Dorset Police use lorry to catch drivers using mobile phone

Dorset Police added a lorry to its arsenal for the first time last week to help in the fight against illegal usage after the National Highways donated one for free this week. 

The Echo went on patrol with some of the traffic cops around Bournemouth and Poole and saw in a small space of time several motorists with their eyes on a screen. 

One young mum, sat in traffic on Dorset Way with her daughter in the passenger seat of her BMW 1-Series, was clearly looking down on her phone while the traffic was moving. 

Traffic cop Joe Wheable (left) and PCC David Sidwick (centre) (Image: Daily Echo)

The officers blue lighted her and signalled for her to pull over. After a talking to where advice was given, she was handed a £200 fine and six points on her licence. 

Another incident was captured by the lorry and followed before the officers blue lighted to the black Honda CR-V in a residential road off Herbert Avenue. 

The driver explained to police officers that he usually keeps his phone in the glove box away from temptation, but he was still caught on camera using his phone. He was handed the same punishment. 

And another driver on Holes Bay roundabout was eating a cinnamon bun: a seemingly innocent thing to do when hungry, but as the officers pointed out, a distraction meaning you’re not in full control of your car. 

CAUGHT: This driver was handed a £200 fine and six points (Image: Daily Echo)

FINED: This BMW driver - a young mum with her daughter sat next to her - was on her phone (Image: Daily Echo)

(Image: Daily Echo)

Inspector Joe Wheable of the roads policing team, said the lorry has been a “real success” in catching phone users and making the road safe. 

He said: “This is the first time we’ve had this in Dorset and it’s has been a real success, it’s shown the value of it being here. 

“Usually, a lorry would be used for A-roads and motorways, but we don’t have motorways here, so we were wondering what sort of impact it could have. 

“But we have lots of dual carriageways and it’s worked really well.” 

The lorry was handed to Dorset Police for a week free of charge (Image: Daily Echo)

The results speak for themselves: 120 offences were recorded during five days, including 45 driving without a seatbelt and 33 driving while on the phone. 

Inspector Wheable added: “Being able to get out there, be up high and see people below is a real help. 

“From the cabin, we’re able to see much more than what we would see from the passenger seat of a car.” 

Police and crime commissioner David Sidwick said the lorry is helping Dorset Police keep the county “even safer”. 

He said: “This truck gives Dorset Police a wonderful capability; you're able to see the view from the truck, allows you to see into people's cars, into the cabs of trucks and vans.  

“And it is usually thoughtlessness which puts not only other people at risk but also themselves.

“This morning, for example, we've seen people who haven't put their seatbelt on which is an offence, but it's also putting themselves at risk.  

Traffic cops (Image: Daily Echo)

“We've also seen somebody eating a cinnamon bun, but they were going around a roundabout, so they don't have full control of the vehicle because they're only using one hand to drive.  

“We saw somebody texting whilst they're driving and that was a very expensive text because when that car was pulled over, not only was there an issue with the texting, but also with the state of their tyres.” 

He added: “What this is about is it's trying to keep us all that bit safer. We know in Dorset we have a very low level of, for example, homicide.  

“We actually have more fatalities on our roads than we do have murders. And this is about trying to make certain that Dorset is the safest place in the country.” 

What is Operation Tramline?

The HGV operation was first trialled in 2015 with one lorry and capturing over 5,000 offences.

Since March 2018, National Highways has funded three HGVs for police forces - one in the north, midlands and south.

Between the launch of Operation Tramline in 2015 and April 2024 more than 46,150 offences have been recorded.

The most common offences were not wearing a seatbelt (13,562) and using a mobile phone (11,965).

Since its launch, the scheme has stopped more than 18,000 lorry drivers, more than 13,900 private motorists and more than 9,000 LGVs.

Operation Tramline is a joint initiative between National Highways and NRPOI (National Roads Policing Operations and Intelligence). National Highways contribute around £70,000 a year for the operation and maintenance of the cabs and participating police forces provide officers, insurance and fuel to carry out the checks. 

Between January 2021 and December 2022, Dorset Police issued 517 fixed penalty notices to motorists who were caught using a mobile phone while driving.

National Highways, formerly Highways England, said: [We] provide three HGV tractor units to be used by police partners across England and Wales. 

"We are responsible for the both the operation and maintenance of the three 'supercabs'. 

"Through Operation Tramline, we want all motorists to think carefully about their driving behaviour.

"We want to raise awareness of the importance of complying with driving laws to help keep people safe on our roads."