Police in Suffolk stopped over 200 vehicles, made two arrests and detected more than 220 offences, as part of a recent week-long roads policing operation.
The latest deployment of Operation Tramline saw police provided with an HGV tractor unit by National Highways, which allowed officers to carry out patrols across the county’s strategic road network and use this elevated position to detect any drivers committing offences.
The initiative took place between Monday 29 April and Friday 3 May and involved officers from the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team, and the Road Casualty Reduction Team, with enforcement taking place on the A14, A12 and A11.
The HGV tractor unit – which was driven by a police officer – provides an ideal vantage point meaning officers can look directly into the cabs of other lorry drivers, whilst also dealing with any offending motorists driving vans or cars too. Supporting police officers are then on hand to pull-over any offenders.
A total of 210 vehicles were stopped, including 94 HGVs and 51 smaller goods vehicles.
Sergeant Scott Lee-Amies, of the Joint Roads and Armed Policing Team, said: “The sheer number of offences detected during this week of action once again highlights the importance of running these operations.
“It is particularly concerning that 140 of the 226 offences detected (which is over 60%) were from the ‘Fatal 4’ main causes of fatal or serious injury collisions: not wearing a seatbelt; using a mobile phone; excess speed; and drink/drug driving.
National Highways Assistant Regional Safety Co-ordinator, Marie Biddulph, said: “Our goal, working with our police partners, is to encourage that minority of drivers who continue to put themselves and others at risk to reconsider their behaviour and join the law-abiding majority.
“A good day for us is having no offences spotted by officers in our HGV cab. But if that doesn’t happen, at least we know that we have prevented some unsafe driving continuing thanks to Operation Tramline.
“From their elevated position in the cab, officers can see down into cars and vans and across into HGVs, so people should know they can be spotted, whatever vehicle they are in.”
