A truck full of chicken and a classic car – danger drivers risking lives on the M62 revealed
Danger drivers putting lives at risk on the M62 motorway through Greater Manchester have been revealed after a month-long crackdown.
They include a driver at the wheel of a truck carrying a load of chicken – and a 3.5 tonne transporter ferrying a vintage car down south. National Highways said both were stopped and found to contravene legal weight limits.
More than 400 vehicles were stopped by police officers patrolling the M62[1] in unmarked HGV cabs during the month of action. Operation Pennine saw police forces travel the route between Liverpool and Hull undercover on the look-out for unsafe driving.
Each police force – including Greater Manchester Police – were involved. The most common offence, said National Highways, was drivers caught on mobile phone at the wheel – with 86 cases found in total.
A spokesman said 34 people were found not to be wearing a seatbelt, while a further 49 were caught out breached rules around driving hours.
Police in Manchester stopped a 3.5-tonne transporter which was carrying a vintage American car to the south of England – only to be found 1,105kg overweight. Greater Manchester Police also found a van carrying chicken to be overweight.
The classic car being driven south (Image: National Highways)
Officers from Merseyside, Liverpool Ports Police, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire stopped a total of 435 vehicles and uncovered 375 offences.
Hundreds of thousands of drivers travel on the M62 every day and figures show that in 2022, there were 28,607 incidents on the motorway. Of those, 1,651 were collisions.
The 435 vehicles stopped during the month of action involved 175 HGVs and 96 private vehicles.
National Highways said Greater Manchester Police[4] found a ‘common theme’ on their stretch of the M62, with 66 vehicles being found to be overweight.
Lisa Scott, National Highways’ Regional Safety Programme Manager for the North West, said: “Hundreds of thousands of motorists travel on our network each day – the majority of which complete their journeys legally and safely.
The M62 (Image: ABNM Photography)
“However, there is a minority that continue to put themselves and others at risk. It is disappointing that almost 400 offences were spotted during the month of action.”
Sergeant Matt Picton, from the North West Commercial Vehicle unit, said: “This month of action has shed some light on just how many drivers on our roads are willing to take risks that could have serious consequences.
“Operation Pennine saw hundreds of drivers stopped for a wide variety of reasons – all which could have contributed to a serious, maybe even fatal, accident.
“Using a mobile phone, no seat belt, speeding, poor mechanical condition, breach of drivers’ hours and over loaded vehicles are all things that can be eradicated from our roads if people just stop and think before they act.
“We are committed to making all roads safer and we will continue to enforce road traffic legislation daily and target those who risk the most harm to the public who just want to go about their daily business without fear of injury or death.”
References
- ^ M62 (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- ^ The town where a new beggar appears every week (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- ^ ‘Walking around the estate in daylight is depressing – walking round at night is frightening’ (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- ^ Greater Manchester Police (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)