17 Nov #Thurrock: Drivers reminded to make sure MOT is valid or face fine
Road policing officers are reminding drivers to make sure their MOT is valid after more than 30 drivers were fined during a road safety operation in Thurrock yesterday (Tuesday, November 15, 2016).
Thirty-four people were found to be driving vehicles without valid MOTs during the Surround a Town operation to detect offenders using the roads and increase road safety.
Officers from the Casualty Reduction Unit teamed up with the Safer Essex Roads Partnership, Thurrock Council, Essex County Council and the HMRC to identify suspect vehicles with the help of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.
The vehicles were then intercepted by police motorcyclists and taken to a stop-check site in Lodge Lane, Grays.
All of the drivers found not to have valid MOTs were handed a £100 fixed penalty notice.
During the operation, a 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drug driving at Lodge Lane, Grays at around 10.50am. Officers initially stopped the car in which he was travelling when they spotted he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was using a mobile phone behind the wheel. He has been released on bail pending further investigation until January 14, 2017.
A number of traffic offences were also detected. Ten drivers were dealt with for failing to wear a seatbelt and six for using a mobile phone behind the wheel.
Four vehicles were seized because their drivers didn’t have appropriate insurance and two drivers were found to be driving otherwise than in accordance with the terms of their licence.
Three drivers, two motorcyclists and one car driver, were dealt with for careless driving and two others were stopped for not being in proper control of their vehicle.
Eighteen speeding offences were detected in nearby Devonshire Road.
Sgt David Rudd from the Casualty Reduction Unit said: “The number of MOT offences detected yesterday is quite staggering and inexcusable.
“MOTs are extremely important as they help to ensure that your vehicle is in a road worthy condition thereby ensuring the safety of a vehicle not just for the driver but for their passengers and other road users.
It is the responsibility of the driver at the time of use and not just the owner to ensure the MOT is valid.“Unfortunately many people fail to realise that their MOT has expired so please remember to check when your vehicle’s MOT is next due. You could always put a reminder in your phone to alert you or many MOT testing stations will send you a reminder for a small fee. “
