Drivers caught using mobile phones in police HGV crackdown

Nation.Cymru staff

More than 30 vehicles were stopped during a police operation targeting drivers using mobile phones and committing other offences on major roads in north Wales.

North Wales Police officers used an elevated HGV cab to look down into vehicles as part of the latest Operation Tramline crackdown.

Drivers were stopped on the A55, A483 and A494 earlier this month, with offences including using mobile phones behind the wheel, failing to wear seatbelts and carrying insecure loads.

Police said they were continuing to catch drivers of larger vehicles, including HGVs and LGVs, using their phones while driving.

Officers from the force’s Roads Crime Unit stopped more than 30 vehicles and issued tickets and graduated fixed penalty notices for a range of offences.

Sergeant Danny Rees said: “It is disappointing that we continue to see drivers putting themselves and other road users at risk through behaviour that is entirely avoidable.

“What is particularly concerning is that we continue to see professional drivers, including HGV and LGV drivers, using mobile phones whilst driving.

“When you are behind the wheel, your attention should be on the road. A phone call, message or notification can wait. Your safety, and the safety of everyone else using the road, cannot.

“Operation Tramline gives our officers an excellent vantage point to identify dangerous behaviour, and we will continue to take action where drivers put themselves and others at risk.”

Operation Tramline uses unmarked HGV tractor units supplied to police forces by National Highways.

Their elevated position allows officers to see into cars, vans and lorries and identify offences that can be difficult to spot from conventional police vehicles.

National Highways Regional Safety Programme Manager Marie Biddulph said: “We know that the majority of people who use our roads drive safely but there remains a minority who continue to put themselves and others at risk.

“Research shows you are four times more likely to be in a crash if you use your phone. We all need to play our part in keeping our roads as safe as they can be.

“So National Highways will continue to work with our police partners through initiatives such as Operation Tramline to encourage road users to think about their driving behaviours.”

Rules

North Wales Police reminded motorists that the rules apply whether they are driving a car, van, LGV or HGV and urged them to put mobile phones away before setting off, wear seatbelts and ensure loads are properly secured.

Operation Tramline was first trialled by National Highways in 2015 with a single HGV cab and has since expanded to three vehicles used by police forces across the UK.

National Highways says the operation has helped 36 police forces identify more than 61,000 offences since its launch.

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