MOTORISTS were caught eating pasta, cutting fruit and even reading at the wheel during a police crackdown on drivers who flout the law.

The five-day Operation Tramline across the busiest roads in Hampshire and the Thames Valley resulted in 197 motorists being prosecuted for driving offences, including 109 for mobile phone offences.

Tramline was run by officers targeting routes including the M27, M275, M271, M3 and A34 in Hampshire as well as the A34, M4 and M40 in the Thames Valley.

Using so-called spy-in-the-cab tactics, Hampshire police used an unmarked lorry to film offending motorists.

An HGV-qualified police officer drove a Scania lorry cab while an observer recorded any offences committed – with the cab providing the officers the advantage of a high viewing platform.

Police motorcyle rider were then used to intercept offending vehicles. This was supported by a car crewed with a mechanical expert from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

During its five days, the HGV covered 1,440 miles and stopped 231 vehicles.

Sgt Paul Diamond, from Hampshire Constabulary’s commercial vehicle unit, said: “Operation Tramline enabled us to detect offences we would otherwise be unable to prosecute.

“In particular, drivers that were texting or accessing smartphones held below the window line of the car. The standard penalty for this offence carries a £100 fine and three points on the licence.

“We were very disappointed to see so many people accessing their smartphones in the morning while they drive. Most of these were checking their calendars or confirming work commitments.

“These are often very professional people and it isn’t satisfying for us to be giving them points.

“However, it is these same people whose distracted driving is causing collisions and injuries, and we have a duty to make them stop.”

The force has been running Operation Tramline for several years.

Previous years have seen motorists being caught shaving, using a laptop and writing down the answers to a radio quiz while at the wheel.

 

Tramline Figures
109 mobile phone offences
62 seatbelt offences
13 tickets for drivers not being in proper control – including driving while eating pasta, cutting fruit, and reading
7 speeding offences
5 driving without due care and attention offences
1 drink-driving arrest
1 warrant arrest (wanted for an offence in Liverpool)
3 vehicles seized for either having no driving licence or no insurance
15 mechanical prohibitions and £1,800 of roadside fines for lorry drivers breaching driving hours rules
2 lorries immobilised for being unsafe through excess driving
1 lorry impounded  for driver working in the UK for too long without going home