Road Offences Detected During Commercial Vehicles Week

During commercial vehicles week, officers carried out two operations aimed vehicles carrying dangerous goods on Cleveland’s strategic roads network.

The first took place on Wednesday 19^th July at Teesport and the second on Thursday 20^th July at Excelby services alongside colleagues from North Yorkshire Police roads policing unit and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

45 vehicles were checked over the two days, leading to 17 prohibitions issued for defects – three on vehicles carrying dangerous goods which couldn’t be moved until the defects were rectified, eight insecure loads found, five lighting defects, four tyre offences, two brake/suspension offences, two incidents of excess weight, six drivers hours offences and one driver who was driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Another vehicle was found with no tax and another with no insurance.

Operation Basingstoke, carried out by Special Constabulary officers on Saturday 15^th July, saw 44 vehicles stopped on the A689 into Hartlepool and A174 at Lazenby.

Two vehicles were seized for no tax and no insurance, five vehicles were found with minor defects, four traffic offence reports were issued and 13 fixed penalties for defects with lights, brakes and suspension.

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.”