Unsafe drivers targeted with week of action by police along M1

National Highways has teamed up with police forces the length of the major road for Operation Freeway. Officers from eight different police forces, including Nottinghamshire, are patrolling the motorway between London and Leeds looking out for incidents of illegal driving – aided by the use of an unmarked HGV cab supplied by National Highways.

Police officers drive the ‘supercab’, with the higher position on the road allowing them to spot offences by other lorry drivers, as well as giving them a better view into cars.

Chris Raby, National Highways service delivery manager, said: “The M1 has featured quite heavily in terms of the number of incidents we deal with as National Highways on a daily basis. You're looking at 200 incidents per day, from collisions, to other factors such as debris. The biggest concern for me is some road users treat the road network in a manner which makes it unsafe for all of us.

“The aim of the operation is to improve driver behaviour by identifying some of those low-level offences, such as speeding, using a moble phone while driving, not wearing seatbelts, which ultimately increase the risk to all road users.

“What would make it a success is educating people and improving driver behaviour. It’s not about how many tickets we give out, but about giving people an understanding about what they can do to make themselves more safe as road users.”

To mark the start of the operation, your Chad joined roads policing officers inside the lorry and accompanying police patrol vehicle. In just an hour offences identified being committed by truckers included not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone, as well as one lorry driver leaning forward with his arms down through the middle of the steering wheel, almost driving with his upper arms.

Lorry driver Sgt Bruce Yacomeni said: “It’s a very effective enforcement tool. The lorry is de-restricted to allow us pass other commercial vehicles that are speed restricted, so it gives us the opportunity to look into those vehicles.”

The HGV is supported by a police officers in marked response vehicles.

Driver PC Nathan Warrilow said: “My role is to stop the vehicles pointed out to me by the cab. Ultimately when the cab identifies an offence, he’ll tell me the registation and we’ll stop it and deal with the offences identified.”