Nearly 700 Offences Caught on the M1 in Unmarked HGV Sting
Almost 700 motoring offenses were nailed by police using unmarked HGV cabs along the M1, covering eight police forces. The crackdown, part of National Highways’ Operation Tramline, stopped 663 vehicles and uncovered 691 violations in just one week.
Crackdown Yields Court Summons and Arrests
Penalties varied from warnings to serious action – including 14 court summons and five arrests. Officers used the elevated vantage point in the heavy goods vehicles to spot risky driving behaviours that others might miss.
Midlands Motorists Top the Naughty List
The Midlands saw 309 offences alone across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Northamptonshire. Key offenders included:
- 108 caught not wearing seat belts
- 62 using mobile phones at the wheel
- 27 driving without due care
A Nottinghamshire motorist stopped for using a mobile phone was later found to be uninsured and unlicensed – a double whammy for the road police.
National Highways Sends Warning to Reckless Drivers
Jeremy Phillips, National Highways Head of Road Safety, said: “Hundreds of thousands of motorists travel over 21 million miles on the M1 every day – one in seven of all motorway journeys. The vast majority are safe and legal drivers.
“But there is a minority that continues to put themselves and others at risk. It is disappointing that almost 700 offences were spotted in just one week – but thanks to Operation Freeway those drivers were prevented from continuing with their unsafe behaviours.”
