Highways Agency
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Improved planning for special orders - ESDAL phase two goes live
Phase Two of the Highways Agency's Electronic Service Delivery for Abnormal Loads (ESDAL) system went live today. ESDAL is a free-to-use website that will significantly improve the planning, management and notification of Abnormal Indivisible Load (AIL) movements around the road network.
Hauliers who wish to find out more about ESDAL and register their details online should visit the website at: http://www.highways.gov.uk/esdal. Alternatively, application forms can be requested by emailing a company name and address to: register@esdal.com or by contacting the ESDAL Helpdesk on 01642 636789.
Phase Two takes a huge leap forward encouraging hauliers to make Special Order (SO) applications, for those loads which are very large, heavy and/or wide, online.
The Phase Two system entered Pilot Trials in September 2007 with a selected group of organisations and feedback from the industry on Phase Two has been very positive. All parties involved in the movement of Special Orders will now be able to enjoy the benefits of ESDAL, reducing the administrative burden on our customers and modernising the procedures for managing abnormal loads.
A further two phases will be introduced to the website in due course. These will streamline the process for the police and relevant authorities who ensure that the proposed route is suitable, taking account of the impact on traffic and the bridges to be used, to manage notifications.
The ESDAL service is free and requires no third party software. The website has been developed for the Highways Agency by Serco Integrated Transport and is designed for all parties involved in moving of abnormal loads.
Note to Editor
1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. It manages, maintains and improves the network of trunk roads and motorways in England on behalf of the Secretary of State.
2. The Highways Agency is responsible for authorising the largest and heaviest categories of abnormal loads on roads throughout Great Britain, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport. If a load exceeds 6,1m wide, 30m long or 150,000 kilos in gross weight, it requires a Special Order. Final agreement for a route rests with the structure owner, and the arrival of ESDAL will not change responsibilities or legislation.
3. The four phases of ESDAL delivery are:
Phase 1: Information Website
Hauliers will be provided with a route planning system showing contact details of all structure owning authorities and police forces who need to be notified of AIL movements. The haulier will be able to log in, sketch a route on the multi-scale maps, and the system will then identify who needs to be notified.
Phase 2: Special Orders Routing System
Will help to process special orders more efficiently for hauliers by providing the Highways Agency AIL Team with a system that has improved data and routing software. In conjunction with the necessary updates to the Hauliers, Police and Structure Owners Portals, Phase Two development also involves the creation of a brand new and unique Special Order Routing Tool (SORT) desktop facility. This enables the Highways Agency's Abnormal Load Team to assist with the efficient processing of Special Order applications.
Phase 3: On-line Notification
Hauliers will be able to use a "virtual postal service" to notify all AIL movements to the relevant infrastructure owners and Police by web, e-mail or fax. The system will store each notification and proposed route, and enable the appropriate agencies and authorities to assess the route through their ESDAL interfaces.
Phase 4: AIL Movements Portal
Extending the functionality available in phase 3 by providing an assisted route-planning tool encouraging hauliers to use standard or pre-qualified routes.
4. To use the site, hauliers need to complete an ESDAL registration form which can be downloaded from the website, or obtained by sending your company name and address to: register@esdal.com.
5. For more information, visit the website at http://www.highways.gov.uk/esdal
Issued by the Highways Agency Press Office. For further information please contact 020 7081 7443.
Out of hours the Highways Agency Duty Press Officer can be contacted by phoning 020 7081 7443
