Warwickshire Police to feature on BBC Crimewatch on Monday 23 March 2020

UPDATE: Please note that due to COVID-19 this programme has been rescheduled.  Apologies for any inconvenience caused. Warwickshire Police is to feature on the BBC Crimewatch roadshow programme that goes out nationally on BBC1 at 10am on Monday 23 March 2020 and will be available on catch up afterwards.

BBC Crimewatch joined Warwickshire Police and partners including Highways England, DVSA and the Road Haulage Association to film the Safer Loads operation at Corley Services on the M6 on 12 February 2020. The BBC have used this footage to create a short film to be shown within the BBC Crimewatch Roadshow programme on Monday.

The Safer Loads operation was held during ‘Safer Loads’ month as part of the new Commercial Vehicle Unit’s activities to disrupt, deter and detect offences relating to all forms of vehicle enabled criminality focussing on commercial and larger vehicles. The operation demonstrates the teamwork required between PCSOs, officers and partners as police motorcyclists intercept vehicles on the motorway and bring them in to the check site so that officers and staff can examine how the vehicle load is secured and check tax, insurance, tyres, weight, tachograph and the general condition of the vehicle.

The BBC Crimewatch team returned to Warwickshire on Monday 2 March 2020, this time to join Warwickshire Police and Highways England to film Operation Tramline to create a second short film for the programme. This will also be shown on Monday.

Operation Tramline involves a Mercedes Actros HGV owned by Highways England from which officers can observe driver behaviours usually on motorways in all vehicles. The sorts of driver behaviours we see include using a mobile phone whilst driving on the motorway or failing to wear a seatbelt, and children unrestrained in vehicles. Failing to wear a seatbelt is the top offence across the Midlands and nationally.

The operation demonstrates the effectiveness of the HGV supercab because it allows officers to see all road users from an elevated position, giving a much clearer view of what drivers are doing and demonstrates good teamwork of both police officers and special constable’s in dealing with all offences.

Whilst both operations provide an enhanced police visibility on Warwickshire’s strategic road network, BBC Crimewatch take this a step further by providing national coverage of Warwickshire Police officers and staff working together to make Warwickshire’s roads safer. We hope together these will help to increase public confidence in the police.