Joint road safety operation in Wellington hailed a success
Telford & Wrekin Council has worked with partners to tackle dangerous driving and improve road safety in a targeted operation.
A total of 27 traffic offences were reported. Officers from the Council’s licensing team also pulled over a number of taxis as part of regular spot checks to make sure they are maintained and up to a high standard. Officers checked the condition of vehicles, insurance, that the correct signage was displayed and that the driver’s badge was visible.
The operation, led by West Mercia Police, was carried out in Wellington in partnership with the Council’s road safety team, to reassure the public who have raised concerns about anti-social driving in the area.
Drivers were dealt with for a variety of offences including driving without insurance, driving without a seatbelt, using a mobile phone while driving and ignoring the bus lane signage in Haybridge Road for which a number of fines were issued. Four vehicles were also seized.
A number of taxis that were stopped were licensed by neighbouring authorities. One vehicle was found to have a defective tyre and two drivers were not wearing their driver badges.
Councillor Richard Overton, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement said:
“Our top priority is the safety of our residents. By supporting West Mercia Police, we are demonstrating our commitment to keeping our roads safe for all users.
“Ensuring that every road user respects the traffic signage, such as bus only lanes, is essential to help keep traffic moving and reduce the risk of accidents. These lanes are restricted to buses, emergency vehicles and cyclists and encourage public transport use and safer travel options for cyclists.
“It is pleasing that no taxis licensed by us were found to have faults and is a clear demonstration of the high standards we have when it comes to taxi licensing. These checks ensure that taxis meet the Council’s rigorous standards and legal requirements.
“Telford & Wrekin Council will continue to work closely with West Mercia Police, local partners, and residents to ensure our roads remain safe and welcoming for everyone.”
The latest operation took place on Wednesday (30 April) and followed a successful initiative in the same location the previous month.
Pc Ryan Davies from West Mercia Police said:
“Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads is a key priority.
“We continue to work with our partners on multi-agency operations such as this one to tackle incidents of dangerous or anti-social driving and we know these are issues that cause concern to residents in the area. We are looking to conduct more operations together, like this one, in due course.”
