Operation Tramline: 172 driving offences over four-day period in July

Officers from GMP’s Commercial Vehicle Unit identified 172 driving offences over a four-day period last month.

Operation Tramline which has been running since 2015 sees GMP provided with a HGV tractor unit, which gives officers a higher vantage point meaning they can look directly into cabs of other lorry drivers, as well as dealing with other offending motorists driving cars or vans.

Over the four days, officers patrolled motorways such as M56, M60 and M62 gathering evidence on a video camera of distractions such as using a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt, and driving without due care and attention.

172 Traffic Offence Reports were issued across the four days, these included:

• 66 for crossing the central verge
• 50 for using a mobile phone behind the wheel
• 21 for Red Automatic Traffic Signals
• 16 for not wearing a seatbelt
• 9 for construction and use (roadworthiness offences)
• 4 for insecure load or weight
• 2 for due care and attention
• 1 for driver not in proper control of vehicle
• 1 for prohibited vehicle in offside lane
• 1 for stopping on the hard shoulder
• 1 for no insurance

One man was arrested for various road traffic offences due to not being able to confirm their ID. These included no insurance, no licence and having false number plates on their vehicle.

Sergeant Jacques at GMP’s Commercial Vehicle Unit said: “We have once again been out on Greater Manchester’s motorways taking action against those who feel they are above the law.

“172 offences in four days is unacceptable, and I am pleased that we have issued tickets to these individuals, hopefully this will deter them from breaking the law again.

“People need to realise that when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle they are driving a potentially deadly weapon and they need to take responsibility for their own behaviour and the safety of others.

“We have a lot more of these operations planned in for the remainder of the year, so don’t be surprised if you receive a ticket through the post or at the road side if you are committing an offence.”