Advice for hauliers
ESDAL haulier user guide, code of practice for lighting and marking abnormal loads and guidance on moving abnormal loads by water
In this section:
ESDAL haulier user guide
Lighting and marking for abnormal loads
Moving abnormal loads by water
Preferred routes for high and heavy abnormal load movements
Suggest a new route
Location of abnormal load laybys
More guidance from other government departments
Includes:
- taking an abnormal load abroad
- using abnormally large or heavy vehicles on the road
- overhanging loads: a brief guide
ESDAL haulier user guide
The ESDAL haulier user guide contains step by step instructions on how to use the online ESDAL Haulier portal for abnormal loads.
The guide reflects any changes in the ESDAL Haulier portal.
Lighting and marking for abnormal loads
Standard lighting and marking alerts road users and the general public so they can exercise greater caution around vehicles moving abnormal loads and their escort vehicles.
The Lighting and marking for abnormal loads vehicles code of practice is voluntary and does not set hard and fast rules. It provides practical guidelines and is an authoritative statement of best practice recognised by both industry and police authorities.
The code of practice covers:
- recommendations for marking vehicles, including details of side, front, rear and projection markings and additional markings for girder frame trailers
- signing and lighting requirements
- lighting and marking code of practice for abnormal load self escorting vehicles
- a brief guide to overhanging loads includes an overview of the main requirements when moving loads that overhang the front, rear or sides of vehicles
Code of Practice: Lighting and marking for Special Order, VR1, STGO and C&U loads
Moving abnormal loads by water
Where it's practical, economic and environmentally desirable, you should move the largest abnormal loads by inland or coastal water. This reduces the impact of moving these loads by road.
This guidance gives you:
- the water preferred policy for moving abnormal loads
- guidance on how to determine whether a load should be moved by water or road
Water preferred policy guidelines for the movement of abnormal loads
View map of inland freight routes suitable for abnormal load movements.
Preferred routes for high and heavy abnormal load movements
High and heavy load grids are designed to assist the haulage industry plan moves and ensure routes are maintained to agreed capacities.
High and heavy load grid map for abnormal loads
The high and heavy load grid map is a guide to locate routes in a required area.
High load routes allow loads with a height of either 18′ (5.486m) or 20′ (6.096m).
The heavy load route categories start at loads of 223.52T on 12 axles or 259.08T on 14 axles.
The Heavy Load Grids are defined by a set of categories A+ to F which relate to a set of vehicles on 12 and 14 axle trailers. Full descriptions of these vehicles are available from the ‘Heavy load vehicle classification specifications’ document.
Heavy load vehicle classification specifications
Heavy load vehicle classification specifications describe the categories of vehicles that can use particular Heavy Load Grids.
High and heavy load grids disclaimer
Suggest a new route
If you want to suggest a new route for the high and heavy loads grid, or a change to an existing route, contact National Highways abnormal loads team:
abnormal.loads@nationalhighways.co.uk
To be accepted, new routes must be equal to or greater than the specifications of the existing routes. Suggested routes must also run to or from locations with a critical need to move abnormal loads, or be on regularly used routes.
Location of abnormal loads lay-bys
A list of abnormal load lay-bys showing location, dimensions and access details.
More guidance from other government departments
Taking an abnormal load abroad
Different conditions apply if you're taking abnormal loads outside the UK, and some countries measure abnormal loads differently.
Using abnormally large or heavy vehicles on the road
How vehicles outside normal dimensions and weights usually allowed on roads ('special types') can legally be used on road.
Overhanging loads: a brief guide
The main requirements for loads that overhang the front, rear or sides of vehicles
