Police record 70 driving offences in road safety operation

We have recorded 70 driving offences over a five-day period following a road safety operation in Staffordshire.

Officers from our Roads Policing Unit (RPU) have been completing a series of targeted patrols around the county as part of Operation Tramline.

The latest operation ran from 12 February to 16 February and was supported by colleagues from National Highways. We spotted drivers who were falling short of the expected road safety standards on the A38, A34, A5, A449 and A50.

Most commonly, we found motorists who were not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and speeding.  

We also stopped a stolen vehicle near Derby having spotted it on the A38 near Burton-on-Trent.  

Other highlights from the operation included:

• A motorbike driver riding carelessly resulting in the bike being seized and the rider reported for the offence
• A lorry having an insecure load
• A disqualified driver being stopped
• Two drivers being reported for summons at court
• A motorbike displaying an illegal number plate and having defect mirrors

PC Sambrook, who was part of the operation, said: “Officers and local partners in Staffordshire are committed to championing road safety and ensuring we continue to minimise the opportunity for people to be killed or seriously injured as a result of negligence on our roads.

“Operation Tramline is one of the many ways we work alongside National Highways and other agencies to proactively police our roads and make sure motorists uphold the standards expected of them.”

The operation sees officers driving around in an unmarked HGV cab, owned by National Highways, who spot road traffic offences in real time. These offences are then radioed to police who then pull-over the suspect drivers and deal with the offences.

PC Sambrook added: “We’ve seen first-hand the devastating effects that road traffic offences can have as well as the disruption that can be caused to emergency services if roads are disrupted or blocked by negligent drivers.

“In some cases, offenders do not admit or recognise their negligence, particularly if they have developed bad habits over time such as travelling above the speed limit or not indicating at junctions.

“It’s vital that we continue to educate drivers on the importance of road traffic safety and take appropriate enforcement action where necessary.”

For more information on how to stay safe on our roads, visit our website: Road safety | Staffordshire Police

To find out more about National Highways and what you can do to stay safe on the motorway, visit: https://highwaysengland.co.uk/road-safety/driving-on-motorways/