Wiltshire Residents Could Help Catch HGVs Breaking 7.5-Tonne Restrictions

Residents across Wiltshire could soon be asked to help tackle heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) ignoring 7.5-tonne weight restrictions by submitting video evidence to authorities.

The proposed community-led scheme is being developed by members of the Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel, working alongside Wiltshire Council and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), with support from Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson.

Weight restrictions are designed to protect villages, residential communities and rural roads from heavy vehicles using unsuitable routes. HGVs travelling through restricted areas can raise concerns about road safety, damage to infrastructure and disruption for local residents.

The plans are expected to be discussed by council panel members when they meet at County Hall on 1 October.

Under the proposed arrangements, members of the public would be able to submit video footage of vehicles suspected of breaching weight restrictions. Reports would need to include the vehicle's registration number, the location of the alleged offence and evidence of the relevant restriction signage.

Wiltshire Police would record details of the operators involved and pass the information to the DVSA, allowing the agency to identify businesses and operators repeatedly suspected of ignoring restrictions.

By bringing reports together, authorities hope to build a clearer picture of recurring breaches and identify operators whose activities may require further investigation.

However, the scheme would not mean that fines could automatically be issued based solely on footage submitted by members of the public.

Instead, the initiative is intended to gather intelligence about potential repeat offenders and help police and enforcement agencies focus their efforts on the operators causing the greatest concern.

The DVSA has confirmed it is willing to receive referrals from Wiltshire Police and use its existing relationships with vehicle operators to raise concerns about alleged breaches and explain the potential consequences of continued non-compliance.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson has expressed support for the proposals, which aim to give communities a more active role in identifying vehicles using unsuitable roads.WILTSHIRE PCC - Police Philip Wilkinson said he supported the plans

The proposed reporting system is currently undergoing data protection and governance checks to ensure that information submitted by residents can be handled appropriately.

Details explaining how members of the public will be able to submit reports are expected to be published on the Wiltshire Police website ahead of a formal launch in October.

If introduced, the scheme could provide residents in villages and rural communities across Wiltshire with another way to raise concerns about HGVs travelling along roads subject to weight restrictions.

The reporting arrangements, including how footage will be submitted and assessed, are expected to become clearer as the plans progress towards their proposed launch.