Heavy or abnormal loads on the highway

Our Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Policy was developed to balance the needs of local communities and the requirements of lorry operators. For the recommended routes and restrictions for freight companies please see the Advisory freight map.

The centre of Cambridge is restricted by rising bollards. For recommended access points for Cambridge city centre please refer to the Cambridge City Centre map.

Public weighbridges

To find a public weighbridge near you, you can use the GOV.UK weighbridge finder or see our list of Cambridgeshire weighbridges with addresses below.

Heavy goods vehicle parking

There is insufficient parking capacity in Cambridgeshire to accommodate the amount of HGVs passing through the county. Lorries parking in laybys and other county roads can cause a disturbance to local residents.

HGV drivers can find suitable locations for overnight parking by using the interactive truck stop search application.

A record will be kept of all incidents reported and this could be used to inform the Traffic Commissioner and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency of any repeat offenders.

Concerned about HGV traffic?

HGVs have an adverse effect on road surfaces, structures and underground services. They can cause unnecessary air and noise pollution in residential areas and can create serious safety hazards for other road users and pedestrians, in particular children.

HGV Watch is a new scheme backed by the Police but lead by local volunteers. Volunteers undertake high-visibility roadside operations to educate HGV drivers that they are travelling through weight, height or width restricted routes in local towns or parishes. Any vehicles seen using those restricted routes can then be reported. These reports will enable the police to communicate with the haulage companies involved and send advisory letters to confirm that their vehicles have been observed and that this could have led to prosecution.

HGV Watch is not enforcement – it is about raising awareness of weight, height and width restrictions within communities and about educating drivers.

For more information please contact hgvwatch@cambs.pnn.police.uk.

HGV Covenant

The HGV Covenant is a County Council supported agreement between local communities and Commercial Vehicle Operators to reduce noise, pollution and increase safety.

Originally created by 'Community Roadwatch' in December 2015 and adapted for local use by the County Council in February 2016, the document has been developed for the benefit of local parishes and community groups who were concerned by the impact lorries and other large vehicles were having on their villages.

Commercial Company Covenant15KBword
Size: 15KBFile format: word

Local parishes and community groups are free to use the document as a template and tailor it to meet their specific requirements in discussion with local Hauliers. The Covenant, which Hauliers are invited to sign, sets out an agreement covering what communities will expect from haulage companies and their drivers and what they will do in return.

Please return your completed HGV Covenant form to:

Policy and Regulation Team
Cambridgeshire County Council Highways Service
Vantage House
Vantage Park
Washingley Road
Huntingdon
PE29 6SR

You can also email your form to policyandregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

List of companies signed up to the HGV Covenant

Company In agreement with
Balfour Beatty Countywide
Cornwell & Son Countywide
Masters Logistical Countywide
Mick George Ltd  
Milestone Infrastructure Countywide
Mead Construction (Cambridge) Ltd

Lode with Longmeadow Parish Council

Skanska Countywide
John Henry Group  
Cardinalis Concrete  
Geoff Hobbs Haulage Ltd Haddenham Parish Council
Thalia Countywide
Turners Soham Ltd

Haddenham Parish Council

Bridge information

Bridge Headrooms below min. height of 16' 6" 5.03m
Bridge details Bridge owner Signed height
Alconbury Brook Viaduct over High St, Alconbury CambsCC (B1043) 12'9"
Elizabeth Way over Riverside/Wallnutree Avenue, Cambridge CambsCC (U) 10'
Carter cycle bridge over Cambridge station car park, Cambridge CambsCC (F) 11'6" (3.5m)
Railway Bridge over Coldhams Lane, Cambridge Network Rail 13'9'', (4.20m)
Ely Station Level Crossing over A142 Station Road, Ely Network Rail 9'0'', (2.70m)
Disused railway bridge over Brampton Road, Grafham Highways England Historical Railway Estate 4.25m
Hinchingbrooke U/P over Hinchingbrooke Park Road, Huntingdon CambsCC (U) 14'9''
Railway Bridge over B1411 Hundred Bank Road, Pymore Network Rail 14'0'', (4.267m)
Railway Bridge over Straight Furlong, Pymore Network Rail 9'0"
Littleport Station U/P, Littleport Network Rail 8'3'', (2.51m)
Railway Bridge over Queen Adelaide Way, Ely Network Rail 11'6'', (3.505m)
Railway Bridge over Padnal Bank, Prickwillow Network Rail 13'9'', (4.19m)
Railway Bridge over Branch Bank, Prickwillow Network Rail 13'3'', (4.038m)
Railway Bridge over Cambridge Road, St Neots Network Rail 14'9'', (4.50m)
Railway Bridge over Turf Drove, Whittlesey Network Rail 11'3''
Railway Bridge over B1098 Sixteen Foot Bank, Stonea, Wimblington Network Rail 7'0''
Railway Bridge over Great Drove, Yaxley Network Rail 13'6''
Railway Viaduct over B1514 Brampton Road, Huntingdon Highways England 14'6" (4.4m)
Bridge Structural Weight limits
Bridge/Structure Details Bridge/Structure Owner Structural Weight Limit
North Brink Retaining Wall, North Brink, Wisbech Environment Agency 3 tonnes gross vehicle weight (g.v.w).
Shepreth Mill Bridge, Fowlmere Road, Shepreth Cambs CC 7.5 tonnes g.v.w.

Station Road Bridge (B1085) Kennett

Network Rail

3 tonnes gross vehicle weight (g.v.w)

Hildersham Bridge, High Street, Hildersham Cambs CC 12 tonnes g.v.w.
Huntingdon Town Bridge, The Avenue, Godmanchester Cambs CC 7.5 tonnes maximum gross vehicle weight except psv and emergency vehicles
Disused Railway Bridge, Gransden to Hatley Road Highways England Historical Railway Estate 3 tonnes g.v.w
Alconbury Bridge, Mill Road, Alconbury Cambs CC 3 tonnes g.v.w.
Badlingham Manor Bridge, Badlingham Road, Chippenham Cambs CC 3 tonnes g.v.w.
Norwood Road Railway Bridge, Norwood Road, March Network Rail 3 tonnes g.v.w
Width limits
Location Width limit
Hamerton Bridge 8'0''
Offord - Buckden Road 6'6''
Waresley - Great Gransden Road 6'6''
Cambridge Road , Impington 2 metres
The Green known as Cross Path, Eltisley 2 metres
Slip Road to Cemetery, London , Godmanchester 2 metres
Stapleford Byway, City of Cambridge Byway & Fulbourn Byway 2 metres
Royston Road , Melbourn 2 metres - with gate for frontage etc
Old B1042 Arrington close off length of redundant road

Transporting animal feed

If you are a haulier that transports animal feed you will need to be registered. For more information go to agriculture, animal health and welfare.