Police issue fines in operation targeting buses

Devon & Cornwall Police uncovered 20 offences by passenger vehicles in the first week of May

Police have uncovered "numerous safety issues" after an operation targeting large passenger vehicles in Devon and Cornwall.

Police said they targeted buses, coaches, minibuses and private vehicles in the first week of May and identified 20 offences.

Five fixed penalty notices were issued for offences around driver's hours, six delayed prohibitions were given for engine faults and tachograph offences, and two warnings were given for seatbelt misuse, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Officers were based at the Moto Services in Exeter and they conducted checks on 27 vehicles, police said.

'Incredible damage'

Ch Insp Simon Jenkinson, from the Alliance Roads Policing team, said road safety was "a shared responsibility between all road users".

"It’s vital these large vehicles – which are capable of incredible damage - are driven in accordance with the law and kept in a good roadworthy state for the sake of the drivers, passengers and all other road users," he said.

"We will be conducting similar operations throughout the year so I would urge any operators of such vehicles to make sure they are compliant."

Natalie Warr, from Vision Zero South West road safety partnership, added: "Everyone has a role to play when it comes to road safety, not least those using the roads in a commercial capacity and carrying numerous passengers.

“As a partnership we are committed to reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Devon and Cornwall’s roads."

Other issues identified by police included one report of no insurance, one warning for tinted window offences, one prohibition notice for no tachograph, index plates or ring guards, one report for two bald tyres and two reports for tachograph offences.