Op Tramline keeping roads safer

Police in Suffolk stopped 163 vehicles and detected a total of 184 offences as part of a roads policing operation.

During the latest Operation Tramline, between 13 July and 17 July, officers from the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team and the Road Casualty Reduction Team used an HGV tractor unit supplied by National Highways to carry out patrols on the A14, A12 and A11 in Suffolk.

The HGV tractor unit gave officers a high-level vantage point to uncover a range of offences committed by motorists driving lorries, vans and cars.

Out of the 184 offences detected during this month’s 4.5-day operation there were:

Of the 163 vehicles stopped by supporting police officers, 49 were HGVs and 38 LGVs (light goods vehicles).

A total of 150 traffic Offence Reports (TORs) were issued, five vehicles were seized and five drivers given advice by officers.

One van driver was stopped for using his mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt and was then arrested for drug-driving. He was on his way to court for a previous drug-drive offence.

Two graduated fixed penalty notice were issued, with a fine of £200 each, and 15 referrals were made to the Traffic Commissioner.

PC Wayne Sturman, of the Commercial Vehicle Unit, said: "Too many drivers continue to take unnecessary risks and present a danger to other road users as well as themselves. Operation Tramline gives us the opportunity to take positive action to improve safety on our strategic roads.

“Although the number of offences we detected in this latest campaign (around 35 per day) is still too high it has fallen considerably from five years ago (75 offences a day).

Pc Sturman added: “We are grateful once again to National Highways for providing us with the HGV tractor unit, which enables us to carry-out enforcement in respect of not only drivers who are in control of the biggest and therefore potentially most dangerous vehicles on the roads, but also gives us additional opportunities to detect offences being committed by all road users.

“Suffolk Police is committed to making Suffolk’s roads safer and we will continue to work hard on a daily basis and hold operations such as Tramline to achieve that.”

Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “These shocking results show just how important these proactive roads policing operations are, and the critical need for policing to crack down on irresponsible drivers using our strategic road network.

“I hope this well-publicised approach to enforcement will finally drive the message home, because sadly there are still too many drivers risking their own lives, and the lives of others, with their mindless behaviour. To think someone could act so irresponsibly on the way to court for a previous driving offence absolutely beggars belief.”

He added: “The Commercial Vehicle Unit, which plays a crucial role in these operations, was set up through investment from the council tax precept so I hope Suffolk residents see their money is being directed into operational policing very effectively.”