An overweight vehicle tries to cross the weight-restricted Marlow Bridge every two minutes, a Thames Valley Police traffic survey has revealed. 

Marlow's neighbourhood policing team, led by top officer Sgt Robin Hughes, have been cracking down on heavy vehicles crossing the weak bridge since March 1. 

The traffic survey revealed that the heaviest vehicle that was turned away by officers in the first week of the operation weighed ten metric tonnes.

After the six-week long police education programme is over, any vehicle that is more than three tonnes maximum gross weight (MGW) and more than 6ft 6ins wide that tries to cross the Grade I listed structure will be slapped with a £50 fine. 

The programme is in place to prevent the bridge from being closed like it was in September 2016 after a 37-tonne HGV forced its way across it. 

Mayor Bob Johnson said: “It appears people think the weight restriction doesn’t apply to them.

"I suggest people check the weight of their vehicles before planning their route.

"The closure of the bridge last year caused considerable inconvenience for residents and visitors and difficulties for local businesses.

"We must look after our historic bridge and avoid problems in the future.”

TVP officers say drivers can check the MGW of their vehicle by looking at box F1 on their vehicle registration document (log book).