Tramline

HGV drivers in Gloucestershire were caught on camera flouting the law while behind the wheel earlier this month.

Police used an unmarked lorry and filmed drivers committing offences on the M5 such as using their mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt.

Footage collected by officers included an HGV driver reading from a road atlas balanced on his steering wheel.

A total of 23 drivers were stopped for offences including not being in proper control of a vehicle and having insecure loads.

12 drivers were stopped for using their mobile phone, three for not being in proper control of a vehicle, six for construction and load related offences and two for having no insurance.

The drivers who were stopped were issued with tickets or given warnings about their actions. One motorist had their vehicle seized as it wasn’t insured.

PC Neveu from the roads policing unit said: “Operation Tramline allowed us to identify and deal with road traffic offences which had a focus on HGV drivers as part of commercial vehicle week.

“It’s another string to the bow of the roads policing unit which allows us to use slightly different tactics to make sure that our motorway network is as safe as it can be.”