Roads and Crime crackdown on dangerous driving in motorway safety operation

Cheshire’s Roads and Crime Unit (RCU) have been tackling offences as part of a five-day operation focusing on keeping our county’s roads safe.

Officers from the Roads and Crime and Commercial Vehicle Units have been out in force across Cheshire's motorways over the past two weeks as part of an operation ensuring HGV's drive safely through the county.

The operation, known as "Operation Tramline", forms part of the force's ongoing efforts to improve safety for all road users and saw officers use an unmarked HGV to patrol roads and motorways - identifying any offences committed by drivers.

During the five-day operation that ran between Monday 23 March to Friday 27 March, RCU patrols were focusing their efforts on the main motorway corridors that run through Cheshire, namely the M6, M62, M56.

Busy A roads including the A55, A556 and A500 were also monitored by officers, who were looking out for Fatal Five offences (careless driving, speeding, drink and drug driving, using a mobile phone whilst driving and not wearing a seatbelt) along with uninsured drivers and those with vehicles linked to crime.

As a result of the operation, a total of 90 vehicles, made up of HGVs (21), LGVs (27) and cars (42) were stopped.

Results included:

• Speeding - 33
• Mobile phone usage - 24
• Insecure loads (TOR) - 12
• Various Construction & Use offences (such as defective tyres, window tints etc) - 9
• Driving without a seatbelt - 8
• Careless Driving - 8
• Contravening a red traffic light – 1

Two drivers arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and disqualified driving. Their vehicles were seized and had been initially stopped as a result of initial speeding offences.

A concrete mixer on the M6 near Knutsford was also stopped. The unit was covered in dried concrete to the point there were numerous large clumps were easily broken off by hand, which would have posed a serious risk to other motorists.

Inspector Andrew Dennison, of the Roads and Crime Unit, said:

“Operation Tramline demonstrates our commitment to making Cheshire's roads safer and highlights that no driver is above the law – regardless of the vehicle they choose to drive. 

“Our officers were deployed across some of busiest motorways in the North West with the intention of observing and ensuring HGV’s and all drivers travel safety through Cheshire.

“The Fatal Five — careless driving, speeding, drink or drug driving, using a mobile phone, and not wearing a seatbelt — are named that for a reason. Each one strips away safety and attention from the road. All can cause catastrophic, life‑changing collisions.”

“We’ll continue doing everything we can to keep hauliers and the public driving safely. The last five days should make one thing clear: we will act — without hesitation — against anyone who chooses to ignore road laws and put others at risk.”