Police slam truck drivers after 307 offences detected in major crackdown

Police have highlighted “the sheer number of offences” committed by lorry drivers after officers in Norfolk used an HGV cab to spot offenders.

The vast majority of vehicles pulled over on the A14, A11, A12 and A47 during the five-day operation earlier this month were HGVs and smaller goods vehicles, with offences including not wearing a seatbelt; using a mobile phone; insecure loads; construction and use and drivers’ hours.

In total, 307 offences were detected as part of Operation Tramline and the drivers in question were issued with traffic offence reports, some having committed more than one offence.

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Norfolk’s police and crime commissioner, Lorne Green, said: “For the drivers to be committing offences that put the lives of themselves and others at risk is unacceptable and this is no different for HGV drivers transporting goods around our county.

“It is disappointing to see the volume of offences committed during this short period of time, which in itself demonstrates how valuable operations such as Tramline are.

“There is simply no excuse for flouting the law and I want to send a strong message to drivers of all vehicles that Norfolk will not tolerate careless driving and behaviour that puts any driver and other road users around them at risk.”

Sergeant Scott Lee-Amies, of the joint roads and armed policing team, said: “The HGV cab provides officers with an ideal vantage point to spot drivers committing offences and provides us with another means to enforce the law with this specific group of road users, who due to the size of the vehicles they are in control of, pose an added risk to other motorists and also themselves if they are committing offences whilst driving.”