§ Lord Mason of Barnsleyasked Her Majest's Government:
What further progress has been made regarding the self-escorting of abnormal loads on motorways and linked dual carriageways since the House of Lords debated the Police Reform Bill; and [HL5253]
Which government department or organisation is expected to lead on the development of any guidelines for the self-escorting of abnormal loads on motorways and linked dual carriageways. [HL5254]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Association of Chief Police Officers are already 7WA working on the best arrangements for the management of abnormal loads on the roads, including the possibility of self-escorting.
Any new arrangements and guidelines on best escorting practice will take into account the new provisions in the Police Reform Bill, if enacted. These will remove present restrictions on the powers of traffic wardens so that they will be able to stop as well as direct traffic when escorting abnormal loads. They will also make it possible for community support officers and accredited persons to have a limited power to stop and direct traffic specifically for this purpose. It will be for individual chief officers to decide whom to accredit, subject to the requirements set out in the Bill.