Drivers in England face ban from town over new 18 tonne 'limit' from council

Oxfordshire County Council plans to introduce an 18 tonne weight HGV weight limit across Henley-on-Thames.

HGVs face a fresh ban from a popular UK town as larger vehicles risk being excluded. Oxfordshire County Council plans to introduce an 18 tonne weight HGV weight limit across Henley-on-Thames.

The local authority confirmed that vehicles classified as “plant” such as industrial cranes, heavy excavation equipment, and other large machinery had been wrongly excluded from its original analysis.

These vehicles will now be included, and the option of an 18-tonne weight limit which was omitted from OCC Highways original analysis report is now back on the table.

Amanda Chumas from Henley HGV Watch told the Henley Herald: "It makes no sense at all to exclude such a large category of heavy vehicles.

"We see heavy cranes, and industrial plant and equipment pass through our town regularly, but last Thursday's sighting of a bridge carried through town on three HGVs may have been a first."

Henley HGV Watch believes the issue has worsened since 2020, when OCC removed from its official lorry route map the statement: “Henley is unsuitable for through HGVs.”

This change appears to have led route-planning software to divert more heavy traffic from the M4, through Henley on the A4130, and out to the A34 at Didcot whenever this offers a small time saving.

Ms Chumas asked: "How long can our grade 1 listed bridge be expected to take this sort of punishment?" Beyond structural concerns, local residents have raised safety issues.

"Adrian Gregory, a three-year resident, observed that the increasing volume of large HGVs "endanger pedestrians, buildings and health."

Mr Gregory described feeling "horrified" by the change, noting that damage and danger from HGV traffic made Henley "clearly totally unsuitable" for such vehicles.

Claire Hewitt questioned why South Oxfordshire District Council were considering the changes and asked: "What does it take to get sensible, meaningful action?"