A tea-sipping driver who removed both his hands from the wheel while being reprimanded by police is one of hundreds of drivers caught flouting the rules of the road.

The driver was filmed on the M6 in Cheshire as part of Operation Tramline - a multi-agency initiative to make our motorways safer using unmarked cabs operated by police.

The police officer told the man to concentrate on driving, warning: "The police, you might want to put your cup of tea down and concentrate on driving. Yeah?"

He was issued a traffic offence report for not being in proper control of his vehicle, resulting in three points being added to his licence and a £100 fine.

The video has been shared to mark the launch of Operation Pennine this October.

Police in West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, and Hull will once again be using National Highways’ unmarked HGV cabs in a bid to reduce and prevent accidents on the road network.

From the elevated position in the HGV cab, officers can spot unsafe driving behaviour – whatever vehicle the motorist may be in. 

Hundreds of thousands of drivers travel on the M62 every day and in 2022 there were 28,607 incidents on the M62.

Of those 28,607 incidents, 1,651 were traffic collisions. 

In 2022, West Yorkshire Police recorded 105 people not wearing a seatbelt while driving on the M62, 99 people using their mobile phone at the wheel, and 32 drivers not in proper control of their vehicle.

Officers also stopped 279 people for speeding.

In addition to the HGV cab patrols, partners will be present at motorway services to offer advice to drivers and carrying out vehicle checks.
 

October marks TyreSafe’s tyre safety month, prompting drivers to check the condition of their tyres and air pressure ahead of any journey. 

Sergeant Ryan Burt, of West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said:  “A driver not having their full attention on the road can have devastating repercussions, and when a heavy goods vehicle is involved, this can be even more catastrophic. 

“We need everyone to think about their own behaviour, make sure they drive at an appropriate speed and make sure their vehicle is in good working order. If drivers are not maintaining their vehicles or driving in an unsafe way then we will take action to keep both the driver and other road users safe.” 

Consequences for drivers range from warnings and fixed penalty notices to court summons or arrest.

Nicola Clayton, National Highways’ regional safety programme manager for Yorkshire and the North East, said:  “Some drivers are putting themselves and others at risk through using mobile phones, driving without a seatbelt or even handling a boiling hot drink at the wheel.

“We are committed to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured while travelling on our roads by 50 per cent by 2025 and we have a long-term ambition for zero harm.