Sixteen Offences Detected During Operation Tramline
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Sixteen people were dealt with for offences during a four-day operation aimed at reducing serious and fatal collisions on roads across Cleveland.
Roads Policing Officers from Cleveland Police, with support from the Special Constabulary, took part in Operation Tramline; loaning a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) cab from National Highways to make it easier to see offences committed in the cabs of other lorries and vehicles from a height.
Over the course of the operation, from Tuesday 24th to Friday 27th October, police discovered three offences of driving whilst using a mobile phone, six people not wearing seatbelts, two without MOT or insurance, three vehicles with insecure loads and two overweight vehicles.
An engagement event was also held at Teesside Retail Park on Thursday 26th October, where members of the public were spoken to about the National Highways ‘Know the Zones’ campaign, highlighting blind spots around large vehicles.
Nicola Bowman, Road Safety and Highways Liaison Officer from Cleveland Police, said: “Working with National Highways to bring Operation Tramline to Cleveland is something that we will continue to do as part of our commitment to road safety and reducing serious and fatal road traffic collisions.
“Not only do drivers put their own lives at risk when they don’t abide by the law, they also risk the lives of other road users. Lorries potentially weighing tonnes can be extremely dangerous and could cause absolute devastation should they be involved in a collision.”
Nicola Clayton, National Highways’ Regional Safety Programme Manager for Yorkshire and the North East, said: "Safety is our number one priority and, through Operation Tramline, we hope to raise awareness and encourage drivers to think about their behaviour and habits at the wheel.
“Working alongside Cleveland Police and other road safety partners, we want to make sure those who are putting themselves and others at risk can expect to be spotted.
"The four days of action with Cleveland Police saw numerous examples of poor driver behaviour which could have had severe consequences.
"These operations and loaning of the unmarked HGV cabs enables our partners in enforcement agencies to identify the high-risk minority and take action to bring their behaviours in line with the law-abiding majority who use our network safely."
