DOZENS of potentially dangerous vehicles and drivers were stopped and arrests in a road safety operation in Solihull.
Officers from West Midlands Police’s Road Harm Prevention Team led the activity during the national policing Commercial Vehicle Week (July 17 to 23).
Dozens of motoring offences were uncovered during operation which took place near the NEC.
Extra patrols were carried out in both marked and unmarked vehicles along the M42 and officers concentrated on offences committed by all manner of commercial drivers; including lorries, vans, plant vehicles, agricultural machinery and taxis.
They were looking for those committing fatal four offences – of drink or drug-driving, speeding, using a mobile phone at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt – but with commercial vehicles a whole raft of other offences were identified including excessive vehicle lengths, insecure loads, overweight vehicles, illegal tints and dangerous defects.
A total of 49 vehicles were stopped and 38 offences were detected as part of the operation which was supported by specialist teams from Central Motorway Policing Group (CMPG) and the Solihull Priorities Team.
West Midlands Police said five people were arrested for other offences such as driving whilst disqualified, failure to appear at court, driving under the influence of drugs, possession with intent to supply and theft of a motor vehicle.
Partners were in attendance including the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Local Authority Waste and Licensing Teams, Motor Insurers Bureau, DataTag, TER and the West Midlands Fire Service Road Casualty Reduction Team.
