Police have revealed the motorways and A roads where a 'spy' lorry was deployed to catch drivers in the West Midlands this month. Staffordshire Police said its HGV was used on the A38, A5, A34, A50, A449, M6, and M54 during a six-day period from Monday, May 4, to Saturday, May 9, as part of Operation Tramline. In total, 102 drivers were stopped.
Common Offences and Enforcement Actions
The most common offences detected were: not wearing a seatbelt (27), using a mobile phone at the wheel (18), and driving without due care and attention (11). During the operation, one person was arrested, five vehicles were seized, 72 traffic offence reports were issued, 23 drivers received advice, and four prohibition notices were handed out.
Notable Incidents
Among those caught was a HGV driver watching a film on his phone. He received penalty points, a fine, and a referral to the traffic commissioner. Another HGV driver was seen rolling a cigarette behind the wheel and was also referred to the traffic commissioner. A 39-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and possession of cannabis; he later received a community resolution and a prohibition notice. One vehicle seized for no insurance was later found to have been stolen.
Full Breakdown of Offences
- 27 not wearing a seatbelt
- 18 using a mobile phone at the wheel
- 11 driving without due care and attention
- Seven not in proper control of the vehicle
- Seven using the outside lane when prohibited
- Five not having insurance
- Three driving with insecure loads
- Other offences including speeding, drink/drug driving, and other suspected crimes
Police and National Highways Comments
PC Dan Sambrook said: "Thanks to our partners at National Highways, we were able to use their HGV cab to capture excellent footage of drivers committing offences behind the wheel and then proactively stop them to prevent any harm to other road users. The footage captured shows the blatant disregard some drivers have for other people's safety and I hope this reassures the public that we are doing all we can to get them off our roads and keep Staffordshire safe."
Marie Biddulph, National Highways’ regional safety programme manager, added: "We all need to play our part in keeping our roads as safe as they can be so we are trying to encourage motorists to consider their driving and prioritise safety on our roads. To do that, we are working with partners like Staffordshire Police to address unsafe driving behaviour, helping to make our roads safer for everyone. Operation Tramline is one of the ways we target that minority of drivers who continue to put themselves and others at risk."
