§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 22 November 2000 (WA 74), that "mobile phones are the normal mode of communication between the police and the abnormal load's 'second man'", what was the gross train weight and overall dimensions of any abnormal loads escorted by the police between junctions 1 and 4 of the M6 motorway on 13 March; and whether mobile phones were used to facilitate the escorting. [HL1507]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonWe have been informed by Warwickshire police that two abnormal loads were escorted by the police between junctions 1 and 4 of the M6 motorway on 13 March. In both cases mobile telephones were used as the mode of communication between the police and the abnormal load crew. The dimensions of the two loads were: (i) weight 55 tonnes, width 4.8 metres, length 18.5 metres, height 4.9 metres; and (ii) weight 82 tonnes, width 4.96 metres, length 22.5 metres and height 4.45 metres.