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@16simon
The easiest way to get a faster time is to ride slower... this may sound counter-intuitive but let me explain.
The best way to ride a TT is at or slightly under your lactate threshold, and only to start to wind it up towards the end. If you averaged 183bpm you were probably nailing it all the way and must have been hanging on (and losing time) in the later half of the ride because you went too deep early on. My threshold HR is about 171bpm, my max is 189, but threshold is trainable and I do a lot of TTing so YMMV.
Most people make the mistake of sprinting off from the start, and going too deep straight away. The adrenaline rush you get after being counted down encourages you to do this. They then compound this by pushing too hard and dying towards the end of the race and losing time there. If you get a split time at the turn you can check this.
The way you should ride it is to start easy (not too easy tho...) and take a minute to get up to pace. Hold back in the first half then start to raise the pace. By the last quarter, you should have enough left to lift the pace again really make it hurt.
I like to fall off my bike and hyperventilate/retch at the side of the road after I've crossed the line in a TT, that way I know I've done a good ride. Fun eh?