National HGV road safety project ‘Operation Tramline’

Since 2015, National Highways has been collaborating with the Police at a national level to target dangerously driven commercial vehicles, other high sided vehicles and private cars to improve compliance and to reduce the number of incidents caused by unsafe driver behaviour.

Three plain white HGV tractor units, equipped with multiple cameras and piloted by highly trained police drivers, patrol the strategic road network, capturing distracted HGV drivers and private motorists using mobile phones, laptops, reading/cooking or other unsafe activities.

The elevated position of the HGV cabs allows police forces to drive alongside vehicles to film any unsafe driver behaviour taking place. Since the initiative began Operation Tramline has stopped over 32,000 vehicles resulting in more than 35,000 offences.

Top three offences detected through Operation Tramline are:

Mobile phone use

Seat belt offences

Driver not in proper control

Stand out examples of poor driving behaviour

HGV driver caught steering with his knees whilst eating lunch from his lap and using a phone.

Driver, with both hands off the wheel, watching video of how to rescue someone from a kayak.

3.5 tonne flatbed truck weighing 5.3 tonnes and travelling at 85mph on the motorway.

HGV driver eating pickled gherkins from a jar using a fork with elbows on the steering wheel.

HGV driver reading a book while driving.

3 lorry drivers from same company caught using their phones during the same week.

Where are the Tramline cabs in 2024?

Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
01/01/2024
08/01/2024
15/01/2024
22/01/2024 Lincs
29/01/2024 Derbyshire
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
05/02/2024 Cheshire  Northants
12/02/2024 Cleveland  Staffs  Essex
19/02/2024 Northumbria  West Mercia  Wiltshire
27/02/2024 South Yorkshire  CMPG  Surrey & Sussex
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
04/03/2024 South Yorkshire Derbyshire South Wales
11/03/2024 North Yorkshire Derbyshire Kent
18/03/2024 West Yorkshire Space Centre, Leicester Norfolk
25/03/2024 Merseyside Leicestershire
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
01/04/2024 Humberside Northants
08/04/2024 Cumbria Staffordshire  D and C
15/04/2024 Northumbria West Mercia Norfolk
22/04/2024 Durham CVIPT
29/04/2024 GMP Warks Suffolk
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
06/05/2024 West Yorkshire Thames Valley Police Avon and Somerset
13/05/2024 South Yorkshire Lincs South Wales
20/05/2024 North Yorkshire CMPG Essex
27/05/2024 Cleveland West Mercia Dorset
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
03/06/2024 Cumbria CMPG Norfolk
10/06/2024 Humberside Derbyshire Surrey & Sussex
17/06/2024 Northumbria Leicestershire Wiltshire
24/06/2024  Cleveland Northants Avon and Somerset
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
01/07/2024 Durham Essex
08/07/2024 Lancs Lincs Wiltshire
15/07/2024 South Yorkshire CMPG South Wales
22/07/2024 West Yorkshire Avon and Somerset
29/07/2024 Humberside Gwent Devon and Cornwall
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
05/08/2024 Greater Manchester Staffs Suffolk
12/08/2024 Cumbria West Mercia Surrey & Sussex
19/08/2024 North Yorkshire Northants
26/08/2024 Durham Leicestershire Avon and Somerset
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
02/09/2024 West Yorkshire Lincs South Wales
09/09/2024 South Yorkshire West Mercia Wiltshire
16/09/2024 Cheshire Warks Surrey & Sussex
23/09/2024 Greater Manchester Derbyshire Norfolk
30/09/2024 Northumbria Kent
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
07/10/2024 Cleveland Essex
14/10/2024 Durham Gwent
21/10/2024 North Yorkshire CMPG Norfolk
28/10/2024 Greater Manchester Warks Suffolk
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
04/11/2024 South Yorkshire Derbyshire South Wales
11/11/2024 Cheshire Staffs Surrey and Sussex
18/11/2024 West Yorkshire Leics Devon and Cornwall
25/11/2024 Northumbria Lincolnshire Avon and Somerset
Week commencing NORTH MIDLANDS SOUTH
02/12/2024 Durham Thames Valley Wiltshire
09/12/2024 North Yorkshire Northants Essex
16/12/2024
23/12/2024

*CMPG = Central Motorway Patrol Group