M6 drivers warned undercover police stationed ‘at elevated position’ in ‘blitz’
Undercover police have managed to capture major driving offences on the M6 – with a lorry shockingly ‘swerving’ across all lanes. In partnership with National Highways, Staffordshire[1] Police carried out Operation Tramline; a proactive road safety operation. It uses an unmarked HGV tractor unit to patrol the county’s motorways and strategic roads.
From an elevated position, officers were able to spot motorists’ dangerous driving habits, such as making calls on handheld mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts. Inspector Jody Cruxton, from the road crime team, said: “Op Tramline enables us to proactively identify and deal with some of the leading causes of death and serious injury collisions on our roads. This is just one of our many operations targeting the four biggest contributors to road casualties, or the ‘fatal four’.
These are drink and drug driving, using a mobile phone at the wheel, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt.
“Partnership working is key to ensuring that we continue to improve road safety for all and this operation is a great demonstration of that. In 2023, 45 people sadly lost their lives on roads in Staffordshire.
This is why the road crime team and partners are so committed to working proactively to enforce and promote road safety.” Deputy Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Dave Evans, co-chair of the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership alongside Commissioner Ben Adams, said: “Road Safety Week is an opportunity to remember those who are killed or injured on our roads, and campaign for everyone’s right to make safe and healthy journeys. “Every road victim counts, and we can all make a difference.
Whenever we choose to speed, use a mobile phone while driving or drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, we increase the risk of a collision.” National Highways Assistant Regional Safety Co-ordinator, Marie Biddulph, added: “At National Highways, we believe that no-one should be harmed while travelling on our roads and are committed to making our roads as safe as they can be. “Through Operation Tramline, and working very closely with our police partners, we want to make people think about their driving behaviour and reduce the number of incidents caused by unsafe driving. We know that distracted driving and not wearing seatbelts are often key factors in incidents that result in people being killed or seriously injured, research shows that you are four times more likely to be in a crash if you use your phone while driving and twice as likely to die in a crash if you don’t wear a seatbelt.
“So, we would appeal to the minority of motorists who continue to put themselves and others at risk to think again about their driving – or risk being spotted by police in one of our Tramline HGVs.”
References
- ^ Staffordshire (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^