Nearly 700 offences were caught by police officers hidden in unmarked heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) cruising the M1 motorway, targeting reckless drivers across eight police forces. A total of 663 vehicles were stopped during the week-long operation, revealing 691 offences.
Penalties issued ranged from warnings to 14 court summons and five arrests, highlighting the scale of dangerous driving detected.
National Highways supplies stealthy lorry cabs to police as part of Operation Tramline. From their high vantage point inside these unmarked HGVs, officers are able to easily spot unsafe driving behaviours that might otherwise go unnoticed.
In the Midlands region, including Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Northamptonshire, officers recorded 309 offences alone. These included 108 drivers ignoring seatbelt rules, 62 caught using mobile phones while driving, and 27 driving without due care and attention.
One driver in Nottinghamshire was stopped for texting while driving and was subsequently found to be driving without a licence or insurance.
Jeremy Phillips, Head of Road Safety at National Highways, issued a warning about the dangers on the M1. He said: “Hundreds of thousands travel over 21 million miles on the M1 every day—it accounts for one in seven motorway journeys—and most drivers are safe and legal.”
He added: “But a reckless minority put lives at risk. Nearly 700 offences in one week is disappointing, but thanks to Operation Tramline, dangerous drivers are being caught and stopped.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
