DPD van with no indicator or headlight pulled over by police in Northamptonshire during day of action

On February 6, officers from Northamptonshire Police were joined by counterparts from the Leicestershire and Warwickshire forces, as well from national agencies, to intercept vehicles travelling on the A5 and M1.

Officers stopped 44 drivers and escorted them to a check site at Crick where checks were carried out on the driver and their vehicles.

One of the vehicles which was stopped had sustained severe damage – however, the DPD driver continued to use the vehicle minus its headlight and indicator.

The driver of a white Ford Transit van was also arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs. He was subsequently charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis and pleaded guilty at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on February 21. Trene Payne, aged 25, of Masser Road, Coventry, was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined £120 and ordered to pay £88 court costs and £48 victim surcharge.

Another driver will be receiving a Notice of Intended Prosecution after they failed to stop.

Northamptonshire Rural Crime and Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Johnny Davis-Lyons said: “Operations such as this are the perfect opportunity for police forces and partner agencies to all work together and not only check the legitimacy of such vehicles using our roads but also improve road safety, ensuring those using our roads are doing so legally and responsibly.”

PC Hutch Hutchings from the Northamptonshire Police Rural Crime Team added: “This operation is the start of things to come, and we will continue to hold similar days of action throughout 2025 and into 2026.”

In total, the DVSA issued 27 immediate and delayed prohibition notices, for various offences. Those issued with immediate notices were prevented from leaving the check site until defects and offences had been fixed. Drivers who received a delayed notice for minor defects were allowed to continue their journey and have up to 10 days to fix the defect before the vehicle is inspected again.

A further five drivers had vehicles seized, this included an Ifor Williams trailer which was suspected to be stolen, and a car towing a caravan without insurance. Others were seized for having no vehicle tax or insurance.