I regularly see 44 ton artics using the 18 ton weight limit on Cleveland Bridge in Bath, and on the medieval bridge in Bradford on Avon that has the 18 ton weight limit, the volunteers at BOA wear high visibility vests with POLICE written on them.
With an empty artic weighing less than 18 tons, the tractor unit and empty trailer combined, do some drivers think they can breach the weight limit as they assume they are below 18 tons when empty?
When Trading Standards and the CPS prosecute the case, they go on the information from DVLA for the weights of the vehicle regardless for being empty or not, the BOA volunteers count the axles.
I was told that the bridge restrictions count against even unloaded unit and trailer based on its max capacity so yeah, a 14 tonne combined actual weight but having the capacity for 44 GVW is still a no-no. Apparently it’s because they assume people actually overweighted for the bridge use it even if not physically over the the sign restriction. Kinda retarded but that’s British law for you.
That’s how many drivers get caught out, when they are empty to breach a weight limit.
The owner operator gets a fine as well as the driver, this then attracts the attention of the Traffic Commissioner, as DVSA will be aware of any prosecutions, they could then investigate and scrutinise how the company are operating in good repute or not.