Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the increase in income generated by West Midlands Police from escorting abnormal loads over the past five years; and what guidance her Department provides to police forces on charging haulage operators for such escorts.

West Midlands Police is responsible for how guidance on charging for abnormal roads is implemented in its area. Local variation in the management of abnormal loads may be necessary to account for factors such as geography and road infrastructure.

NPCC guidance for police forces on managing abnormal loads, and the charging framework, were updated in March and May 2025 respectively. These seek to promote greater national alignment across forces, where possible, noting the need for variations. The NPCC has committed to review this guidance twelve months after publication to ensure it remains fit for purpose.