Warwickshire Police has announced the launch of a new Commercial Vehicle Unit whose role will be to help improve public safety by targeting commercial vehicles and hauliers that could pose serious danger to other road users in Warwickshire through education and enforcement.

The announcement comes during Brake’s Road Safety Week between 18 - 24 November 2019 that aims to encourage everyone to step up and play a part in making our roads safer.

Led by officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, the new Commercial Vehicle Unit will build on previous joint working with the Health and Safety Executive, Highways England, Environment Agency, Road Haulage Association, DVSA and HM Revenue & Customs.

Much work has already been done around educating hauliers around road safety.

However enforcement activity is also required to deter and detect where offences occur.

Sergeant Stafford from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said “We have been working tirelessly with many partner agencies, such as Highways England, HSE, and the RHA, for over a year now to target commercial vehicles as they are increasingly being involved in serious or fatal collisions.”

The new Unit will be carrying out regular operations on the region’s roads to check commercial vehicles. This includes whether a vehicle’s load is secure, if the driver has driven too many hours, may be driving too closely to the vehicle in front, is driving at excess speed or breaching weight restrictions. Officers from the Unit will also be looking at how vehicles are made or adapted as this can impact their safety, and whether private vehicles are being used for business use without appropriate insurance for example.

Inspector Jem Mountford added “We were delighted to be able to make the announcement this week at an educational Logistics Forum attended by local and national hauliers, as well as key local contractors at Warwickshire Police Headquarters.”

Please follow the link for more info about the Logistics Forum https://bit.ly/2qrwwTa

The new Commercial Vehicle Unit will become operational on Warwickshire’s roads from January 2020.