What is involved in the vehicle escort?

An escort vehicle provides warning to other road users of the presence of a heavy vehicle carrying an OSOM load. TSIOs must also consider traffic speed, traffic volume and prevailing weather conditions. Escorts will often need to stop oncoming traffic when the load is too wide to safely travel along some bridges and roads. Escorts also assist in the safe passage of trailing vehicles needing to overtake these loads.

To alert traffic when undertaking these tasks, escort vehicles are fitted with red and blue flashing lights and equipment, with officers authorised to direct traffic on how to interact with an OSOM load.