Offences identified during day of action by Commercial Vehicle Unit

Only two vehicles out of 30 checked during a recent commercial vehicle operation left with no offences having been found.

Suffolk Constabulary's Commercial Vehicle Unit (CVU), alongside Norfolk CVU, participated in the operation on Wednesday 20 December in Bury St Edmunds, conducting checks on commercial vehicles with the aim of reducing road casualties and disrupting criminality.

Officers from the Roads and Armed Policing Team, alongside Road Casualty Reduction Teams from Suffolk and Norfolk, took part in the day of action at Bury St Edmunds lorry park, with a total of 30 commercial vehicles being stopped and escorted to the check site.

A total of 28 vehicles were dealt with for noncompliance, amounting to more than 93% of the vehicles which were inspected. Only two vehicles left the site with no offences.

Vehicles stopped included 15 vans/pickups, 10 heavy goods vehicles and five cars.

• 17 Traffic Offence Reports issued - 6 x seatbelts, 4 x number plate issues, 2 x using a mobile phone 1 x window tints, 1 x speeding, 1 x tyre issue, 1 x no motor insurance and 1 x extended mirrors
• 1 Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme (VDRS) issued on a pick-up lorry and 2 drivers given advice on load security
• £300 GFPN fine for driver’s hours and 8 x minor driver hours offences
• Carriage of Dangerous Goods vehicles – 2 x vehicle reports and 1 x prohibited
• All drivers were breath tested and found to be negative.

PC Terry Harvey of the Suffolk Commercial Vehicle Unit said: “Drivers who fail to follow the rules put other road users at risk. To have only two vehicles that were clear of offences show that there is still a lot of work to do.

"The CVUs are out on the road network daily conducting enforcement operations and education to drivers."

Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, said: “Keeping our roads safe and the traffic moving, is vital for both residents and businesses in the county. 

"The A14 is a significant national gateway to the Port of Felixstowe and we have a huge amount of local and international commercial traffic working its way across the county which needs to be monitored for dangerous vehicles and driver offences.

“Since its creation from the council tax precept investment, the Commercial Vehicle Unit has had some excellent outcomes and these results shows just how valuable the team is.

"I find it absolutely unbelievable that drivers, who rely on their driving licence for their livelihood, would take such a cavalier attitude to their safety and the safety of other road users. I hope the publicity around this recent campaign will make irresponsible drivers think twice before getting behind the wheel."