Two men were arrested for drink and drug driving offences during a focused operation on the M5 motorway on Tuesday.
West Mercia’s Operational Policing Unit (OPU) conducted a day-long crackdown at Strensham Services on the M5 Southbound. Their aim was to identify and take action against unsafe or illegal driving behaviours.
During the operation, officers inspected 31 vehicles, issuing 20 Traffic Offence Reports (TOR) for violations including no road tax, lack of insurance, driving without a proper licence, excessive window tinting, and mobile phone use while driving.
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An HGV driver was caught using his mobile phone behind the wheel. Another lorry driver attempted to evade police by driving through the service station car park, colliding with two vehicles before rejoining the motorway. He was later stopped on the M50 and arrested on suspicion of drink driving. Both HGV drivers have been reported to the Traffic Commissioner.
In addition, a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of drug driving during the same operation.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) prohibited eight vehicles on the spot due to a total of 14 serious defects. These included faulty handbrakes and ABS brake system failures. Ten other vehicles had defects that led to delayed prohibitions. Three vehicles were immobilised at the site because they were deemed unfit for road use.
Other penalties included two fixed penalty notices issued for faulty indicators and one vehicle found with a removed diesel particulate filter, causing exhaust fumes to enter the driver’s cab.
The OPU was supported by West Mercia’s Motorcycle Traffic Support Team (MTST) and various partner agencies, including the DVSA.
PC Gethin Venn of the OPU emphasized the success of the operation: “We removed several dangerous and unroadworthy vehicles from our roads, which presented significant risks to all road users. The HGV driver who tried to evade arrest posed a serious danger, especially driving under the influence on a busy motorway.”
He continued, “Another driver arrested for drug driving was also operating a vehicle in a poor state of repair. These situations could have led to severe consequences if they had to stop suddenly.”
PC Venn urged all drivers to ensure their vehicles are insured, have a valid MOT, and are kept in safe, roadworthy condition. “Check your tyre pressures weekly and keep your washer fluid topped with the correct antifreeze as winter approaches,” he added.