Van driver ‘hogging’ middle lane among dozens caught in crackdown

News Reporter

A VAN driver ‘hogging the middle lane for 12 miles’ was among dozens caught in a two-day police blitz.

Another van driver was clocked eating ‘fast food’ totally hands free along the M6 Northbound while steering with his knees.

Police also clocked a woman speeding on the M40 while ‘doing her make-up’.

They were among dozens caught during ‘Operation Tramline’ on the M6, M40 and A46 in Warwickshire.

Another van driver decided to film the Op Tramline supercab with his handheld mobile phone while driving along the M6 Northbound.

Officers were observing him and other drivers from a specially adapted National Highways supercab.

They clocked more than 60 offences in total. While 30 Traffic Offence Reports were given to drivers, words of advice were given to 28 drivers.

This included the middle lane ‘hogger’ who failed to move over for 12 miles when lane 1 was empty. Offences detected include:

22 mobile phone offences, 18 seatbelt offences, 5 speeding offences. Three drivers not in proper control of their vehicle.

The following offences were also detected:

Six no insurance and five vehicles were seized under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act.

Four vehicle condition and use offences. This includes excessive window tints, modifications and defects to the vehicle. One vehicle was prohibited from being driven until the defect was rectified.

One driver dealt with for driving otherwise in accordance with a licence. One driver has been summoned to court for driving while disqualified. One theft of a motor vehicle resulting in the arrest of the driver and passenger. The vehicle was recovered. Enquiries are ongoing.

One driver received a graduated fixed penalty. These are used mainly for breaching commercial vehicle drivers’ hours and overloading and penalties are graduated to reflect factors such as the length of time spent driving over the legal limit.

Sergeant Scott Good said “Most drivers who use our roads every day are safe and sensible behind the wheel, but there are some who are putting themselves and others at risk by simply ignoring the law. That’s where Operation Tramline is invaluable in helping to change driver behaviours and encourage compliance with driving laws.

“Please be assured that we will continue to conduct regular roads policing operations to make our roads as safe as possible for the majority of law abiding road users.”

Marie Biddulph, National Highways assistant regional safety co-ordinator, added: ”It is always alarming to see there are people on our roads who continue to put themselves and others at risk by not using a seatbelt, using their mobile phone or engaging in even riskier behaviours.

‘‘At National Highways, we believe no-one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads and we need drivers to play their part in achieving that.

“Through Operation Tramline, and working in close partnership with our colleagues in Warwickshire Police, we want to make people think twice about their driving behaviour in the knowledge that the vehicle next to them may well be one of our unmarked HGV cabs.”