🇬🇧 United Kingdom — driving restrictions for heavy goods vehicles 2026
The United Kingdom stands as an exception in Europe: there are no national weekend bans and no public holiday bans. The only restrictions are local and well-targeted — around London, in the Lake District, and on the A685. Here is what you need to know.
1. General rule
Unlike most European countries, the United Kingdom imposes no driving ban on heavy goods vehicles at weekends or on public holidays.
✅Weekends and public holidays. No national restriction: heavy goods vehicle traffic remains permitted. The only limits are local (see the following section).
2. Local restrictions
Several zones apply their own restrictions, based on tonnage and specific time slots:
🚫Greater London. Heavy goods vehicles over 18 t are banned (except on motorways) from Saturday 13:00 to Monday 07:00, as well as every night from 21:00 to 07:00.
🏞️A591 — Lake District (Cumbria). Prohibited for heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 t.
🛣️A685 — between Brough and Tebay. Prohibited for heavy goods vehicles over 18 t.
3. Exemptions
These local restrictions do not apply to the transport of perishable goods.
4. Good to know
↩️Left-hand traffic: in the United Kingdom, traffic drives on the left. Adjust your overtaking manoeuvres and vigilance at intersections accordingly.
📞Useful numbers: 999 (national emergency) and 112 (European emergency number, valid in the United Kingdom).
🛠 Drive with confidence, wherever you are in Europe
Restrictions vary from country to country, but your driving and rest times (561/2006) are the same everywhere. TruckerMaster reads your driver card on your phone, breaks down each day, and flags any violations — so you can focus on the road.
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