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STGO Police Notice

One of the sections under the Road Traffic Act of 1988 (RTA) requires that all movements concerning STGO (Authorisation of Special Types) General Order 2003 notify the relevant authorities especially the Police. The section under the RTA where this order is made in Section 44. 

The following refers to the notification requirements and includes a table indicating whether Attendants and Markers for the load and vehicle are required. 

Police Notification Requirements 

All vehicle and load movements permitted by article 12(1), 13(2), 14(3), 17(3), 23(2), 24(4), 31(3), 38(2), 39(2) and 48(2) of the order which exceeds the specified width, length and weight limits will require police authority notification in accordance with Schedule 5; as will any vehicle or combination of vehicles and/or load permitted by articles (Special Types Order 2003) which weigh more than 80,000 kgs. 

The notice to the police authority should give two 'clear days' notice in the prescribed form (see below) and must be given to the police authority in every district through which the vehicle is to pass if:

  • The vehicle or load exceeds 3 metres in width; or 
  • The vehicle or load exceeds 18.75 metres in length (discounting the length of the towing vehicle on an articulated vehicle); or 
  • The total length of the vehicle and trailer (including projections) exceeds 25.9 metres; or 
  • The load projects more than 3.05 metres to the front or rear; or 
  • The gross weight of the vehicle(s) exceeds 80,000 kgs 

Important Points 

It is important to note the following:

  • 'Clear days notice' excludes Saturdays, Sundays, or a public holiday in any part of Great Britain in relation to movements authorised by the Special Types General Order only, there being no such exclusion in Special Orders unless specifically stated. 
  • There is no statutory limit governing the overall height of a load, however, wherever possible it should not exceed 4.95 metres (16' 3") in order that the maximum use can be made of the motorway and trunk road network. 
  • If the actual carrier is different from the company organising the load movement and completing the paperwork, the carrier's details must be included in the notification. 
  • If notification is necessary, the police authority may vary the journey date, time, or route. They also have the power to stop the vehicle in the interests of road safety or to avoid undue traffic congestion. 
  • It should also be noted that where a load has to travel under or over railway lines, that the relevant authority/operator is notified. 

The following information is to be provided by the user of the vehicle and in the format indicated. The form for vehicles with axle weights within Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 (C&U) or Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) Regulations 1998 (AW) limits is "Form of Notice to the Police" and "Notice to Police and to Highway and Bridge Authorities" is the form for all others. 

If a form is produced and transmitted by electronic mail via a PC it may be varied in accordance with the specific operational needs of a particular police force but must still contain all details listed in the points below. The following information is required by Schedule 5 of the STGO 2003. 

The notice must be in a form acceptable to the recipient and should be agreed by both parties; and must contain:

  • A list of all police forces to which the notice is sent
  • Details of the user of the vehicle or vehicle combination, stating: address, telephone number, fax number, email address (if any), user's licence number, user's reference number
  • Details of the intended use of the vehicle or vehicle combination, stating: point of departure, point of destination, time, date and route of the journey, particulars of any load (including description and profile of load)
  • Details of the vehicle or vehicle combination used, stating: 
    • Registration number of any motor vehicle 
    • Type of vehicle or vehicles 
    • The overall length of the vehicle or vehicle combination (including the length of any front and rear projection) 
    • The overall length of every single rigid unit included in a Part 2 vehicle combination (including the length of any front and rear projection) 
    • Overall width (including the width of any lateral projection) 
    • Maximum height 
    • Gross weight or gross train weight 
    • Number of wheels per axle 
    • All axle weights and all axle spacing 

The form of notice required by the police authority and a myriad of additional forms concerning Abnormal Loads and their movements can be downloaded from this link. 

Forms - Abnormal load movements application and notification forms