Plymouth catch bus to catch drivers

They take to top deck

Police in Devon have taken to a double decker bus to nick drivers using mobile phones.

The cunning plan, called Op Decker, enabled them to spot more than 20 offences in Plymouth, not limited to people using their phones behind the wheel.

But 12 people were caught on their mobiles over a four-hour period by the Traffic, No Excuses, Professional Development Unit and Road Casualty Reduction team, with the help of Plymouth Citybus.

During the operation police also:

• Seized three vehicles for having no insurance
• Detected three drivers not wearing seatbelts
• Arrested one driver for a positive drug test
• Detected a car with a defective tyre

Road casualty reduction officer MPC Charlie Oliver, who organised the operation, said: “You may think that checking a quick message or scrolling through a music playlist on your phone is harmless, but it only takes a split second of distraction to cause a major collision which could harm you, your passengers and others on the road.

“I would urge all drivers to put their phones somewhere out of reach, like the glove box, to avoid any temptation to use it.

“I want to reassure the vast majority of safe drivers on Devon and Cornwall’s roads that the police will be relentless in our efforts to detect motorists committing offences and putting other road users’ lives at risk. This operation demonstrates that we can and will use all means at our disposal to do so.”

Next month sees the one year anniversary of a change in the law regarding mobile phone use while driving. 

It is now illegal to handle a mobile phone in any way - including touching the screen to scroll a music playlist, browse the internet, take a photograph or play a mobile game. Those caught doing so will result in a £200 fine and six penalty points. 

Adrian Leisk, Devon & Cornwall Police’s head of road safety and chair of the Vision Zero South West enforcement sub-group, said: “We know that driving whilst distracted is a significant factor in many collisions and the very simple way to avoid this is to put your phone away before setting off on your journey.

“For younger drivers and those who have passed their tests within the last two years, being caught using a mobile phone could be particularly costly too.

“As well as the fine and six points, you will automatically be disqualified from driving – meaning you will have to retake your test and declare this to your insurance company, with future premiums likely to increase dramatically.

“On average it costs over £6,000 for a new driver to pass their test, buy a car and get insured – the last thing you want at that stage in your life is any extra expense. So make sure you do the right thing.”