Commercial Vehicles Week of Action to Begin

A week of action begins tomorrow around commercial vehicles in line with a national campaign.

From Tuesday 18^th July, roads policing officers across Cleveland will be checking commercial vehicles, which are those used to transport materials or goods, for offences such as insecure loads, mechanical defects, failing to comply with weight limits and tachograph offences.

The week of action coincides with the National Police Chiefs Council campaign.

Partnership operations will take place alongside local authorities and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to check vehicles and drivers and to offer education or enforcement where necessary.

Recent examples of insecure loads include a flat-bed truck stopped with a wheelbarrow which was not secured (pictured) and the same vehicle was towing a trailer not securely pinned together which was transporting a roller.

The driver was fined £100 and given three penalty points.

An unusable and severely corroded fire extinguisher (pictured) was also found on a tanker being used to transport hazardous goods. The vehicle was given an immediate prohibition and couldn’t be moved until new fire extinguishers were in place. A referral to the Health and Safety Executive was made.

A vehicle was also stopped by police after it was severely over the weight limit for the road being used (pictured).

Sergeant Mark Kewley from Cleveland Police Roads Policing Unit, said: “It is our job as roads policing officers to keep people as safe as we possibly can and so we need to check vehicles for their roadworthiness, including inspecting for mechanical defaults, to ensure they are fit for purpose and don’t pose a risk to other road users.

“We see a lot of offences which could pose a risk to other road users, particularly insecure loads, and we would urge people to be aware of their responsibilities when driving these vehicles and the consequences that could come of not abiding by the laws. These laws are only in place to keep people safe.”