Police Escort Leads HGVs Through Essex

The HGV Training Centre provides driver training through more than 45 facilities around the country, including one in Essex. However, no amount of training can fully prepare a driver for the type of journey recently seen snaking its way through the Essex countryside on its way to Bradwell-on-Sea.

Three HGVs, loaded with components for the Bradwell wind farm, required a police escort in order to make it to their destination safely. Each of the 44 metre articulated lorries was carrying a 34-metre section of turbine tower weighing approximately 96,000 kg. The tower sections are part of a 400-foot turbine being erected at Hockley Farm.

The police escort was utilised after traffic was brought to a virtual standstill following a lorry breakdown earlier this year. That lorry, also carrying an oversized load for the wind farm, blocked traffic for quite a while until the police arrived on scene. By engaging a police escort proactively this time, traffic was diverted away from the transport route for better management.

Because of the size of the loads, drivers have a particularly difficult time turning corners and using roundabouts. The police escort is valuable here as well, keeping other traffic away from those intersections until the lorries are completely through. Bringing up the rear of the convoy were two contractor vans given the task of making sure other traffic was keeping its distance. The entire convoy was quite a sight to see.

Opportunities for Adventure

Although not every load brings with it the complications seen in the recent Essex run, one of the things HGV drivers love about their jobs is the constant adventure and excitement their work affords. Each load is different, each run offers its own unique characteristics, and things are constantly changing. Driving an HGV is an ideal career for those who do not do well sitting in cubicles or standing on manufacturing lines all day.

HGV driving gives you the opportunity to adapt to different situations and think on your feet. They provide the opportunity to go to new places and meet new people. In fact, no two days are the same. But like any other job, driving an HGV properly requires the appropriate training. That training is offered by HGV Training Centre facilities all over the UK.

If a driver ever hopes to haul oversized loads like the Essex turbine sections, he/she must start by getting a provisional entitlement so he/she can sit for their HGV theory exam. From there they complete a series of practical skills courses before taking their final road exam. At that point, the driver is licensed and ready to get to work.

At the HGV Training Centre, we provide HGV training in Essex and dozens of other locations. What’s more, we’ll help you every step of the way. From completing your medical paperwork to passing your exams to finding a job, we are committed to your success. If working as an HGV driver is something you are interested in then please contact us today.