POLICE are cracking down on unsafe commerical vehicles using the region's roads as part of a co-ordinated national operation.

North Yorkshire Police are working with partner agencies including the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Immigration Enforcement to combat offences related to commercial vehicles.

Read more: Police stop bag-loads of drugs from hitting the county's streets

Issues including load security, carriage of dangerous goods and people trafficking will be targeted in a high-profile visible week of action starting on Monday, October 11.

Checks will take place at various locations across the county and officers and staff will be directing vehicles to stop for inspection.

Traffic Sergeant Andrew Morton who is leading the operation for North Yorkshire Police said: “Driver shortages is a topic that has been making the headlines lately, we are wanting to use this operation to make sure that drivers are safe at work and are operating within the law as well as following health and safety guidelines.

“Health and safety in the workplace is an issue which is quite rightly taken seriously and companies employing people to drive on the road should also be maintaining the highest levels of safety at all times.

“North Yorkshire has a road network which covers 6,000 miles. We aim to use this operation to advise and educate commercial vehicle drivers, but we will also deal with offences where they are found.

"We want to ensure goods keep moving in the current climate but ensure this is still carried out safely”

North Yorkshire Police ran a similar campaign in March this year and from the vehicles that were stopped, over 50 per cent failed on their safety inspections in some way.

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