Police 'stealth' HGV hits the road again

Operation Tramline, a roads policing operation held over two weeks in Devon and Cornwall (3-7 and 10-14 July) on the M5, A30, A38 and sections of the A361, has been declared a success.

82 vehicles were stopped, and 105 offences were recorded which included 37 drivers using handheld mobile devices. The operation employed officers from the Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police Alliance Roads Policing Team, and focused on heavy and light goods vehicles, although in the course of their duties officers recorded offences by drivers of other types of vehicles and assisted at the scene of five road traffic collisions.

Inspector Pete Thomas of the Alliance Roads Policing Team, said: “Officers from the Alliance Roads Policing Unit, as well as dealing with their daily duties, have identified numerous offences and offenders that were potentially placing themselves and other road users in danger.

“The Operation utilised Highways England’s unmarked HGV to help detect offences and continued the work to make our roads safer for all.

“The Operation and offences that have been detected highlight the need to maintain a proactive policing presence on our roads so that we can continue to safeguard the public.”

A significant asset used during the operation was the unmarked HGV tractor unit which is a national asset owned by Highways England and loaned to police forces around the country in rotation.

Its high viewpoint and stealthy nature make it an ideal platform from which to observe and record offences by road users. In its first 16 month of operation (April 2015-March 2017), the truck cab has been instrumental in stopping almost 2,700 drivers for unsafe driving. See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hgv-cab-catches-almost-2700-dangerous...

Inspector Thomas continued: “A category of offence that we are particularly keen to identify and to discourage is that of driving while distracted and thus unsafely. The obvious one is driving while using a handheld mobile device but equally the same risk applies to the several drivers who were stopped for reading maps and diaries whilst driving.

“Astonishingly, one articulated lorry driver was travelling up the M5 while using a lap top computer to book his ferry and another articulated lorry driver was on Facebook.”

“There is no excuse for illegal, irresponsible and dangerous behaviour which can lead to causing harm on our roads.”

Offences included:

Use of mobile phone handheld 37
Excess speed 24
Not in proper control of vehicle 8
Careless driving 2
No insurance 3
No MOT 3
No vehicle excise license (VEL) formerly known as “tax disc” 2
Glass not as prescribed (tinted windows) 3

Penalties included:

13 offences reported for proceedings
53 OSCO’s (Officer Seen Conditional Offers or fixed penalties)
13 graduated fixed penalty notices (these apply to the weight of commercial vehicles) total £2600
6 immediate prohibitions

Please be aware...the photograph of the HGV cab is a file photo: it does not have police markings when in use!