News

30/06/2023

Operation Utah – a multi-agency day of action – is designed to identify and tackle road users putting other motorists at risk – either by driving illegally or by driving vehicles not up to a safe standard.

The road safety operation took place on Tuesday 27 June at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) weighbridge and test site at Newport’s Coldra roundabout.

Officers from the Gwent Police roads policing unit teamed up with partners from the DVSA and GoSafe.

Throughout the course of the day, the operation saw:

  • One man arrested on suspicion of drug driving – a second man was arrested on suspicion of coercive and controlling behaviour in connection with a separate incident.
  • Nine traffic offence reports (TORs) issued; two for not wearing a seatbelt, one for using a mobile phone at the wheel, two for non-compliant licence plates and four for bald/damaged tyres.
  • One vehicle seized for anti-social driving
  • GoSafe recorded 24 motorists driving above the speed limit
  • DVSA issued 27 drivers with roadworthiness prohibitions
  • Six HGV drivers received drivers’ hours prohibitions
  • One HGV vehicle was prohibited for no operation licence while another received a prohibition for no tachograph
  • One vehicle was prohibited for being overweight.

PC Solomon Lowe said:

“We’re committed to increasing the safety of all road users in Gwent and Operation Utah is one of the ways we enforce road safety and tackle motoring offences. I hope the results from this operation send a clear message that driving is a privilege and those not maintaining the condition of their vehicle or driving responsibility is unacceptable and will dealt with robustly.

“I would like to thank our partners for working with us on this operation to make the roads in our communities as safe as possible.

“We all have a role to play in ensuring the safety of other road users – I would urge all motorists to drive carefully, responsibly and within the limits of the law and to ensure their vehicles are well-maintained at all times.”