Dozens of vehicles stopped and scores of offences detected during Operation Tramline

Up to 150 vehicles were stopped and more than 170 offences detected as part of a week-long operation, primarily focused on heavy goods vehicles, but also detecting any offences committed by all other motorists.

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 focus on offences committed by lorry drivers.

The initiative took place between Monday and Friday, November 12 and 25 and involved officers from the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team, Road Casualty Reduction Team, with enforcement taking place on the A14, A12, A11 and A47.

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 148 vehicles were stopped, including 72 HGVs and 54 smaller goods vehicles.

In all 173 offences were detected and the drivers in question were issued with Traffic Offence Reports (TORs), some having committed more than one offence.

A total of 131 TORs were issued, with the primary offences highlighted below:

• 66 for not wearing a seatbelt;
• 30 for using a mobile phone;
• 33 for construction and use (roadworthiness offences);
• 10 for an insecure load;
• nine for driving without due care and attention;
• four for excess speed;
• three for not being in proper control; and
• two for no insurance.

Sergeant Scott Lee-Amies, of the Joint Roads and Armed Policing Team, said: “I would like to commend the officers in our Commercial Vehicle Unit who take the lead on these particular operations that we publicise, but it is important to highlight that they are actually out there doing this vitally important work 52 weeks of the year.

“Although it is disappointing to have found a significant number of drivers offending when it comes to wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone and driving unroadworthy vehicles, these numbers (and offences overall) have reduced greatly compared to the previous operations.

“The CVU officers have reported that they have seen a vast improvement in overall driver behaviour since the unit was launched just over two years ago in November 2020. It appears that the message is getting across to drivers to put their seatbelts on and to leave their phones alone, as the unit has worked hard at enforcing and educating motorists in these offences.

“Our thanks once again goes to National Highways for providing us with the HGV tractor unit free of charge.This enables us to carry-out enforcement in respect of this group of road users, who are in control of the biggest and therefore potentially most dangerous vehicles on the roads.”