Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) Trading Standards Officers and Thames Valley Police have been in the village today checking for lorries which might exceed the 7.5T weight limit.
Unless delivering to nearby properties, lorries over 7.5T should not be coming through the village. The Trading Standards Officer said they already have several prosecutions with the courts at present.
While checking traffic speeds in the village, our Community Speedwatch team is also going to monitor lorries and if they see over weight lorries they will report them to OCC. They can then follow up with a view to prosecution should the lorry not have good reason to be going through the village.
Residents can also report overweight lorries if you see them. However, taking a photo on your phone while in charge of a vehicle, even when stopped at traffic lights etc, is an offence and prevents the police from taking any action.
Reporting a lorry is quite simple: you need the time and date, registration number and, if possible, a photo of the back of the lorry BUT only if it is safe to do so. OCC enforcement is at:
www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/business/trading-standards/weight-restriction-enforcement
Overweight lorries are always coming through Long Wittenham. I have even seen the police passing or following them. There should be a camera on Clifton Hampden bridge to check them to stop it. We all pay enough council tax surely…..
A camera wouldn’t be able to tell if they are accessing somewhere in the village so the school, pubs, villagers wanting a skip etc. wouldn’t be able to get one. This is why reporting one unless you have continuous dash cam footage of them going from Sires Hill to Clifton Hampden is a waste of time because you can legitimately drive a 44 tonne lorry through LW if you say you were intending to have a pint at the Plough because then you’re “accessing” something.