Heights shown are nominal (manufacturer specs). Always measure your specific vehicle, especially if roof bars, a roof rack, an air conditioning unit, or other equipment has been fitted. Add at least 15cm as a safety margin when comparing against bridge clearances.
UK van heights — major models
| Model | Variant | Height | Risk Level at 3.5m bridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Transit Custom | Standard roof L1/L2 | 1.97m (6'6") | Clears easily |
| Ford Transit | Low roof (H1) | 2.27m (7'5") | Clears easily |
| Ford Transit | Medium roof (H2) | 2.47m (8'1") | Clears with margin |
| Ford Transit | High roof (H3) | 2.77m (9'1") | Check carefully |
| Mercedes Sprinter | Standard (L1H1) | 2.37m (7'9") | Clears with margin |
| Mercedes Sprinter | High roof (L2H2) | 2.69m (8'10") | Check carefully |
| Mercedes Sprinter | Extra high roof (H3) | 2.98m (9'9") | Marginal at 3.5m bridges |
| VW Crafter | Medium roof (MR) | 2.60m (8'6") | Clears with margin |
| VW Crafter | High roof (HR) | 2.82m (9'3") | Check carefully |
| Vauxhall Vivaro | Standard roof | 1.97m (6'6") | Clears easily |
| Renault Trafic | Standard roof | 1.98m (6'6") | Clears easily |
| Citroën Relay / Peugeot Boxer | Medium (L3H2) | 2.52m (8'3") | Clears with margin |
| Citroën Relay / Peugeot Boxer | High (L3H3) | 2.76m (9'1") | Check carefully |
| Fiat Ducato | High roof (H3) | 2.78m (9'1") | Check carefully |
| Volkswagen Transporter T6 | Standard roof | 1.99m (6'6") | Clears easily |
| Volkswagen Transporter T6 | High roof | 2.47m (8'1") | Clears with margin |
Common conversions and their heights
Converted vans are the highest-risk category. A base Transit at 2.77m that's been converted into a campervan with a pop-top roof can reach 3.0–3.4m when the roof is raised (and still 2.8–2.9m when down, depending on the conversion). Always measure your specific vehicle after any conversion work.
| Vehicle Type | Typical Height Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Motorhome (coach-built) | 2.8–3.6m | Varies enormously by body builder. Always check the specific vehicle. |
| Motorhome (van conversion) | 2.5–3.0m | Pop-top roofs add 40–60cm when raised |
| Campervan (T5/T6 based) | 2.0–2.5m (2.6–3.0m with pop-top raised) | Pop-tops rarely used while driving, but fixed high-tops are common |
| Refrigerated van | +10–20cm over base van | Refrigeration unit on roof adds significant height — often unmeasured |
| Horse lorry (7.5t) | 3.5–4.2m | Route planning essential — standard bridge database restrictions apply |
| Box truck / Luton van | 2.9–3.8m | Tail-lift units typically taller than standard box variants |
The 15cm safety margin rule
The height shown on a bridge restriction sign is the minimum clearance at the lowest point of the bridge. Road surfaces cambered towards the edges mean that driving to one side of the road can give slightly more or slightly less clearance. Wind, load, and tyre pressure can affect vehicle height by 2–5cm. Combined, these factors justify always using a 15cm margin: if your vehicle is 2.8m and a bridge shows 3.0m clearance, do not proceed — you have only 20cm, which is within the margin of error.
The practical rule: Your vehicle height + 15cm must be less than the bridge clearance sign. For a 2.8m van, only proceed under bridges showing 2.96m (say 3.0m) or more. For a 3.0m motorhome, only proceed under bridges showing 3.15m or more.
What to do when hiring a van
Hired vehicles are a particular risk because drivers are unfamiliar with the specific vehicle's dimensions:
- Ask the hire company for the exact height of the vehicle being provided — not the model's nominal height. Different body variants and different roof additions can vary by 30cm or more on nominally identical vehicles.
- Check for any roof-mounted equipment before accepting the vehicle. Roof bars, aerials, roof boxes — all add to the height.
- Write the height on a Post-it and stick it on the dashboard. Simple but effective.
- Enter the height in HeightWise before planning any routes, especially in urban areas.
Fleet management: height profiles per vehicle
For fleet operators, the HeightWise vehicle profiles feature lets you save a named profile for each vehicle type in your fleet. Drivers enter their vehicle type, and the route planner automatically applies the correct height restriction filtering. No reliance on individual drivers knowing or remembering their vehicle height.
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