Transport for London (TfL) has released a dataset providing detailed information about vehicle size restrictions on the city’s roads.
The move comes from an agreement with Ordnance Survey, which holds the data, and takes in restrictions from low bridges, tunnels and barriers within the M25 circular motorway,
TfL said it is free to use and should help freight and delivery operators along with developers and academics.
The agency said that on average at least two high bodied vehicles hit bridges in London every month, causing serious disruption on the roads. Releasing the data will help fleet operators to avoid directing vehicles onto the relevant routes.
Emily Herreras-Griffiths, interim director of the Travel Demand Management programme at TfL, said: “Every day, millions of road freight deliveries are made across London, and yet, in this digitally connected age, it is still alarming how often bridge strikes can occur.
“Our Vision Zero policy means that we are determined to reduce road and rail danger wherever it occurs. For many years, we have brought together the road freight industry to tackle many issues and I’m delighted that we have been able to work with Ordnance Survey to provide a single source of data for bridge heights across London.
“I encourage all freight operators to use this data to ensure their systems are consistently accurate, helping drivers and their vehicles avoid unnecessary collisions, which can impact both drivers and rail passengers.”
John Kimmance, Ordnance Survey’s director of government and partner engagement, said its data is an essential source of information in maintaining the country’s transport infrastructure.
“We are excited to see how the height data, being released by Transport for London, will be used to further improve road safety levels and minimise disruption across London’s roads and rail network,” he said.
Image from TfL
