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In this section:
1. What is an abnormal load |
2. When and who you need to notify |
3. How to notify |
4. Other information |
Restrictions on movements of abnormal and indivisible loads (AILs) within certain time periods and specific parts of the network are detailed below for the forthcoming year (2024):
Holiday | Date from | Time | Date to | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
New Year 2024/25 | 31 December 2024 | 3pm | 2 January 2025 | 8am |
Easter | 17 April 2025 | 3pm | 22 April 2025 | 8am |
May Bank Holiday | 2 May | 3pm | 6 May | 8nam |
Spring Bank Holiday | 23 May | 3pm | 27 May | 8am |
Summer Bank Holiday | 22 August | 3pm | 26 August | 8am |
Christmas | 24 December | 3pm | 29 December | 8am |
New Year 2025/26 | 31 December 2025 | 3pm | 2 January 2026 | 8am |
Camp Bestival – Lulworth Castle, East Lulworth (A352, B3070 and B3071)
Event date | Date from | Time | Date to | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
30 July to 4 August 2025 | 30 July | 3pm | 4 August | 8am |
Bournemouth Air Festival 2025 – Bournemouth (Over and Under Cliffs, A338 and Town area)
Event date | Date from | Time | Date to | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
Currently not planned | Will be updated when details are released |
Summer Period – Fridays 4pm until Monday’s first light
Event date | Date from | Time | Date to | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 June | 4pm | 8 September | 8am |
In general, abnormal and indivisible loads (AILs) shall only be moved during daylight hours from sunrise to sunset Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), but are prohibited during peak traffic times where there is a requirement for an escort:
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 9am and 4pm to 6:30pm
There has been a strictly no night time movement policy in place within the Dorset Police area since 2008.
Arterial route | Restriction |
---|---|
A3052 Lyme Regis | No AILs through Lyme Regis town |
A35 Poole | No AILs between the Civic Centre and Towngate Bridge |
A350 Upton to A31 | No AILs between A35 Upton and A31 except for access due to limited passing spaces and overhanging vegetation. |
A350 Blandford to Shaftesbury | No AILs. Narrow road and bends not suitable for abnormal loads. |
A352 Warmwell to Dorchester | 3.5 metres width restriction due to narrow roads through small villages. |
A354 to top of Portland | Max width 6.25 metres. Any AILs to the top of Portland over 3.75M or 80 tonnes require a police escort. |
A354 down from top of Portland | Over 4.7 metres wide will require a police escort through the Fortuneswell one-way system. Movements less than 4.7 metres wide are able to use High Street. |
A dispensation is a permission for an abnormal load to travel without having to notify us each time.
Please use our dispensation enquiry form to ask about our dispensations.