Nearly 40 drivers issued with prohibition notices after police day of action on the M1 in Northamptonshire

Nearly 40 drivers were issued with prohibition notices after police stopped more than 40 vehicles during a day of action on the M1 in Northamptonshire.

Officers from Northamptonshire Police joined colleagues from the DVSA on May 3 near junction 18 of the M1 motorway to crack down on dangerous vehicle defects.

Throughout the day, 21 vans, 14 Large Goods Vehicles (LGV) and six cars were intercepted by officers in marked police cars and escorted to the check site situated at the Crick Weighbridge, where officers and DVSA enforcement officers checked for offences.

Of the vehicles stopped, 18 were issued with immediate prohibition notices which prevented the drivers from leaving the check site until the defects and offences had been rectified. Two LGV drivers were stopped for tachograph offences and mechanical defects.

While 16 vans were also issued with immediate prohibition notices – eight of which were for overweight vehicles and resulted in some drivers receiving fixed penalty notices of up to £300 for being significantly overloaded.

Five van drivers received delayed prohibition notices for minor defects. Although the driver can continue their journey, the owner is given up to 10 days to fix the defect before the vehicle is inspected again.

While a further 16 (two LGVs and 14 vans) were issued with inspection notices which advises the owner of minor defects, in the same way as an MOT advisory.

Other offences which were dealt with on the day included:

• Careless driving• No tax• Number plate offence• No operator’s licence• Breach of carriage of dangerous good regulation (no paperwork for load or driver PPE)• Six insecure loads• Three vehicles were in a dangerous condition including significant bodywork damage and window tints at 20 per cent light transmission• Three defective tyres• Nine lighting defects

Northamptonshire Police forensic collision investigator and specialist vehicle examiner, PC Chris Gray, said: “Road safety is everyone’s responsibility, and with the support from our partners, we will continue to hold these operations to ensure people using our roads are doing so both legally and responsibly."