POLICE have spoken of their 'disappointment' at drivers' behaviour after mounting a traffic operation across the region.

The essex force's Commercial Vehicle Unit tackled road safety in an operation that saw 97 drivers reported for a variety of offences

As part of Operation Tramline, the unit used a supercab to identify unsafe and distracting driver behaviour on the major routes across the county. 

The supercab was provided by National Highways between 10-14 July as part of a national project which aims to reduce collisions and incidents, and improve safety, journey time and reliability on major roads.

Over the four-day period, 114 vehicles were stopped across Essex, and 97 drivers were reported for a variety of offences focussing on major roads such as the M11, M25, A12 and A13.

The height of the supercab allows an officer to look into larger vehicles to observe distracting behaviours such as mobile phone use. Once a behaviour or cause for concern is spotted, the vehicle is stopped, and the driver spoken to about the offence.

A statement says: "Disappointingly, mobile phone usage and seatbelt offences remain high and the Commercial Vehicle Unit remind drivers of their responsibilities to look after themselves and uphold the law. 

Offences during the four-day period included:

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• • 22 mobile phone offences
• • 30 seatbelt offences
• • 2 speeding 
• • 5 no insurance
• • 12 driving without due care or consideration
• • 4 insecure loads
• • 5 stopping on hard shoulders

"Operation Tramline supports Operation Vision Zero, our ambition to have no read deaths in Essex by 2040 or sooner."