Be careful with an artic even if you think being empty on the 18 ton limit, you will get the £1000 fine as several firms have found out, the spotters are there from 7 am to 18.00, after that do what you want, and foreign trucks are exempt from prosecution, all fair and harmony in the EU then.?
The spotters are there at all random times even in the evenings and quite rightly so. Foreign lorries are the least of Bradford’s worries, they have decreased considerably since the new signs have gone up and to my knowledge not a single foreign lorry has reoffended twice. Whether the artic is empty or not is irrelevant its their plated weight is the concern -of which Im sure drivers are aware. The new signs on all the access roads around BOA were erected last Winter and we hope have aided in getting the HGV’s on the right route. Sal
Anywhere with a weight limit for NIMBY reasons should be charged double the rate for deliveries. Then we’ll see how the environment concerns people. Let’s ban lorries full stop from these dumps and let them get their own food in.
If a bridge is “weak” fix it, or knock it down and build a new one. Weight limits for weak bridges should be the maximum weight the bridge can take not gross weights.
When I was on tippers, NIMBYS hated quarrying, yet they had gravel drives, extensions etc and they often wanted a free load for the scouts’ car park or sponsorship for the local fete.
overweightlorry:
The spotters are there at all random times even in the evenings and quite rightly so. Foreign lorries are the least of Bradford’s worries, they have decreased considerably since the new signs have gone up and to my knowledge not a single foreign lorry has reoffended twice. Whether the artic is empty or not is irrelevant its their plated weight is the concern -of which Im sure drivers are aware. The new signs on all the access roads around BOA were erected last Winter and we hope have aided in getting the HGV’s on the right route. Sal
welcome to the site sal 
does anybody BUY anything in dreamland 
sorry I mean BOA? ( cough, cough ) just a thought 
it might of got there by a lorry , truck or nasty juggernaut 
oh well carry on do gooders 
we might get horses towing the barges row the canals for you oh sorry we’ve ate all the horses! reoffending wagons 
£1000 pound fines 
UNBELIEVABLE be careful what you wish for 
overweightlorry:
The spotters are there at all random times even in the evenings and quite rightly so. This is because they have nothing else to do in their sad and pitiful lives. It’s the highlight of their day to don a hi-viz jacket (makes you feel so superior) and pretend to be a lot more important than they really are. Some of these people are also school crossing attendants, retired teachers, parish councillors on an ego trio before their next twinning meeting,and even a post office clerk.The world would be a much better place without you horrible lorry drivers, and less ■■■ workers would be murdered. Please vote Green Party at the next election.Sal
FTFY.
Muckaway:
overweightlorry:
The spotters are there at all random times even in the evenings and quite rightly so. This is because they have nothing else to do in their sad and pitiful lives. It’s the highlight of their day to don a hi-viz jacket (makes you feel so superior) and pretend to be a lot more important than they really are. Some of these people are also school crossing attendants, retired teachers, parish councillors on an ego trio before their next twinning meeting,and even a post office clerk.The world would be a much better place without you horrible lorry drivers, and less ■■■ workers would be murdered. Please vote Green Party at the next election.SalFTFY.
lol
Muckaway:
overweightlorry:
The spotters are there at all random times even in the evenings and quite rightly so. This is because they have nothing else to do in their sad and pitiful lives. It’s the highlight of their day to don a hi-viz jacket (makes you feel so superior) and pretend to be a lot more important than they really are. Some of these people are also school crossing attendants, retired teachers, parish councillors on an ego trio before their next twinning meeting,and even a post office clerk.The world would be a much better place without you horrible lorry drivers, and less ■■■ workers would be murdered. Please vote Green Party at the next election.SalFTFY.
I’d get your coat Sal
Stobart trucks got nicked twice at different times, welcome to Trucknet Sal, there have been many problems at BOA with a foreign trucks getting stuck following a car sat nav while driving a 44 ton artics.
When i have been in the town i have noticed single occupancy cars, they should be fined £2500 for crossing the town and polluting while they could have taken an alternative route and by pass the town, their car journey was not neccesary and did not contribute a single penny to the Uk economy, apart from buying a bag of spuds on the way to Bath and back.
It is the constant flow of needless car trips that are grinding the town to a halt, not the trucks, how did the new housing estate get built by the old bridge?
No wonder the countrys in the deepest [zb] for years with tosstowns like this 
If there one gripe i have with this its the lack of signage from the A366 Trowbridge road, unless youve heard of the notorious BOA weight limit its not til you leave the A366 and start heading towards BOA that signs appear, why not have them on the A366 so that you can avoid having to turn back and just carry on into Trowbridge?
Muckaway:
Anywhere with a weight limit for NIMBY reasons should be charged double the rate for deliveries. Then we’ll see how the environment concerns people. Let’s ban lorries full stop from these dumps and let them get their own food in.
If a bridge is “weak” fix it, or knock it down and build a new one. Weight limits for weak bridges should be the maximum weight the bridge can take not gross weights.
When I was on tippers, NIMBYS hated quarrying, yet they had gravel drives, extensions etc and they often wanted a free load for the scouts’ car park or sponsorship for the local fete.
I quite agree!
lets just look back a short while when the minimum requirement to drive a truck into london went up to euro 4 what did most hauliers do? thats right they went out and spent over the odds for a compliant trucks so they can now still deliver the same goods to the same places for the same rates as before!
even if you charged more money for extra miles travelled round various weight limits/ environmental issues you can bet it wont take another haulier long to undercut you!
overweightlorry:
The new signs on all the access roads around BOA were erected last Winter and we hope have aided in getting the HGV’s on the right route. Sal
What “Sal” really means is “We hope to God the signs shift the problem elsewhere, but we still want the supermarket wagons, bin lorries, fire engines, roadsweepers, gritters, and any other large vehicle that visits for our benefit to come through. I’m off now to make some lentil soup and to knit some free range yoghurt…”
Fatboy slimslow:
overweightlorry:
The spotters are there at all random times even in the evenings and quite rightly so. Foreign lorries are the least of Bradford’s worries, they have decreased considerably since the new signs have gone up and to my knowledge not a single foreign lorry has reoffended twice. Whether the artic is empty or not is irrelevant its their plated weight is the concern -of which Im sure drivers are aware. The new signs on all the access roads around BOA were erected last Winter and we hope have aided in getting the HGV’s on the right route. Salwelcome to the site sal
A rather combative attitude Sal. We’re you people cut up in traffic by a “lorry driver” at some point in the past?
As has been said:
Is there sufficient signage prior to the point of no return?
As this is such a causer of sleepless nights in Dibley, sorry BoA, maybe a quiet word down the lodge to those jolly nice chaps in the council about a well signed diversion
Btw, hats off for coming on here and showing us the error of our collective ways.
I am local to Bradford, and drive through it frequently. A fully loaded 44t artic coming into Bradford from Melksham side, has no option but to go over the bridge. They will not make it up the hill, and there is no way to turn around.
The weight limit isn’t anything to do with it being a weak bridge, as they would not allow ‘permit holders’ to cross it. I think the locals use the bridge as an excuse to try and stop HGV traffic.
On the other hand, I can’t see any logical reason why trucks would pass through Bradford. Unless going from Bath to Trowbridge.
But it did amuse me one day, when an elderly couple walked out of the shop I just delivered to, carrying something I was delivering saying ‘Bloody lorries should be banned’
Toby has made page 6 of today’s Western Daily Press. The reporter, Tristan Cork, has quoted verbatim Tobys opening post and the acknowledgement doesn’t mention Trucknet specifically.
Doesn’t seem to be available on their web site but here is the scanned copy. 
Hope it comes out alright, the preview cuts off half the last column and it’s as small as I can get.
I’m all for banning lorries in BOA. Permanently.
I wonder though how long before all the loonies are complaining that the shops are empty and they can’t get the latest gadgets as no lorries can deliver…
I know. Make them empty their own bins at the tip. Fetch their own petrol and diesel from the refinery. Food from the factory etc…
It would be very pleasant watching the NIMBYs squirming…
Stephanie Ridout mentions in the Western Daily Press that the bridge spotters may carry out random early morning checks, Stephanie is the bridge watch co-ordinator, and is also on Facebook.
I have seen a new warning sign as you turn off the Beckington by pass go towards Southwick/Trowbridge with the BOA weight limits indicated on it.
And a few in Trowbridge by Argos, given lorryists enough warning to plan the route to divert via Staverton, you should go past the Nestle old factory and the Cereal Partners factory to get to BOA that way, over the river, you will then reach the Batheaston bypass.
I can see all towns and villlages having a lorry watch scheme nationwide, this is just the start of it, once the ball is rolling, maybe a system of CCtv cameras to record number plates and a WIMS system in the road surface that detects the weight of offending vehicles , similar to what VOSA are using at the moment on the UK motorway network.
1984 seems like a ■■■■■■■ Carry on film nowadays FFS!
The paper mentions that they pursue foreign trucks going over the bridge, but they have quoted that they have never had one go over twice, a Uk trucks gets one warning letter, do it again then it is the fine.As they contact DVLA to trace the number plate.
They can not trace a foreign truck by the DVLA method, unless the address of the firm is on the side of the unit/trailer,you would have to write the details down fast or take a photo.
They can not say they go after foreign trucks when we all know they can not trace them, even if they did there is no juradiction or power to make them attend court or pay the fine.
In the UK, who pays the fine, the driver or the firm, the driver could leave the job if he was made to pay the fine, leaving the bill with the boss, or registered keeper.
A UK driver will fined on the spot in Europe, they ceize the vehicle paper work, but not the keys, they are not allowed to do that.
The fine at the road side is only a court deposit, that you can contend and argue with at a later date, but they know you won`t bother, as the language barrier and cost of the truck off the road or transport costs to get to the court.
Some firms have had their money back, by contending the fine, if you are stopped and fined ,ask to see the offence code from the book they carry on the motorbike side panniers or in the car, make sure it is not a "trumped up " phoney charge.In BOA it seems they are giving up their time for free when the Police should be doing it, or VOSA with a permanent camera by the bridge.
The recent WDP article is here:- thisisbath.co.uk/Bradford-Av … z2MNtf47v0
Also, there has been some recent activity here from the watchers:- bradfordonavon.com/archives/2467
On there someone, who is both a local and HGV driver, is the only one with a rational balanced view of things IMO (as a result of his experience of truly seeing how it is from both sides). I like the comment (from someone else) about “erecting height limiting gantries” to keep offending vehicles out - say at about 13 ft? That should allow most lorries up to 18t in and stop those nasty artics shouldn’t it?
I can see the nimbies’ point of view though and you really wouldn’t want to take an artic down there (despite the potential fine) - just to the north of the bridge it does get "medievil ".