy Haulage, the HTA was curious to discover how the application process was undertaken and wrote a letter to the Police Crime Commissioner for ASC pointing out the industry code of practice requirements for escorters to be ‘sufficiently competent to undertake the task of escorting abnormal loads. Competent means that they are suitably trained and/or experienced for the role.’

In response the PCC replied stating that it was a temporary solution to a local problem which was unlikely to be renewed once the build was over. Also, that SIA are ‘highly experienced in moving abnormal loads’ and that the ‘Police CPI have suggested that accreditation for abnormal load escorting may be available nationally’.  The HTA will continue to monitor the developments in this area with a keen interest.

On the 27 April 2018 the HTA received notification that with immediate effect there was a restriction on all abnormal loads over 40T travelling over M6 Jeffries Bridge which is located at marker post 430.3 South of junction 38.  This caused a significant detour for loads travelling to and from the West of Scotland with costs borne by the industry.

The HTA first raised this issue with Highways England (HE) at the time of the restriction and repeatedly asked for updates.  HEs stance was to require evidence of significant disruption to industry in order to re-assess the restriction.  The disruption was finally recognised by HE when Greater Manchester Police imposed a blanket embargo on all abnormal loads in their traffic area at peak periods.  The increased abnormal load traffic, sighted as the reason for the embargo, being partly attributed to the re-routing of abnormal loads to avoid Jeffries bridge.

The HTA highlighted this disruption during a telephone conference with the Abnormal Loads Team of HE on the 8 May 2019, who were then able to apply pressure to Area 13 for a removal of the restriction the following week.  The HTA has thanked HE Abnormal Loads Team for their assistance in this matter.

The response to the Home Office letter sent on 24 January 2018 was received on the 29 March 2018 from Rt Hon Nick Hurd, Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service.  It was stated in the letter that the ‘enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for the local Chief Officer of Police’.  The response then went on to put the decision as to how notifications are received within the authority of the Chief Officer and then stated that this is the Government’s position.

The HTA is disappointed in what could be described as the Home Office side-stepping its overarching responsibility in this area and remains resolute of the opinion that the legislation requires an agreement by both sides.

It has been a long understood policy of Welcome Break to facilitate extended free parking over the standard 2 hours to Abload Hauliers in possession of an endorsed movement order due to the additional burdens experienced by the industry.

The HTA has recently received several reports of members receiving parking tickets from Parking Eye whilst staying beyond 2hrs free parking.  It was decided by the committee to approach the CEO of Welcome Break for comment.  A letter was sent to Robbie Bell the CEO Designate and in response the HTA received an eMail from Nick Jackson the Head of Business development.  Although he was unable to suggest a procedure for registering the extension of free parking on arrival at one of their service stations, he gave an eMail address to notify in advance to register the extension.

Members are advised to contact Welcome Break directly at the following address prior to using the services to enable the extension of free parking: parking@welcomebreak.co.uk