Two arrested for ‘dangerous’ driving offences in M5 crackdown

Two men were arrested for drink and drug driving offences on the M5 on Tuesday.

Officers from West Mercia's Operational Policing Unit (OUP) held a day of action at Strensham Services on the M5 Southbound.

A total of 31 vehicles were brought into the services which resulted in 20 vehicles being served with a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) for offences including no road tax, no insurance, driving other than in accordance with their licence, excessive tints and mobile phone offences. Advertisement Advertisement

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An HGV driver was pulled in for being on his mobile phone while another HGV driver, who drove through the car park to avoid the police inspection area struck two cars before re-joining the motorway.

The lorry was stopped by police on the M50 and a man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of being over the drink drive limit. Both drivers have been reported to the Traffic Commissioner.

A man in his 30s was also arrested on suspicion of drug driving during the operation.

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DVSA prohibited eight vehicles with a total of 14 defects detected, meaning they were immediately prohibited. The faults included a defective handbrake and an ABS brake issue. Ten had defects which resulted in delayed prohibitions.

Images from a police operation to crack down on dangerous drivers./ppOne shows a HGV with the side open for inspection, another shows a police officer on a bike.

A total of 31 vehicles were brought into the services which resulted in 20 vehicles being served with a Traffic Offence Report -Credit:West Mercia Police

Two fixed penalty notices were issued for indicators that were inoperative, and one vehicle was found to have removed the diesel particulate filter from the exhaust, with fumes entering the driver's cab.

Three of those were immobilised by the DVSA and left at the site as they were not fit to rejoin the roads.

The OPU team were supported by colleagues from West Mercia's Motorcycle Traffic Support Team (MTST) and partner agencies, including the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Advertisement Advertisement

PC Gethin Venn of the OPU said: "Our vehicle safety operation successfully took unroadworthy and dangerous vehicles off our roads on Tuesday, many of which were in a dangerous condition that were a risk to all road users.

"The HGV driver who tried to evade police was thankfully arrested and detained.

It does not need saying how dangerous driving while under the influence of alcohol is wherever it happens, let alone in a large and heavy vehicle on a busy motorway.

"Another man who was stopped was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs while driving too - aside from this, the state of his vehicle could have had consequences for others if he had to stop suddenly so that's another potentially dangerous situation averted.

"Our advice to road users is to make sure you are insured, have a valid MOT and your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition for everyone's sake.

"Please also make sure your tyres are properly inflated by checking once a week and make sure you have washer fluid with the correct anti-freeze solution in them as we head into winter."