HGVs face new restrictions as local authority launches CCTV crackdown and £160 fines

The crackdown follows complaints from residents who warned that large lorries have been using roads that are not designed to cope with regular HGV traffic.

Enforcement is being focused on areas where there is evidence of repeated breaches, including Southfields, Putney, Earlsfield, Battersea, and Tooting.

Under the new rules, drivers who break the restrictions face a Penalty Charge Notice of £160 after their vehicles are identified through CCTV footage.

Councillor Daniel Hamilton, Wandsworth Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said the restrictions exist to protect both residents and local roads from unnecessary damage.

He said: "Weight restriction road signs are there for a purpose - to protect residents and road surfaces from vehicles that are too big and heavy for local streets.

"Residents are rightly concerned about HGVs damaging parked cars and putting pressure on smaller roads, which leads to damage and potholes."

Warning that enforcement activity is being increased, Mr Hamilton said the council will also be stepping up CCTV monitoring and issuing penalties to more drivers "who break the rules and put people and roads at risk".

According to the council, 29 Penalty Charge Notices were issued in June alone. However, officials have warned that this figure is likely to increase as monitoring is expanded throughout the summer.

The council uses roving CCTV enforcement vehicles that patrol different parts of the borough looking for drivers who fail to obey weight restriction signs.

Cameras will capture the vehicle's registration number together with the date, time and location of the alleged offence. Before a penalty is issued, the footage is reviewed by council officers to confirm that a contravention has taken place and that the vehicle qualifies as a HGV.

Officials explained the current enforcement programme is targeted rather than borough-wide, with priority given to locations where residents have repeatedly raised concerns and where there is evidence that unauthorised HGV traffic is a persistent problem.

The council has also made clear that not every lorry entering a restricted road is breaking the rules.

HGVs are permitted to use weight-restricted roads where access is required, including for deliveries, construction work, servicing businesses or reaching properties located within the restricted area.

Instead, the restrictions are aimed at preventing unnecessary traffic, where drivers use residential roads as shortcuts despite clear signage advising that heavier vehicles are prohibited.

By reducing the number of large vehicles using smaller streets, the council hoped it could help protect road surfaces from damage, reduce the likelihood of potholes developing and improve safety for residents, cyclists and pedestrians.

The authority also explained that limiting unnecessary HGV traffic can reduce the risk of parked vehicles being damaged on narrow residential roads that were never intended to accommodate frequent heavy lorry movements.

Council officers will continue reviewing compliance levels across the borough to assess whether further enforcement measures are needed.

Areas experiencing ongoing problems could see additional monitoring if drivers continue ignoring the restrictions.