Focus on Heysham Port traffic forms part of police crackdown on car crime

These are some of the things police saw on Lancashire’s roads as part of a week of action – codenamed Op Vertebrae – to tackle commercial vehicle crime on the motorway network.

Throughout the week officers pulled commercial vehicles off the motorways to check them for illegal loads, vehicle defects or anything else that could put other road users in danger.

One day was spent focusing on traffic entering and leaving the port at Heysham.

Other stops included:

*An HGV which was carrying 11 tonnes more than it was legally allowed

*A van with no MOT, bald tyres and a host of other mechanical issues

*A tipper truck carrying a pile of cement which was too heavy for the vehicle

*A Sprinter van brought in with obvious mechanical defects including completely collapsed front suspension. In the back of the van was a large amount of unlicensed scrap precious metal and there were immigration offences in relation to the driver.

Throughout the week police focused on the ‘fatal five’ causes of serious or fatal collisions – speeding, drink or drug driving, using a mobile phone at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt.

They also focused on vehicle defects, such as incorrect tyres, as well as people driving overloaded vehicles, driving without an MOT, licence or insurance, or driving without their load secured properly.

They were supported by partner agencies including HMRC, Border Force, the Home Office immigration team, the Environment Agency, the Stolen Vehicle Identification Unit and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime.

In total 354 vehicles were brought into the check sites and of those, 204 were issued with fixed penalty notices or prohibition orders.

A further 12 HGVs and 31 LGVs were handed a prohibition order by the Driver Vehicle Standards Agency.

Two HGV drivers also tested positive for drugs and of the ‘abnormal loads’ brought in, every single one was found to be non-compliant to one degree or another.

Fines totalling £16,000 were issued, which will go to the courts and tribunals service.

Ch Insp Matt Willmot, of Lancashire Police’s TacOps team, said: “You may have seen us out and about, carrying out a week of surge activity to tackle commercial vehicle crime.

“Commercial vehicles make up a large percentage of traffic on our roads and it is important they comply with all laws and regulations – not least because large, heavy vehicles which aren’t following legal requirements can pose a very real danger to others.

"For example, an overloaded vehicle has a drastically increased breaking distance, putting the driver and other motorists in danger.

“The examples we've given are just a small selection of the issues we’ve dealt with, but we hope they demonstrate the importance of everybody complying with the law to keep our roads safe.

“We also hope they send a message that we, and partner agencies, will not stand for dangerous vehicles or dangerous driving on Lancashire’s roads, and we will deal robustly and proportionately with those who put other motorists in danger.

“Our thanks go to the partner agencies who have supported the operation.”