Lorry management in Suffolk
Suffolk County Council is responsible for managing the highway
network in Suffolk on all non-trunk roads.
Trunk roads
are managed by Atkins on behalf of the
Highways
Agency. Any questions regarding these roads should be
directed to W S Atkins rather than Suffolk County Council.
As part of our responsibility as the highway authority we work
with the freight and haulage companies to ensure that lorries use
the most suitable routes and roads to travel through or deliver
goods within the county.
The
lorry route network sets out the network of designated
lorry routes within the county.
HGV incident and enforcement
Suffolk County Council records on a monthly basis
data relating to HGV incidents and enforcement activities.
To report an incident or to complaint about a lorry or haulier,
please complete the
HGV Incident Report Form.
Lorry parks
Lorries parking in laybys and on county roads overnight can
cause disturbance to residents. The current level of overnight
lorry parking facilities for drivers in Suffolk does not provide
all drivers with a parking space off the highway.
Use this link for
Guide to Lorry Parks in
Suffolk.
The Highways Agency can help lorry drivers to find suitable
locations for overnight parking.
Use this
link to find the interactive truckstop search.
Abnormal loads
Abnormal loads are vehicles, which exceed one or more of the
following:
- 18.75 metres long
- 2.9 metres wide
- 44 tonnes total weight
- an axle load of 11.5 tonnes
When hauliers wish to move
abnormal loads, they must notify the local highway
authority.
Operator Licences
The issuing of HGV Operator licences is a function that is
carried out by the Traffic Commissioner of the Vehicle and Operator
Services Agency (VOSA).
Suffolk County Council is consulted on each application for an
operators licence and we are allowed to comment on the suitability
of the access to the highway, turning circle within the site for
the types of vehicles they wish to operate and the capacity of the
site in accordance with the number of vehicles that are proposed on
the licence application.
To get a full list of the Applications and Decisions for the
Eastern Region, please go to the VOSA website,
www.vosa.gov.uk
Weight Restrictions
There are two types of weight restrictions that are used on our
roads: environmental weight restriction and
weak bridge
weight restriction.
Environmental weight restrictions prevent large vehicles from
using inappropriate roads, routes and areas in order to:
- Prevent damage to buildings, roads and bridges
- Preserve the character, amenity and environment of an area
- Reduce and manage congestion on the roads; and
- Reduce danger to pedestrians and other road users
A weight restriction will only be considered on a road where
there is a high volume of through heavy goods vehicles, which could
use a more appropriate road. Weight restrictions can only be
introduced following the procedures associated with a
Traffic Regulation Order (TRO)
These weight restrictions are then enforced by
Suffolk Police. It is
not always possible to introduce a weight restriction, but it is
sometimes possible to consider other actions.
If a haulier is repeatedly driving down an unsuitable minor road
or is causing another lorry related issue, please complete the
HGV Incident Report Form and we will contact the relevant
Haulage Company and take action if necessary.
Use this link for information on how
HGV report forms are managed.
Further information on Suffolk County Council Lorry Management
Plan can be found in our advisory leaflet.
For more information please contact the
Customer Service
Centre.