A driver was recently fined £680 after admitting to breaching the weight limit on Bath’s Cleveland Bridge, highlighting the council’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the city’s historic roads. This incident coincides with planned expansions of temporary weight restrictions and HGV bans across more roads in Bath.
The existing temporary 18-tonne weight limit on Cleveland Bridge will be extended for another year, following the council’s continued monitoring and data collection efforts on the structure’s condition. Originally set to expire on 15 November, the weight limit will remain in place through a new Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) to ensure public safety.
In addition to the bridge restrictions, Bath and North East Somerset Council plans to broaden the temporary 7.5 tonne HGV ban to several city centre roads. These measures are designed to deter heavy goods vehicles from diverting through Bath and congesting the city centre, while still permitting access for loading purposes.
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Councillor Lucy Hodge, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Delivery, emphasized the importance of these controls: “To guarantee the safety of the public, we are extending the weight restrictions on Cleveland Bridge as we gather more data to decide the next steps. The restriction applies to all vehicles, including coaches, and ANPR cameras are in place to catch violators.”
Data indicates compliance is improving, with only 0.06 percent of vehicles breaching the bridge’s weight limit this year—a significant reduction compared to previous years. The council has installed numerous advanced warning signs along major roads leading into Bath and the bridge, alerting drivers to the restrictions ahead.
Earlier this year and again on 22 October, several drivers have been convicted and fined for breaching these limits, reinforcing the council’s commitment to enforcement.
Additionally, Bath & North East Somerset Council supports National Highways’ Strategic Connectivity Study recommendations to redirect traffic, including heavy goods vehicles, between the M4 and the south coast via Wiltshire’s A350. This rerouting would significantly ease traffic pressures on Bath, contributing to better air quality and overall improved traffic flow in the city long-term.