M6 mayhem as drivers caught applying make-up, using laptops and eating takeaways

A motorist was seen applying a full face of make-up as she veered between lanes on the motorway. Another was spotted using his knees to steer his van as he tucked into a takeaway on the M6.

The offences were among a number of shocking motorway events which sparked a week-long operation to crack down on unsafe driving. As a result, 230 motorists were caught committing offences along the length of the M6,^[1] including in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

Using unmarked National Highways HGVs, officers patrolled the M6 with an elevated viewpoint to spy in cabs and vehicles. The most common offences spotted were drivers using a mobile phone, which made up 81 of the offences, and not wearing a seatbelt, which accounted for 54 cases.

The operation came after footage was released by National Highways and police partners highlighting some of the shocking behaviour spotted by traffic cops using the Operation Tramline cabs. In addition to the drivers seen eating and applying makeup, a third driver was seen using a laptop with a mobile phone in her hand.^[2]

READ:New AI cameras to be fitted to M6 gantries in Staffordshire They automatically detect if someone's on the phone or isn't using a seatbelt and sends the pictures instantly so drivers can be fined^[3]

READ: Roadside cafe selling oatcakes, fry-ups and pies set to open The cafe will also be offering delivery^[4]

More than 46,150 offences have been recorded by officers in the Operation Tramline HGV cabs since the national safety initiative was launched by National Highways in 2015. The most common offences are not wearing a seatbelt (13,562) and using a mobile phone (11,965).

The aim of the week of action was to target unsafe drivers and reduce incidents on the motorway. National Highways deals with over 200 reported incidents on the M6 every day. There were 74,960 reported incidents on the motorway 2023 including 3,808 traffic collisions. The M6 is the longest motorway in the country, inspiring the name for the initiative: Operation Vertebrae.

As well as the drivers spotted by the unmarked cabs, officers from the North West Commercial Vehicle Unit also carried out vehicle checks and stopped 67 vehicles with a total of 61 offences recorded including weight issues, not complying with drivers' hours regulations, mobile phone use, seatbelt offences and even drugs/drink offences.

One of the unmarked HGV cabs used in the operation (Image: National Highways)

Meanwhile the DVSA were stopping vehicles at Doxey in Staffordshire and Cuerden, Lancashire, where they found 10 overloaded vehicles, drivers working over their permitted hours, without a licence or appropriate documents and even without a tachograph fitted to the HGV. There were 23 immediate HGV prohibitions meaning an issue had to be corrected before the vehicle could continue its journey.

Lisa Scott, National Highways regional road safety programme manager, said: "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."

Several forces took part in Operation Vertebrae either with the National Highways cabs or carrying out increased patrols. They were Cheshire, Central Motorway Police Group - which covers Staffordshire - Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Warwickshire Police and as well as the North West Motorway Policing Group Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Ports Police and a number of local road safety partnerships and organisations.

References

^{^} the M6, (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^{^} . (www.lancs.live)
^{^} New AI cameras to be fitted to M6 gantries in Staffordshire (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^{^} Roadside cafe selling oatcakes, fry-ups and pies set to open (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^{^} Sign up to our main daily newsletter here and get all the latest news straight to your inbox for FREE (data.reachplc.com)