Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe has hailed the early success of Warwickshire Police’s Commercial Vehicle Unit (CVU), which has detected 136 driver offences in a five day period on the county’s motorway network.
Set up with funding from the Commissioner at the beginning of this month, the unit works with partners such as Highways England, the Health and Safety Executive and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to help improve public safety by targeting commercial vehicles and hauliers that could pose serious danger to other road users in Warwickshire through education and enforcement.
The CVU took part in Operation Tramline earlier this month, using a specially-adapted HGV ‘supercab’ owned by Highways England to observe driver behaviours in all vehicles and deal with any offences.
Inspector Mick Huntley explained: “The operation is about keeping people safe on our roads and officers are looking for people that could pose serious danger to themselves and other road users.
“The ‘supercab’ is invaluable because it allows officers to see all road users from an elevated position, giving a much clearer view of what drivers are doing. For example, if a driver is using a mobile phone or not wearing their seatbelt. The ‘supercab’ allows our officers to film evidence of unsafe driving behaviour by pulling up alongside vehicles. Anyone we need to speak to is then pulled over by police cars following behind.”
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “I am delighted that the Commercial Vehicle Unit is already making a difference and taking action against illegal activity on some of our busiest stretches of road.
“Anyone who drives on our motorways and trunk roads will sadly have seen many examples of poor and dangerous driving, including from those who are supposed to be ‘professional’ drivers. There is often a perception that nothing is done about these types of dangerous motorists, so I have been determined to fund initiatives that will really make a difference.
“The Commercial Vehicle Unit has clearly had an immediate impact and I am grateful for the partnership working with Highways England which has enabled the use of the ‘Supercab’ so effectively.
“Of course, the ambition has to be to reduce the numbers of people who drive in a poor or dangerous way, so I hope the fact that the additional police patrols that are being conducted by the CVU really highlight the message that such driving will not be tolerated here in Warwickshire.
“Overall, I want to see reductions in the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads and that’s why I have already awarded grants of almost £400,000 to road safety projects and am making a further £500,000 available through my Road Safety Fund in 2020/21. I want Warwickshire to really lead the way nationally on road safety and there’s still time to apply for funding, so I’d be delighted to hear from other projects which can make a difference.”
