More than 175 traffic offences identified by officers in five days on stretch of M1 in Northamptonshire

More than 175 traffic offences were identified by officers in five days on a stretch of the M1 in Northamptonshire.

Officers were on-board National Highways’ unmarked HGV from February 5 to February 9, between junctions 15 and 18 – on both carriageways.

The patrols were carried out as part of National Highways’ Operation Tramline campaign, which aims to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on the UK’s major routes.

Officers used the HGV super cab to film evidence of unsafe driving behaviour by pulling alongside vehicles, with the focus on the ‘fatal five’ driving offences.

The results

Drivers seen committing an offence by officers in the HGV were then pulled over by a police car following a short distance behind and throughout this operation, a total of 1,738 vehicles were filmed, which resulted in 179 traffic offences detected.

Of those vehicles stopped, 46 drivers and 12 passengers received fixed penalty notices for not wearing a seat belt and a further 46 road users were found to be using a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

A further 26 were reported for driving without due care or reasonable consideration to other road users. Another four were driving at excess speed and five vehicles were seized for having no insurance.

20 drivers were stopped for having illegal window tints, number plates and not being in the position to have full view. A further six were reported for insecure, dangerous loads and six others for abnormal loads.

One driver was spotted using his phone on the northbound carriageway of the M1 and escorted to Watford Gap Services.

The 43-year-old man from Newcastle upon Tyne was prohibited from driving his blue Liebherr mobile crane after it transpired that he did not have a movement order to drive the 96-tonne vehicle from Essex to South Yorkshire.

He was reported for both driving offences and will be summonsed to appear at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

Another driver was arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs and possession of cannabis. The 32-year-old man from Leicester was released under investigation pending further enquiries.

A 36-year-old man from Newark, was arrested on suspicion of theft after being circulated as wanted by another police force. He was released on police bail.

PC Mo Allsopp-Clarke, of the Northamptonshire Police Safer Roads Team, said: “Reducing the number of people who are killed and seriously injured on our roads remains our priority and to hold a driving licence is both a privilege and a responsibility.

“Driving any vehicle needs your full attention but even more so when you’re behind the wheel of a commercial van or lorry, and there’s absolutely nothing so important that can’t wait or is worth risking not getting home safely for.”

National Highways Assistant Regional Safety Co-ordinator, Marie Biddulph, added: “Working with our police partners and through Operation Tramline, we want to reach out to that minority and persuade them to reconsider their driving behaviour and help us make the roads safer for everyone.

“Therefore, they should be aware that from the elevated position in our unmarked HGV cabs, police can see into any vehicle and will spot people not wearing their seatbelt, using a mobile phone or picking up any other distractions at the wheel.”