43 commercial vehicles stopped at Northamptonshire check point in crackdown on defects and driving offences

The day of action took place on April 24 and saw marked police cars and motorbikes intercepting commercial vehicles on the A5 and A43, before escorting them to a check point near Towcester.

As part of this operation, the multi-agency team stopped vans, large goods vehicles, and cars towing trailers to check for roadworthiness, driver hours, and compliance with road traffic legislation as well as Health & Safety Executive legislation for the carriage of dangerous goods.

A total of 43 vehicles were stopped and checked by the various policing teams and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Of those stopped, 11 were issued with immediate prohibition notices – three issued by the police and eight from the DVSA – which prevented the drivers from leaving the check site until defects and offences had been fixed.

Mechanical defects included unroadworthy tyres, non-working lights, transporting insecure loads, fuel leak, safety system malfunction indications and a defective tachograph, which logs driving hours.

One vehicle was seized for no insurance/licence offences, while an abnormal load vehicle was issued with an immediate prohibition order for defective tyres.

Eight Traffic Offence Reports were also issued to drivers for various offences including defective tyres and insecure loads while two drivers received a summons to appear at Northampton Magistrates’ Court for licence, weight, and insurance offences.

Out of the five dangerous goods vehicles stopped during the operation, only two had all the relevant paperwork, licencing, and correct personal protective equipment (PPE).

Two of the drivers received verbal warnings for fire extinguishers and packaging defects. Other offences identified related to insecure loads, missing paperwork for dangerous good on board, and out of date or missing PPE.

While another driver was issued with four hazmat prohibition notices in relation to missing documentation, not carrying PPE or relevant equipment and mixed loading – non-dangerous goods were stacked on top of clinical waste.

Forensic collision investigator and specialist vehicle examiner, Sergeant Chris Gray, said: “We all have an important role to play when it comes to road safety, but for those in the transport and logistic industry there is an added onus to ensure that both their drivers and vehicles are fit for the road.

“These days of actions are part of a long-running campaign, so it is always disappointing that we still find commercial vehicles using our major road network in an unroadworthy condition, or without essential equipment and documentation.

“With the support from our partners, we will continue to hold these days of action to ensure that everyone gets home safely, and that people using our roads are doing so both legally and responsibly.”

Anyone with information about road safety concerns or any vehicle crime is asked to report it online at www.northants.police.uk/reportonline or call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 in the event of an emergency, such as a crime in progress or where life is at risk.