Police day of action in Bury St Edmunds sees offences identified with 20 vehicles including Traffic Offence Reports and number plate issues

A police day of action saw offences identified with 28 vehicles out of 30 in a Suffolk town.

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

Only two vehicles out of the 30 that were checked, left the site with no offences having been found.

A total of 28 vehicles were dealt with for noncompliance, amounting to more than 93 per cent of the vehicles which were inspected.

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

-Total of 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

-One Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme (VDRS) issued on a pick-up lorry and 2 drivers given advice on load security

-£300 GFPN (Graduated Fixed Penalty Offences) 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 providing 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 show 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."