What Is Heavy Haulage and When Do You Need It

The grand statue of a tower crane is a symbol of sheer height, yet the whole process of constructing and transporting a crane to a new site is synonymous with size. For a big piece of machinery like a crane, you need an accommodating delivery service that can transport the largest objects both safely and efficiently. Heavy haulage is a specific industry that has been tailor-made for oversized objects such as cranes; the industry is an essential piece of the puzzle in sculpting our skyline.

What is Heavy Haulage?

The classification behind heavy haulage stretches further than the size of your object. There are a number of categories that diagnose your load with specific speed limits and weight restrictions. Category 2 and 3 vehicles, which is where the majority of heavy haulage vehicles reside, are limited to 40 mph on motorways and 35 mph on dual carriageways, and depending on the precise weight of the vehicle, you may need to be granted permission to transport the goods.

Heavy Haulage Weight Restrictions

With loads exceeding a gross weight of 78 tonnes, you will need to inform the Highway and Bridge Authorities with at least 2 clear days of notice. The same goes for loads over 147 tonnes, except in this case, the notice period is extended to 5 days and the Police must also be informed. There are a number of categories that require notice and special permission, so to familiarise yourself with all these guidelines, take a look at the Special types enforcement guide.

Despite the rules and regulations, heavy haulage is not an exclusive industry. Although this method of transportation is mainly reserved for agriculture, construction and in the delivery of static homes, there is a reason why so many companies opt for one big haul over multiple journeys with smaller lorries. Although the premium of heavy haulage may exceed the costs of smaller delivery options, the cost of multiple trips will soon add up to one higher than a single, larger service. This method is also less time consuming, and allows all the parts of a crane, for example, to be delivered in a more timely fashion, speeding up the entire construction process. Heavy haulage is only an option to consider if your use of a crane conforms with a CPA contract, where you will need to provide everything but the crane for your build.

If you are in the process of constructing all the parts to your latest build and need a crane transported to your site, you can call on the services NMT Crane Hire to deliver the goods. Just contact us on 0800 026 6985 or you can use our online form to leave us a message.

contact us