There is no excuse for this, there are plenty of signs before you even get to Bradford on Avon!!!
They normally have the volunteers there from Lorry Watch who wear hi-vis with Police written on them,they send the evidence to Trading Standards who prosecute the driver and owner operator.
The CPS prosecute under the weights and measures act.
There is ample warning in a big radius from BOA so no excuse.
Poor effort to spare Polypipe’s blushes…
don’t know the area so can not comment on it.
But people make mistakes… Especially new drivers.
Polypipe are Chippenham based and would be aware of the fines from going through BOA.
You’re thinking of Wavin that are based in Chippenham, Polypipe are from Doncaster and Aylesford.
They might have downgraded it so it grosses less than 18t 
That’s the one , Wavin.
Henry Stephens:
Polypipe are Chippenham based and would be aware of the fines from going through BOA.
They operate from other areas too, once upon a time I did a little bit of work with them out of Brighouse in West Yorks. Anyways, regardless of the who, how, where and why, that driver has no valid excuse for ignoring the 18t sign so it’s all on his toes now.
Zac_A:
. Anyways, regardless of the who, how, where and why, that driver has no valid excuse for ignoring the 18t sign so it’s all on his toes now.
It’ll be the “I only weigh 15 tonnes empty so it doesn’t apply to me” thinking. Some drivers truly believe it only applies to your current vehile weight, not the plated weight regardless of whether you’re loaded or not.
Conor:
Some drivers truly believe it only applies to your current vehile weight, not the plated weight regardless of whether you’re loaded or not.
Good God yes… I’ve met more than a few of them
If you are coming towards BOA from Warminster, Frome, Trowbridge, Bath , Chippenham and other routes, there’s a plethora of advanced warning signs in a 20 mile radius then a few more as you get closer to BOA.
Because there’s an 18 ton limit on Cleveland Bridge in Bath , anyone over 18 T must find an alternative route on the A36 which preferably should be the A350 via Chippenham.
44 tonners can transit Bath via the Eastern side using Lower Bristol Road then the A4 for Keynsham to Bristol depending which route it is.
With Staverton closed for 5 months for new underground water pipes near Trowbridge, it will cause issues as this is the busy road for lorries to avoid the 18 T weight limit in BOA.
Conor:
Zac_A:
. Anyways, regardless of the who, how, where and why, that driver has no valid excuse for ignoring the 18t sign so it’s all on his toes now.It’ll be the “I only weigh 15 tonnes empty so it doesn’t apply to me” thinking. Some drivers truly believe it only applies to your current vehile weight, not the plated weight regardless of whether you’re loaded or not.
Thing is if the REAL reason actually WAS only to protect the bridge to its maximum ‘carrying weight’ …instead of some nimby anti truck vendetta combined with a sideline of making a few quid,.that is exactly what it would/should be. 
I’ve never been over that bridge obviously, so maybe it actually is a problem of it being unsuitable in size, but many other weight limits in other places are totally truck suitable, and the limits are purely for the reasons I mentioned…imo.
Henry Stephens:
The conundrum for drivers.
So maybe he has special permission for access to his drop?
I see the bridge didnt crash into the water when he went over anyway.
robroy:
Conor:
Zac_A:
. Anyways, regardless of the who, how, where and why, that driver has no valid excuse for ignoring the 18t sign so it’s all on his toes now.It’ll be the “I only weigh 15 tonnes empty so it doesn’t apply to me” thinking. Some drivers truly believe it only applies to your current vehile weight, not the plated weight regardless of whether you’re loaded or not.
Thing is if the REAL reason actually WAS only to protect the bridge to its maximum ‘carrying weight’ …instead of some nimby anti truck vendetta combined with a sideline of making a few quid,.that is exactly what it would/should be.
I’ve never been over that bridge obviously, so maybe it actually is a problem of it being unsuitable in size, but many other weight limits in other places are totally truck suitable, and the limits are purely for the reasons I mentioned…imo.
The reason it’s on gross is it’d be impossible to police otherwise
robroy:
Conor:
Zac_A:
. Anyways, regardless of the who, how, where and why, that driver has no valid excuse for ignoring the 18t sign so it’s all on his toes now.It’ll be the “I only weigh 15 tonnes empty so it doesn’t apply to me” thinking. Some drivers truly believe it only applies to your current vehile weight, not the plated weight regardless of whether you’re loaded or not.
Thing is if the REAL reason actually WAS only to protect the bridge to its maximum ‘carrying weight’ …instead of some nimby anti truck vendetta combined with a sideline of making a few quid,.that is exactly what it would/should be.
I’ve never been over that bridge obviously, so maybe it actually is a problem of it being unsuitable in size, but many other weight limits in other places are totally truck suitable, and the limits are purely for the reasons I mentioned…imo.
I’m not 100% sure about the structural integrity of the bridge, it is medieval, but what I do know, is that the bridge is narrow, causing traffic chaos when large vehicles cross it. The approach is also very narrow and causes traffic chaos, especially if two trucks come in opposite direction. The two roads to the North of the bridge, are an absolute pain in their own right, with several very narrow parts, and especially the tight turn on the hill, which has caught out many drivers.
The little signs going in and out of Norton St Phillip near Bath have a picture of a video camera with a warning of evidence will be forwarded to police but it’s a Trading Standards issue under the weights and measures act, and there’s no cameras in the village.
Curtain twitchers maybe?
Framptons transport,now GDL , had a problem with a busy body do gooder ex military officer with too much time on his hands.
He objected to the fridge wagons going through a weight limit to and from Yeo Valley farm and dairy factory, he would stand in front of the double decker vehicles and berate drivers, and he made a fake speed gun out of a hair dryer.
He was sent a warning letter from a solicitor to state the company has a permit to access the weight limit from the council to access the factory at Bridgwater and the dairy,funny thing is they never heard from him again.