North Wales Police target unsafe work vans with insecure loads on A55 and A483

North Wales Police have carried out a crackdown targeting unsafe work vans with insecure loads on the A55 and A483.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit took part in a safety operation on two of the region’s key routes on Tuesday, where mobile phone and seatbelt offences were also identified.

Several vehicles, the majority of them being work vans, were found with insecure loads, which included scaffolding poles, ladders, garden waste and machinery such as cement mixers.

One driver was initially stopped due to an insecure load but was later found to be driving whilst under the influence of cannabis and was driving without a licence or valid insurance. He was arrested and taken to police custody and his van was seized.

Several traffic offence reports were issued to drivers for a range of offences, including careless driving, excess speed and contravening a red traffic light.

PC Jon Bradshaw said: “We all want our roads to be safe as possible and we all want to go home safely at the end of the working day.

“Play your part by making sure that everything you carry is secured and the vehicles you load are safe and legal before you set off.

“Any item capable of being thrown from or bouncing out of a vehicle needs to be secured whatever vehicle it is being carried on, whether it’s a plastic bucket or wheelbarrow, steel beams or heavy plant equipment. Don’t rely on just its weight to hold it in place.

He added: “It is also disappointing that some drivers continue to use their phones behind the wheel, despite several high-profile campaigns and the government increasing the fine if caught.

“Road safety operations such as this are all part of our ongoing commitment to keeping the roads safe for all and we’ll continue to take action against those who commit offences on our roads.”