The London Borough of Hillingdon has begun to enforce HGV weight restrictions using a digital CCTV system.

It believes it is the first council to do so.

Provided by traffic enforcement and management company, Videalert, the system uses the company’s CEaaS, the Civil Enforcement as a Service solution, that utilises Videalert’s DfT manufacturer certified hosted platform.
 
The unattended system is being delivered by Videalert as a fully managed service and will enforce weight restriction contraventions which apply to HGVs exceeding 7.5 tonnes on designated roads.

The limits apply to the maximum permitted weight of vehicles, meaning empty HGVs or those with part-loads are still subject to the prohibitions. 

HGVs requiring access to local shops, businesses, residential properties will be permitted to use the routes, under the ‘except for access’ clause.

ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) is used in conjunction with video analytics to capture vehicles that disregard the stated weight restrictions. 

Contraventions are automatically captured at the time they occur and transferred to the hosted server platform without using any council IT infrastructure or communications networks. 

Evidence packs are then remotely reviewed and processed by the council’s enforcement contractor.
 
CEaaS will allow the equipment to be moved and relocated as required to meet Hillingdon’s requirements.
 
Tim Daniels, sales and marketing director of Videalert, said: “CEaaS provides councils with a cost effective and efficient way to make weight limit restrictions really work.

 “This fully managed service is highly flexible, allowing additional systems to be installed or existing ones removed to meet local needs without saddling councils with obsolete technology. 

“It also enables councils, as and when legislated, to rapidly deploy enforcement of the full range of other moving traffic offences including banned turns, yellow box junctions, bus lanes and parking offences on keep clears outside schools.”