Oxfordshire uses Siemens’ traffic weight enforcement system to protect bridge

Siemens’ Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras have been deployed to enforce weight restrictions on one of the oldest river crossings on the River Thames at Newbridge, UK. The new traffic enforcement system has been introduced by Trading Standards in Oxfordshire whose officers will monitor the bridge and enforce the limit. Vehicles exceeding 18 tonnes maximum gross weight can be fined up to £1000 ($1,300).
November 30, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
189 Siemens’ Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras have been deployed to enforce weight restrictions on one of the oldest river crossings on the River Thames at Newbridge, UK. The new traffic enforcement system has been introduced by Trading Standards in Oxfordshire whose officers will monitor the bridge and enforce the limit. Vehicles exceeding 18 tonnes maximum gross weight can be fined up to £1000 ($1,300).


The solution operates on the A415 between Abingdon and Witney, and is designed with the intention of maintaining an enforcement schedule and permitted vehicle lists. Its schedule will provide selected enforcement periods required for other types of restriction, with the permitted lists identifying council vehicles that are permitted to use the route irrespective of their weight limit, such as refuse collection, emergency response or road maintenance vehicles.

In Newbridge, the cameras have been installed onto existing CCTV columns with the intention of minimising disruption and cost. The equipment uses 3G communications and only requires a power connection, aiding the installation and flexibility of camera deployment.

Joe Moxham, UK product sales manager at Siemens ITS, said: “Evidence downloaded from the cameras can be used to demonstrate that drivers have committed an offence, allowing the Trading Standards team to investigate with knowledge and a reliable witness of events, providing enforcement quality images of the vehicle in contravention during any time of the day or night, and in all weather conditions.”


Councillor Judith Heathcoat, deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council said: “The County Council is committed to protecting this irreplaceable historic bridge and this technology allows us to do just that. We are responding to concerns from the local community and are alerting drivers of heavy vehicles so they can find other routes.”

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Varying acceptance of tolling in Africa
    January 6, 2016
    Tolling technology is now at an advanced state but governments have a key role in ensuring the success of schemes as is evident in Africa. Shem Oirere reports. According to the African Development Bank, the continent has an estimated $46bn of infrastructure financing deficit. The bank says sub-Saharan Africa requires $93bn annually to meet its infrastructure development needs - but only half of the financing is available.
    Read More
  • Lorry levy a success after only four months
    August 15, 2014
    The HGV road user levy has made more than £17 million in the four months since it came into operation, says the UK Department for Transport. More than 618,000 levies have been purchased for over 112,000 vehicles from 76 different countries since the HGV road user levy was introduced in April 2014 – which has produced enough money to patch more than 320,000 potholes on the UK’s roads. Recent evidence shows over 95% of heavy goods vehicle operators are paying the new levy in Great Britain. Roadside chec
    Read More
  • Driver aids make inroads on improving safety
    November 12, 2015
    In-vehicle anti-collision systems continue to evolve and could eliminate some incidents altogether. John Kendall rounds up the current developments. A few weeks ago, I watched a driver reverse a car from a parking bay at right angles to the road, straight into a car driving along the road. The accident happened at walking pace, no-one was hurt and both cars had body panels that regain their shape after a low speed shunt.
    Read More
  • Improving urban traffic control in Atlanta
    January 27, 2012
    Hugh Colton, Georgia DOT details move to improve urban traffic control in the Atlanta area. With a significant proportion of traffic using freeways and toll-ways, along with a significant investment in roadway infrastructure, urban arterials are often the poor relation when it comes to ITS investment. Hitherto the primary means of Urban Traffic Control (UTC) has been the ubiquitous traffic signal. Many traffic signals still operate in a standalone mode and traffic detection is often broken, leaving the sign
    Read More

Highlighted Content