Exceeding 7.5t Weight Limit

I got reported for that years ago in 17 tonner.
Part of the 7.5t restriction was down a road which had turnoffs into side road industrial estates…
Shrewsbury area.
I had a vague address for a delivery so had to drive around and find it.
Explained all this and I was pardoned … :laughing:

ROG:
Not found out a lot about this one yet but I suspect it is a ‘fine only’ offence and not an endorseable one - i’ll see if I can find a definitive answer somewhere…

I would be very gratefull if you could, I’m not a numpty when it comes to Google but searching on the keywords to do with this is throwing up a lot of useless info.

From the Essex County Council Trading Standards website

Question: Who is Liable for breaching restrictions?
Answer: Contravention of a weight restriction order is a criminal offence punishable on summary conviction with a maximum penalty of £1000. Both the driver and owner/operator of the vehicle can be liable for these offences.

We got a letter off the local council about going through a 7.5 ton sign .But as we explained the picture was a truck we were in coaches therefore a bus and the sign did say except for buses .We were taught that unless the weight limit was a blanket on showing weight but no vehicle description then coaches go through,as we usually have to go to schools in the middle of estates.

London has got loads of 7.5t Weak Bridges - Except Buses

A contradiction in terms when you consider what a double decker or bendy bus must weigh.

I have found numerous roads with weight restrictions,the problem being some signs are either missing or are only visible once you have turned into the road itself. Others are covered with foilage.

I got caught in the 44 tonne truck years ago and got a £30 fine by a traffic cop,

Have a look at the road if the sign is not on the approach, and only appears in the road you have entered then the sign is of no use.

Example turning left from a major to minor

8wheels:
London has got loads of 7.5t Weak Bridges - Except Buses

A contradiction in terms when you consider what a double decker or bendy bus must weigh.

A Volvo Olympian double decker weighs about 11t without any passengers on… :wink:

Bus lanes can also be used by double decker 6 wheeled coaches, I’m sure they must be approx 25t loaded.

I got stopped for going througth the 18T limit by Kellogs at Trafford Park. He said you know why i’ve stopped you and i said yeah the weight limit. He said thats right its an 18T limit, so i said thats ok, i’m empty i’m about 14 tonne, he looked inside and let me go :smiley:

I got busted in the London Lorry Resriction Zone a couple of years back at 6:57 am and the restriction is lifted at 7:00 am. They sent a letter to the transport office where I was working at the time and I got a £50 fine.

8wheels:
Bus lanes can also be used by double decker 6 wheeled coaches, I’m sure they must be approx 25t loaded.

But theres generally no weight limit in bus lanes… :wink: :laughing:

I got caught a few years back. I missed the wallasey tunnel and went through the birkenhead tunnel which had a 7.5 ton weight limit, There were no signs until it was too late, so i carried on.
And there was plod at the peage. Must be a regular occurance this i thought.
£350 fine plus £60 costs.
So i wrote back and explained some regulation about the fine fitting the crime and they have acted unlawfully and are in breach of blah blah blah law.
So they retracted it. Which was nice.
As far as i can remember it is not an endorsable offence.

It all depends on the reason behind any 7.5t weight limit.
Most are there to stop large vehicles driving through residential/built up town centre areas and taking short cuts. There will not be any weak structure in the road ,thats why buses and large vehicles requiring access are exempt and some drivers just get a slap on the wrist.
The other reason is a genuine weak structure in the road (not always obvious),so if you get caught going through a restriction due to a weak bridge etc you are more likely to be prosecuted compared to going through a limit which ‘local residents’ have pestered their local council to put in force to stop trucks taking a short cut etc .

My issue is the ones that actually say weak bridge but have the exemption for buses.

It can’t be that weak if it can take a bus, I’m sure it’s partly to protect the structure but fixing it for all traffic would be a better option.

Polite letter from TM to trading standards is in order; driver was trying to deliver to so-and-so, took directions from local resident, followed them, etc. Add apology and comment that driver has been reprimanded and will be more careful in future. Should do the trick for first offence.

Had a similar issue with a snotty woman just outside Stroud last year, when I was following a diversion caused by the flooding. Politely told her that she should complain to her local council, or perhaps move back to London where she’d be less likely to find bulk tippers delivering to farms! :wink:

As previous posters have said, most of these limits are put up by councils responding to NIMBY whingers.

i drive a 44t wagon and drag and 75% of my work is household effects all over the country and i obviously come across these problems daily but when you have to get to a house in the middle of a housing estate whats a driver suppose to do ? i have also been fined for entering the london timed weight limit area at 06:37 one morning on the A21 at orpington and even though i display an exemption permit in the window i was still fined £120 ( reduced if i pay within 14 days to £60) and the boss got a fine for £550 ( reduced to £225 if paid within 14 day) so why the hell do they insist on these permits if you are still going to stung anyway !!

What’s the point of the permits anyway? They won’t let our wagons have them but will authorise us if we tell them in advance.

I was driving an 18 tonner down a country lane near Hampton in Arden - 7½ tonne wl and v narrow. This guy in a Range Rover - Flat hat tweed jacket etc steps out and stops me.

I wind down winow expecting abuse and he says “Did you know you can’t turn right at the end now?”

Apparently they had just changed the junction lol:)

Santa:
I was driving an 18 tonner down a country lane near Hampton in Arden - 7½ tonne wl and v narrow. This guy in a Range Rover - Flat hat tweed jacket etc steps out and stops me.

I wind down winow expecting abuse and he says “Did you know you can’t turn right at the end now?”

Apparently they had just changed the junction lol:)

Im waiting for the moment someone does that to me so I can reply,

"No problem can you tell the builders at number 37 that they cant have their sand and cement today ".

:slight_smile::slight_smile: I cant wait to see the reaction.

ROG:
Not found out a lot about this one yet but I suspect it is a ‘fine only’ offence and not an endorseable one - i’ll see if I can find a definitive answer somewhere…

I got the definitive answer for you…

From: Conrad Murray accident@lawanswers.co.uk
Date: 2008/10/15 Wed AM 09:01:59 BST
Subject: Re: Motor Offence

Contravention of a weight restriction order is a criminal offence punishable on summary conviction with a maximum penalty of £1000. Usually the fine is much lower than this. The offence is not endorseable so no penalty points. Both the driver and owner/operator of the vehicle can be liable for these offences.

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Answered by: Conrad Murray