Medway’s Local Policing Team and Roads Safety Unit collaborated with Medway Council and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) on Thursday, March 9, 2023, as part of ongoing efforts to address issues caused by illegal waste transfer and dumping, dangerous drivers, and drivers of unroadworthy vehicles.
To combat infringements, Ambley Road was subjected to a series of patrols and 90 stop checks.
Three vehicles were seized after they were discovered to be uninsured, and one driver’s licence was revoked after he failed a roadside eye test. A further ten drivers received Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) for various violations of the law, such as driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition, driving without a MOT or tax, illegal tints, bald tyres, or numberplate violations.
Two drivers have received Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme (VDRS) notices, which give them a deadline to have relevant repairs completed and approved by a tester.
Medway Council’s Environmental Enforcement Officers were able to speak with a number of motorists and provide advice and guidance on waste carrier licences, as well as open an investigation into one driver.
Sergeant James Callaghan of the Medway Local Policing Team stated:
‘By working with partner agencies to crack down on unsafe vehicles and dangerous drivers, we can improve the safety of Medway’s road users. Defects and unapproved modifications may appear harmless, but if left unresolved, they can cause serious road traffic accidents, especially when combined with reckless driving.
Additionally, violations of waste licencing rules are all too often linked to fly tipping, which has an impact on the environment and our rural communities. Operations with partner agencies are conducted on a regular basis throughout the county, and those who violate waste carrying rules are prosecuted.’
Anyone thinking about having waste removed from their property should make sure the waste carrier is licenced to do so, or they, too, could face a fine. A list of licenced waste carriers is available on the Environment Agency’s website.
Anyone with information about waste crimes or traffic violations is encouraged to report it at www.kent.police.uk/report, via the Crimestoppers online form, or by calling 0800 555 111.
