Drivers warned of police using unmarked HGVs to catch motorists breaking rules in 'huge operation'
Police officers reported more than 230 incidents during the week of action
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More than 200 drivers have been caught breaking motoring rules in just one week of action, which saw police officers spotting unsafe Britons from an unmarked HGV.
Police patrolling along the M6 identified 230 offences being committed by road users throughout a week in National Highways' unmarked HGV cabs.
The most common offences saw drivers using their mobile phones with 81 people caught, with 54 motorists seen not wearing a seatbelt.
From the elevated position of the unmarked HGV cabs, police officers were able to look across to other HGVs and down into cars and vans.
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Police officers caught one driver doing their make-up at the wheel
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
Using Operation Tramline cabs, the police issued warnings, fixed penalty notices, court summons and even arrested drivers.
One of the most notable cases saw a motorist driving along the M40 applying make-up, prompting her to swerve across her lane in the morning traffic.
Another video showed a driver using his knees to steer his van so he could eat with both hands along the M6 in Warwickshire.
Other incidents included a woman driving with a phone in her hand and using her laptop in the seat next to her while travelling on the M40.
Lisa Scott, National Highways regional road safety programme manager, said: “This was a huge operation, working with a host of our police and road safety partners, to raise awareness of some of the dangerous behaviours taking place on our roads and to persuade those drivers to think again.
“We know that is it a minority of drivers who put themselves at risk but every single person using their mobile phone at the wheel or not putting on their seatbelt is one too many – we want everyone using our roads to get home safely.
"Which is why operations like this are so important to make those drivers reconsider their unsafe driving and to let them know that if they don’t, they face a very real risk of being caught out by police officers patrolling in our unmarked cabs.”
Since Operation Tramline was first introduced in 2015, traffic officers have recorded more than 46,150 offences, with most stemming from not wearing a seatbelt (13,562) and using a mobile phone (11,965).
The most recent crackdown, dubbed Operation Vertebrae, targeted the M6, which sees around 200 reported incidents every day being dealt with by National Highways.
In addition to the officers in the unmarked cabs, the North West Commercial Vehicle Unit carried out checks and stopped 67 vehicles with a total of 61 offences being noted.
This included issues with vehicle weight, non-compliance with drivers' hours regulations, people using their phones, not wearing their seatbelts and even drugs and drink offences.
The DVSA was also involved in the enforcement action, stopping vehicles in Cuerden, Lancashire, and Doxey in Staffordshire, resulting in 23 immediate HGV prohibitions.
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The unmarked HGV cabs have already caught more than 46,000 offences
NATIONAL HIGHWAYSCommenting on the action, Steven Brougham, enforcement delivery manager at the DVSA, said some irresponsible drivers were putting lives at risk by using unroadworthy vehicles.
He added: "During this collaboration, we aimed to educate and inform operators and drivers on their responsibilities whilst out on the road.
"DVSA carries out regular spot checks to ensure vehicles are in a roadworthy condition and are operated legally in the UK."
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