Police have used an unmarked lorry this week on the M4 to catch motorists committing offences as part of ‘Operation Tramline‘.
Wiltshire Police are using the HGV to be able to look into vehicles to see if motorist are driving safely.
In early October, Operation Tramline had Gloucestershire Police stopping 20 motorists suspected of driving offences. In August, the Dorset Roads Policing Team detected 120 offences including 35 people using a mobile phone when driving.
The police warn of the five fatal offences, which are speeding, using a phone whilst driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, not wearing a seatbelt and careless or dangerous driving.
National Highways loan out three unmarked HGVs to police forces, kitted out with cameras and driven by highly trained police drivers. Operation Tramline has stopped over 32,000 vehicles.
Some of the most unusual offences include a driver watching a video of how to rescue someone from a kayak, and another eating pickled gherkins from a jar with a fork whilst using their elbows to steer.
Gloucestershire Police have explained how the operation works. “Officers who identified a driver committing an offence recorded video footage from the unmarked lorry cab before notifying officers in an accompanying car. These officers then intercepted the offending vehicle, pulling it over and dealing with the driver.”
National Highways have previously said that they hope to “stamp out inappropriate driving behaviours on our roads” with the operation. Beverley Hannah from National Highways said: “Thanks to the elevated position in the cabs the officers have a clear view into all vehicles so those who do put themselves and others at risk can be spotted and stopped.”
Operation Tramline continues, with a three different counties targeted each week by police forces across England and Wales.
