LORRY drivers and haulage companies were put under the spotlight in a police operation last week which aims to make the region's roads safer.

Officers from the Roads Policing Units at Cleveland and Durham and North Yorkshire Policeconducted a joint operation aimed at heavy goods vehicles carrying dangerous goods.

On Friday, June 26 officers stopped a total of 16 vehicles at Exelby services on the A19, near Ingleby Arncliffe.

Three prohibitions were issued - ordering the driver to stop driving the vehicle either immediately or giving them time to fix the issue identified. Two were issued for transport document offences and one for carrying dangerous goods without displaying appropriate vehicle markings.

Another five vehicles were found to be in breach of the regulations for a range of minor non-compliance issues, resulting in the companies being contacted and served with advice notices.

Cleveland and Durham RPU said the aim of the operation was for officers to look at offences including tachograph offences, faulty brake lights, under-inflated wheels, document offences and ensure the correct signage was in place for the substances being carried by the vehicles.

The Northern Echo:

The same operation was conducted at Seal Sands on Thursday, June 25.

The same number of vehicles were pulled over and several minor issues were identified relating to vehicles not being labelled correctly. Advice notices were sent to two companies, requiring them to take action to remedy the breach.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “It is important that we work together with neighbouring Forces to ensure drivers have the correct documents in place to drive their vehicles whilst carrying hazardous goods.

“This is to ensure the safety of the drivers and other motorists and officers will continue to carry out operations like this to help keep people travelling on our roads as safe as possible.”