Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Policy

This policy seeks to address how the County Council will fulfil its responsibilities for HGV movements throughout Cambridgeshire, and how it will work with partners to reconcile several key aspects of this issue, in particular the contribution of freight to the local economy, the effects of heavy goods vehicle traffic on the environment, and local concerns about residential amenity. The document also sets out options that communities concerned about the impact of HGVs can consider which may help to manage the impact of HGVs on local roads.

The policy promotes sustainability in distribution of goods through minimising road-based travel and the associated environmental impacts of road haulage. It seeks to maintain economic efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of freight movement and the amenity impact of inappropriately routed HGV’s.

The freight system helps meet the UK’s most essential needs: it supplies food to supermarkets and fuel to petrol stations, carries medical products to hospitals, and delivers letters and parcels to homes and businesses. The freight system also plays a vital role in supporting economic activity: it transports raw materials and intermediate products to factories, goods to ports and products to retailers, supporting manufacturing, exports and consumers.

However, freight transport is a major contributor to carbon emissions and climate change. In 2019 HGVs nationally contributed 16 per cent of domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions. The Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan sets out support for reducing the number of HGVs on the roads, and in 2022 the Department for Transport published a plan for the long-term future of freight.

Locally a report from Cambridge University Science and Policy Exchange found that transport is the second highest source of carbon emissions in Cambridgeshire, with HGVs contributing around 21 per cent of these emissions. These must be tackled swiftly and at scale to support the Council’s target for Cambridgeshire to reach net zero by 2045. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Commission on Climate have set out transport goals and actions around decarbonisation of freight and freight consolidation.

Modal shift of freight from road to more sustainable alternatives, particularly for the “last mile” delivery, is a key approach. With the rise of online shopping for food and other goods, “last mile” deliveries have been increasing, commonly by Light Goods Vehicles (small vans) (LGVs). The County Council is working with partners to investigate different options for “last mile” delivery. There are no legal restrictions that the County Council can use to manage LGVs, apart from those that would be applicable to all vehicles.

Meanwhile, the amenity impact of HGVs in residential areas gives rise to widespread community concern and complaints to the Council. HGVs can have an adverse effect on road surfaces, structures, and underground services. They can cause air and noise pollution in residential areas and can create safety hazards for other road users and pedestrians.

This policy sets out how communities can take their own action to address this issue, and how they can seek advice, support, and action from the Council if locally brokered solutions are unsuccessful.

The relevant legislation, rules, and policies for the management of HGVs on the County Council network are as follows:

Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP)

The strategy sets out a framework to deliver a modern, integrated transport systems for the people and businesses of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. This policy will form a ‘child document’ of the LTCP see Appendix B for Framework.

Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016

Regulates the signage that can be used on a public highway which includes advisory, directional, information and prohibition signage for HGVs

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Can be used to implement Weight restriction orders which are intended to:

• protect old or weak bridges and structures (structural weight limit)
• prohibit heavy vehicles from areas unsuitable for their size or if they pose a danger (amenity / environmental weight limit)

Traffic Management Act 2004

Part 2 of the Act places a network management duty on Local Traffic Authorities for securing the expeditious movement of traffic on the authority’s road network.

Part 6 can be enacted in areas with civil enforcement powers for camera enforcement of moving traffic offences, including weight limits.

The Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Planning obligations under section 106 or planning conditions can be used to secure the implementation of routing agreements for new developments.

Construction and Use Regulations and Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations

Regulates transportation of abnormal loads on the public highway.

The role of the different authorities in relation to HGV management on the highway are as follows:

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) Role – Transport Authority

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough depend upon national and international connectivity to drive its economic prosperity. The CPCA will therefore ensure that the region’s businesses and tourist attractions are connected sustainably to the main transport hubs, ports and airports, by supporting infrastructure and signalling enhancements to improve rail freight capacity, taking freight off the road network and moving it across the region more sustainably. Combined, these interventions will ensure that goods continue to flow freely into and out of the region, allowing trade and local businesses to flourish.

Working to ensure support for the industry, which is a key employer in our region, helping to provide the skills it needs now and in the future. Supporting improvements to the health and wellbeing of drivers and exploring how the haulage industry is improving fuel efficiency, reducing emissions and the impact on the environment. The CPCA holds the responsibility for publishing the Local Connectivity and Transport Plan (LTCP) and this policy will form a ‘child document’ of the LTCP.

The CPCA will take the lead on identifying lorry parking, rest and overnight facilities at strategic points, freight consolidation points, spatial planning, strategic freight and transport planning. The CPCA is responsible for seeking funding for strategic transport priorities.

• Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) Role – Highway Authority

The Council are responsible for implementing regulatory HGV management measures and maintaining the Advisory Freight Route Map, measures intended to manage the county road network so that lorries making through-journeys avoid, wherever and whenever practical and possible, the use of local roads serving small towns and villages by using strategic routes

Continued engagement with the Government, other Highway Authorities and freight operators to encourage the use of commercial satnavs which are programmed with routing agreements and the size of the vehicle.

The Trading Standards Service can enforce weight restriction orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. However, there is no statutory duty to take enforcement action and for many years there has not been the resources available to do so.

Weight restrictions can now be enforced by the Highway Authority if they enact Part 6 of Traffic Management Act 2004. Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras enforcement can be implemented for restriction within a civil parking area and where funding can be identified for installation and maintenance of the infrastructure.

County Councillors approve policy and funding of the County Council, and the Highways and Transport Committee considers all matters relating to transport. County Councillors represent their divisions and the people who live there, as the bridge between the community and the County Council. They can act as an advocate for local residents signposting them to the relevant support.

The County Council as Local Highway Authority is a statutory consultee to the planning process and can make comments and recommendations to respective Planning Authority in respect of new development proposals which may impact upon the highway network in relation to highway safety and capacity.

The existence of a weight restriction does not automatically preclude the siting of a proposed development which generates HGV movements. Each planning application must be assessed on its own merits in relation to the location, scale, and the relative impact of the development upon the road network; measures may be secured either in the form of physical works or a routing agreement, which may render a given development proposal acceptable.

• County and District Council Role – Planning Authority

County and District Councils determine planning applications having due regard to the impact of the associated traffic not only in terms of highway safety and capacity, but also in terms of the impact on the amenity of residents, and the environment.

Improvements to the road network can be secured by the grant of planning permission, or routing agreements secured by the Planning Authority, using planning conditions or an obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

• Police

The Police can enforce weight restriction orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Conducting specific operations to enforce weight restrictions will be influenced by police resources.

• Traffic Commissioners

Traffic Commissioners are responsible for the licensing and regulation of those who operate HGVs, buses and coaches. Applications for HGV Operator license and decision on these are made by the Traffic Commissioner.

About us - Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)

The DVSA provides a range of licensing, testing and enforcement services with the aim of improving the roadworthiness standards of vehicles and ensuring the compliance of operators and drivers with road traffic legislation.

Roles and Responsibilities Summary

The Cambridgeshire Advisory Freight Map (opens as a .pdf) is agreed by Cambridgeshire County Council. It sets out the routes across the county which are currently restricted for use by HGVs due to weight limits and height or width restrictions. It also shows the preferred and secondary routes which are the advised routes for use by HGVs. Freight operators and construction traffic routers are encouraged to use the preferred route network wherever possible, using the secondary routes only to reach the final destination, and avoid using minor roads through communities and those with restrictions on. New routing agreements for HGVs will need to be set in compliance with new and existing weight restrictions.

Any changes to HGV restrictions and new highways infrastructure will be added to the map by the County Councils’ Policy and Regulation Team. Any changes to the advised network will require approval by the Service Director Highways and Transport in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Highways and Transport Committee.

The Advisory Freight Routes will be displayed on the one.network website will and appear as a layer on the public map that can be toggled on or off – this means they can be viewed publicly and will be useful for anyone plotting a diversion route for works or events. Width and Height restrictions are already displayed on one.network as another data layer and again this information is easily accessible to all.

Information available on one.network will be fed into sat-nav systems and apps along with appropriate diversions routes for different classes of vehicles. It is hoped in time that sat-nav providers will include options for users to enter what type of vehicle they are driving when starting a journey to reduce incidents of HGVs following routes suitable only for cars.

Cambridgeshire County Council’s approach is to enable communities to broker their own solutions where possible. County Councillors are also important points of contact for their local communities and are available to advise and support.

Local Parish and Town Councils can ask local hauliers to sign a voluntary covenant, local volunteers can establish ‘lorry watch’ groups in liaison with Cambridgeshire Police, and local communities can apply for funding for advisory signage where appropriate.

Traffic calming measures and speed reduction schemes which can be part funded the Local Highways Improvements Initiatives may also play a role is reducing the impact of HGVs in a community. Local Highway Improvement funding - Cambridgeshire County Council

Formal routing agreements in connection with planning applications can be considered at the time of planning approval. When determining planning applications for developments, the impacts of associated traffic are material planning considerations. These impacts can be both technical, in terms of highway safety and capacity, but also in terms of the impact on the amenity of other road users, residents, and the environment.

Development which may be considered to have adverse highway impacts that would otherwise warrant planning permission being refused may be made acceptable through the applicant entering into a vehicle routing agreement with the Local Planning Authority secured by planning obligation or planning condition. Such agreements require that vehicles be routed to avoid certain roads, at all times or at certain times of day

for example, to avoid conflict with peak hour traffic and/or arrivals and departures at school opening and closing times. Such routing agreements must be freely entered into by the applicant.

Hierarchy of options

Communities experiencing issues with HGV movements should consider the hierarchy of options set out below starting with the voluntary and advisory options as a first step.

Voluntary Covenants

Voluntary HGV Covenants are recommended as the first consideration for communities concerned by HGV movements. The HGV Covenant is a County Council supported agreement between local communities and commercial vehicle operators to reduce noise, pollution and increase safety.

Local Parish and Town Councils and community groups can tailor the Covenant 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.

How to do it

If there are local hauliers or businesses in the area whose HGV movements are causing concerns, then in the first instance contact them via your local Parish, Town, or City Council. Discuss with them if there are ways in which they can operate which is less disruptive to your community, for example avoiding certain roads, abiding strictly by speed limits. The idea of the voluntary agreement is to set out how they will operate, and this can be published so the local community are aware and know what to do if any of their fleet are not abiding with the agreement. There are some successful agreements in place in the county already and this voluntary approach is a recommended first stage approach to tackling HGV issues. More details of the covenant, a template and information about agreements already in place are at the following link (scroll down the page): Heavy or abnormal loads on the highway - Cambridgeshire County Council

Advisory /Information signage

Information signs indicating that a road is ‘unsuitable for HGVs’ can be used on roads which are not suitable for an HGV to use due to narrowness, for example. These are the white on blue rectangular signs. Such signs will not be considered for use on roads which form part of the Advisory Freight Network.

How to do it

Communities will need to understand more about the HGV vehicles using the road and if they have legitimate access requirements. This may require an origin and destination survey which can be costly. It is not something that the County Council usually carries out and so community groups or local councils would need to find funding and arrange this through a private company. It may be possible to do this more simply, for example, on a single road where HGVs requiring access are marked up with the company name on and can be easily identified and therefore ruled out of a simple HGV count. The count could be carried out by a local volunteer counting the number of HGVs per hour over some representative time slots.

Once the data is established then funding would be required to implement the signage scheme. Signs on the highway must be installed by approved contractors and the sign designs in compliance with Traffic Signs Regulation and General Directions (TSRGD) 2016 guidelines.

The Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions 2016 - DfT Circular (publishing.service.gov.uk)

For further information about funding, see Section 6 below.

Direction signs for drivers of goods vehicles

Signage can be used to indicate the route that lorries should take to access a particular site or area such as a business park. This is the white lorry on a black background sign. It is directional signage, and it is not mandatory that HGVs follow this route.

As above signs on the highway must be installed by approved contractors and the sign designed in compliance with TSRGD.

There is currently no specific County Council funding set aside for surveys or installing new advisory or directional signage for HGVs and goods vehicles. For further information about funding, see Section 6 below.

Temporary Signs

Temporary signage can be installed by construction companies to indicate the correct route for their construction traffic to follow. This may be agreed as part of the constructions traffic management plans. They may also be required to install signs to indicate routes that are prohibited for construction traffic relating to their particular development. These signs are generally black on yellow information signs. White on red signs are used on construction sites for works traffic. Agreed construction traffic routing can be enforced by the Local Planning Authority.

Environmental Weight Restrictions

An environmental weight restriction under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 may be considered if traffic management circumstances meet the assessment criteria.

Implementing regulatory HGV management measures requires the making of a legal order, which involves a statutory consultation process that requires the Highway Authority to advertise, in the local press and on-street, a public notice stating the proposal and the reasons for it. The advert invites the public to formally support or object to the proposals in writing within a 21-day notice period. Should any objections be received then a report would go before Members for decision.

The cost of the legal process is approximately £1,000. The cost of the signs will depend on the size and complexity of the limit. Funding will be required for schemes.

Regulatory signage, white circle with red outline, would be used to indicate the prohibition for a weight limit. Advanced warning white on blue signage may also be required.

Where a proposal for an environmental weight restriction has an historical routing agreement on the route by virtue of a planning permission, then options for re-routing will need to be considered and discussed with the authority who agreed the routing and the businesses subject to the agreement. Historical routing agreements may be exempt from new environmental weight restrictions for reasons of access or where no reasonable alternative is available for rerouting. This would need to be considered on a case-by-case basis, as would any subsequent routing agreements and any new proposal for an environmental weight restriction will need to include reasonable alternative routes for HGVs.

HGV Weight Limit Criteria for Environmental Weight Limit

The introduction of an environmental weight limit will be considered where most of the below criteria are present:

• The road that is to be the subject of the restriction is neither part of the Advisory Freight Route Network nor has an existing HGV routing agreement on it.
• A restricted area or zone can be defined which does not transfer the problem to other communities and has sensible and practicable terminal locations.
• An alternative route exists for diverting HGVs that does not pass through environmentally sensitive areas, does not create a major increase in distance for lorry operators, avoids dangerous junctions or other unsuitable locations and will not result in increased road maintenance costs.
• If the weight limit were implemented, and was strictly complied with, it would result in a significant reduction of HGV movements per day in the restricted area. The count should be on HGV through-movements rather than those that will require access and will therefore be exempt from the weight limit.
• HGV movements in the area are significantly impacting on the quality of life for the community.
• Structural damage to buildings, walls and vehicles occurs.

How to do it

The assessment process for an environmental weight limit is at appendix A. This is based on the criteria above and also asks for a number of other details to help assess the proposals.

Applicants wishing to propose an Environmental Weight Limit must apply giving evidence and information against the list of criteria in Appendix A.

Once this is completed contact the Policy and Regulation Team at the County Council by email policy.andregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

The information and evidence against these criteria will be initially assessed by officers to ensure all the correct information and evidence has been submitted. Once the correct information is received a decision to proceed to the statutory process for a weight limit will be taken by the Executive Director of Place and Sustainability in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Highways and Transport. If the proposal proceeds to the statutory process any objections to the Order will be determined by the Highways and Transport committee. If the committee are unable to achieve a consensus, then a public enquiry may be required.

Low Bridges and Structural Weight Limits

All low bridges will be adequately signed from a reasonable distance away, preferably the nearest ‘A’ or ‘B’ Road.

A weight restriction of less than 7.5 tonnes can only be imposed on a route for structural reasons. A structural weight restriction will only be used on routes that have weak structures, such as bridges, that cannot bear vehicles over a certain weight (such as 3 tonnes) and can only safely accommodate a lower load. Restrictions of this type will typically cover only short sections, where the structure is located. Unlike environmental weight restrictions, a structural restriction will not normally include an exemption for access as the structure may fail should it be overloaded.

Bridge strikes cause delays to both the road and rail network as well as putting people at risk and being a cost. The advisory freight route will not include routes with low bridges or structural weight limits. More information on railway bridge strikes is available on the Network Rail website.

Length and width restrictions

Some roads may be unsuitable for long or wide vehicles to use, for example where there is a sharp bend in close proximity to buildings or a narrow bridge. If the carriageway is built to withstand heavy vehicles and the issue is just the length or width of vehicles, then it is possible for a length or width restriction to be considered. As with any proposal it will need to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Under Traffic Management Act Schedule 7, only restrictions indicated by certain traffic signs, as prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (as amended: ‘TSRGD’) are civilly enforceable as moving traffic contraventions, length and width restrictions are not currently included. Therefore, length and width restrictions will remain enforceable only by the police.

Length or width restrictions require a Traffic Regulation Order and correct signage, including advanced warning signs. This would require funding and communities interested in considering such restrictions should contact the Policy and Regulation team at the County Council in the first instance by email policy.andregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Education and Enforcement

The County Council will encourage freight operators to use specialist satellite navigation (sat nav) systems for HGVs indicating weight restrictions and low bridges and suitable routes for HGVs.

Where hotspots of contravention of weight limits are identified as a concern the County Council will use the information to inform the industry and the Police about education and enforcement of restrictions.

HGV Watch

HGV Watch is a scheme which can be used in areas with existing restrictions. It is not enforcement – it is about raising awareness of already restricted routes (weight, height, and width restrictions) and routing agreements within communities and about educating drivers.

HGV Watch is a scheme backed by the Police but led 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 to the police. 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.

How to do it

In the first instance contact your local Parish, Town or City Council or local Councillor to find out if they are aware of the issue and are interested in supporting an HGV Watch Scheme. If they are then contact should be made with the Cambridgeshire Constabulary to discuss it in more detail by emailing hgvwatch@cambs.pnn.police.uk

Some of the options for managing HGVs may need funding. The County Council will consider opportunities to support appropriate applications financially where possible. Funding opportunities will be advertised, and Town and Parish councils informed.

The main current source of council funding for changes to the highway is the Local Highways Improvement process at Local Highway Improvement funding - Cambridgeshire County Council

Applicants can also fully fund their own applications provided they meet the legal and technical requirements of the Council at Privately Funding Highway Improvements - Cambridgeshire County Council

Agricultural vehicles

Where an agricultural vehicle has a normal licence and the driver is licensed the vehicle may travel anywhere on a public road.

48 tonne vehicles

The standard maximum laden weight for articulated lorries on public roads in Great Britain is 44 tonnes. The Department for Transport are considering trials for limited routes for 48 tonne vehicles on repetitive container routes to reduce the number of lorry movements as part of intermodal routes with road and rail operation.

Abnormal Loads

An abnormal load is one that cannot legally be carried on a vehicle within the maximum weights and/or dimensions in the Construction and Use Regulations and Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations.

Hauliers should obtain permission prior to moving any oversized vehicle or load. A police escort may be necessary, or a bridge or structure may need to have its load capacity checked. Movement of high and wide loads should be notified to the police abnormal loads officer (call 101).

For movement of heavy loads please contact the Cambridgeshire highways abnormal loads officer at cambridgeshire.abloads@milestoneinfra.co.uk.

Car Transporters

Signage for ‘No Car Transporters’ is advisory only for specific issues e.g. tackling a route by historic buildings. There is no special use-class for car transporters; they are treated the same as HGVs, and therefore there can be no legal restriction specifically for a car transporter.

References

The Cambridge University Science and Policy Exchange report

2019 CUSPE Policy Challenge - Net Zero Cambridgeshire | Cambridgeshire Insight Open Data

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Commission on Climate Report

FINAL CLIMATE REPORT LOW (002).pdf (hubspotusercontent40.net)

Department of Transport Future of Freight Plan

Future of freight: a long-term plan (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Department for Transport Decarbonisation Plan

Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge (publishing.service.gov.uk)

• Design = £1500 - £8,000
• Surveys = £2,000 - £15,000
• Traffic Regulation Order = £1,000
• Works = £5,000 - £20,000
  
  

Please note that costs above will vary depending on location, road classification, number of accesses and number of signs required. In some locations there may be a requirement to illuminate the signs which roughly equates to an additional £1500 per signpost.

There is a risk that in the event of objections, a proposal for an environmental weight limit would need to go to public enquiry. The cost of this could be substantial (in the region of £50k - £70k or more).

Contact: Policy and Regulation team policy.andregulation@cambridgeshire.gov.uk for more information.