The UK’s Road Haulage Association (RHA) is spearheading the Abnormal Loads Group (ALG) to support heavy hauliers operating in the country.
The RHA said: “Early last year we brought a group of trade associations, stakeholders and operators together to tackle issues hauliers faced moving abnormal loads. Firms told us that some forces were imposing blanket embargoes on movements, increasing bureaucracy, were being inflexible on dates and wouldn’t accept short-notice movements. They said this led to increased costs and delayed projects.”
As a result, ALG was formed in collaboration with stakeholders Heavy Transport Association, National Caravan Council, British Holiday & Home Parks Association, Hanson European Caravan Transport.
“We’ve made steady progress and secured commitment from the National Police Chiefs Council that the group can help them review outdated guidance that we’re confident will encourage more consistency across forces,” said the RHA.
“There’s been some other positive developments following our campaigning with seven police forces in east England committing to work collaboratively to ensure that hauliers planning to move through their patches will be met with a consistent enforcement approach.”
In the meantime, the ALG has commissioned research from the Centre for Economics & Business Research (CEBR) to fully understand the impact of inconsistent police actions on the industry and the wider economy. It found that the total financial impact of increased bureaucracy on abnormal load movements to be an estimated GBP16.8 million (USD21 million) per annum.
The report also estimates that increased regulatory demands have led to reduced activity for hauliers, resulting in wasted time and decreased revenue with significant economic losses amounting to up to GBP171 million (USD214.7 million) per annum.
“Our group continues to seek certainty, clarity and continue to invest in this vital sector and ensure these loads are moved safely,” RHA added.
