Partnership day of action aims to improve safety on the county’s roads

More than 40 vehicles were stopped and inspected as part of an on-going partnership aimed at improving the safety standard of vehicles using the county’s major road network.

Led by Northamptonshire Police’s Forensic Collision Investigation Unit, the one-day operation was supported by the Force’s Roads Policing, Safer Roads, Neighbourhood Policing, Response and Special Constabulary teams.

They were also joined by colleagues from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) on Tuesday, September 5, as part of the bi-monthly operation targeting commercial vehicles that are being driven illegally or irresponsibly.

Throughout the day, 42 goods vehicles were intercepted by officers in marked police cars and motorcyclists on both carriageways of the M1 motorway, before being escorted to the check site at Crick weighbridge.

Once at the check site, vehicles were checked for offences, and of those stopped, 15 vehicles – about a third - were found to be fully compliant with relevant licences and considered to be in a roadworthy condition.

However, more than half (27) were found to be non-compliant with 15 vehicles issued with immediate prohibition notices which prevented the drivers from continuing their journeys until the defects and offences had been rectified, including load security, overweight vehicles, and defective tyres.

One driver was given a delayed prohibition notice for minor defects. Although this permits a driver to continue with their journey, the owner of the vehicle is given up to 10 days to fix the defect before the vehicle is inspected again.

Two drivers were reported to the Health & Safety Executive for breaches of the ADR – which is the European Agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road – for not having essential and required personal protection equipment.

A further three drivers were issued advice notices for insecure loads, missing paperwork, and failing to carry the relevant ADR licences. These were rectified at the check site and the drivers allowed to continue their journey.

Six vehicles were seized (no insurance, no licence), while other drivers were issued with fixed penalty notices for using a mobile phone behind the wheel and driving at excess speed.

Northamptonshire Police forensic collision investigator and specialist vehicle examiner, PC Chris Gray, said: “Road safety is everyone’s responsibility, and it is disappointing that more than half the vehicles stopped were not in a roadworthy condition.

“Improving safety on our roads is a Force priority and with the support from our partners, we will continue to hold these days of action to ensure people using our roads are doing so both legally and responsibly.”

In 2022, after being involved in a road collision in Northamptonshire, tragically 40 people never returned home safely to their loved ones. Reducing the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our county’s roads remains a Force priority.