HGVs targeted in two-night operation following concerns raised by Christleton residents

Heavy goods vehicles travelling through the Christleton area of Chester came under the spotlight last week following concerns from the community.

Over recent months officers have been contacted by a number of residents regarding issues with HGVs travelling through the village on the A41.

Residents raised concerns that many of the vehicles were breaching the 30mph speed limit and driving in a dangerous manner.

They also noted a number of collisions involving HGVs which have recently occurred in the village.

To help address the concerns officers conducted a two-night operation – on Tuesday 5 February and Wednesday 6 February – specifically targeting HGVs.

Police Constable Steve Holland said: “The A41 is a busy road which is often used by lorry drivers travelling towards north Wales.

“In recent months a number of issues have been highlighted by the local community and it has become apparent that some of the drivers using this stretch of road have not been sticking to the speed limit or adhering to the laws in place, which is not acceptable.

“During this operation we conducted almost 20 stop checks on lorries, ensuring that all the vehicles were safe to drive and their drivers were complying with all UK laws.

“Of those we stopped, six people were found to have committed offences involving tachographs, which record the number of hours the driver has been behind the wheel, and one vehicle had defective breaks.”

In addition to the HGV stop checks, officers also identified 51 speeding motorists, including 18 HGV drivers. They will all be receiving fines through the post in the coming weeks.

Inspector Steve Griffiths, Head of Roads Policing Operations at Cheshire Constabulary, added: “This operation was a great initiative to help address issues raised by residents in Christleton and I hope that it reassures them that we are listening to their concerns.

“While the operation has concluded, this is not the end and I would like to assure the community that we are committed to doing all that we can to make Cheshire’s roads safer.”