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2nd July 1998, Page 34
2nd July 1998
Page 34
Page 34, 2nd July 1998 — Everyone knows the old adage that oil and water don't
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

mix. Everyone knows you can't put a square peg in a round hole. So why do truck drivers keep trying to drive high lorries under low bridges?

HARDLY A DAY GOES BY without radio traffic bulletins reporting yet another hold-up caused by a lorry running into a bridge. Despite the tough antibridge bashing legislation that came into force on 1 April, Railtrack reports that it is still suffering up to 120 incidents a month. This figure does not include all the non-rail bridges and other overhead structures that are regularly hit by HGVs.

Railtrack is so concerned by the risk of derailments following bridge bashing that it now invites the public to report any incidents they witness.

For years all vehicles and trailers carrying engineering equipment, containers and skips were required to display a height marking in the cab where the driver could see it. This requirement was amended from 1 October 1997, with more detailed rules applying to vehicles more than 3m high (with a few exceptions; see below).

These vehicles must have a notice prominently displayed in the cab indicating the overall travelling height of the vehicle, its load or equipment in feet and inches (or in feet and inches and metres).

No other letters or numbers which might be taken as an indication of the vehicle height may be shown on this notice.

An alternative to in-cab height marking is the use of one or more documents carried on the vehicle, and within easy reach of the driver, which describe the route, or choice of routes, which the driver must follow to avoid any risk of the vehicle, its load or equipment colliding with any bridge or overhead structure.

This documentary system of height warning is allowed where the driver is operating on a particular journey during which he is unlikely to be confronted with any bridge or overhead structure which does not exceed the maximum travelling height by at least one metre. Account should be taken of the possibility that he may need to follow an unforeseen diversion or may have difficulty in finding his way.

Further aspects of the regulations, which came into effect from 1 April, specify the need for warning devices to be fitted on vehicles carrying "high-level equipment" with a maximum height of more than three metres.

High-level equipment is defined as equipment that can be raised by a power-operated device and raises the overall travelling height of the vehicle or trailer.

However, no account has to be taken of high-level equipment which is designed to be fixed in a stowed position by a locking device when travelling.

Vehicles carrying such equipment must be fitted with a device which gives a visible warning to the driver if the highest point of the equipment exceeds a pre-determined height (which must not exceed the overall travelling height by more than a metre).

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