Dangerous lorries targeted in A140 crackdown

Simon Parkin

Published: 11:01 PM January 20, 2020 Updated: 7:53 AM October 7, 2020

Lorries stopped on the A140 at Eye during a police HGV day of action. Police: Norfolk-Suffolk Police - Credit: Norfolk-Suffolk Police

Tired drivers working over permitted hours behind the wheel and lorries carrying dangerous loads were discovered during a police operation on the A140.

This vehicle was stopped as part of a commercial vehicle checksite on the #A140. Drivers hours offences have been identified, insufficient rest & #GFPN has been issued. The vehicle also has other defects.#RAPT pic.twitter.com/Vxhe8TDhQw
— Norfolk & Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team (@NSRAPT) January 20, 2020

Norfolk and Suffolk Roads & Armed Policing Team (RAPT) targeting heavy goods vehicles on January 20.

Centred around Eye Airfield, close to the Norfolk-Suffolk border, RAPT officers were deployed to strategic locations on the A140 and surrounding roads with the intention of identifying and stopping vehicles suspected of any offences.

Another insecure load on the #A140 checksite. This #load needs to be covered to stop it from moving / falling out. This could quite easily end up on the road causing a danger to other road users. This vehicle also had an expired #MOT.#RAPT pic.twitter.com/kJZQlIzqC5
— Norfolk & Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team (@NSRAPT) January 20, 2020

In total 42 vehicles were escorted to the site, with only 15 leaving clear of any offences.

Officers issued 13 Traffic Offence Reports, 10 of which were for HGVs carrying dangerously unsecured loads.

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In a tweet RAPT officers said: "We had a hay lorry into the site loaded over the headboard and nothing securing the front of the load. Under heavy braking, there is only one way that it is going to go. Very dangerous and could have fatal consequences if it was to fall off."

Fixed penalties were issued to drivers for working hours offences and a number of defects to lorries were also indentified.