Driver prosecution is a first in the North West

A motorist has become the first driver on the region’s motorways to be prosecuted after a complaint by Highways Agency Traffic Officers.

The man appeared at Tameside Magistrates’ Court in March and admitted driving under intermittent red crosses signifying a lane closure ahead.

He was travelling clockwise near junction 22 of the M60 between Oldham and Ashton at around 8.20pm on November 9. A patrol of Highways Agency Traffic Officers was carrying out a rolling road block to allow contractors ahead to safely cone off the outside lane for roadworks.

Staff at the HA’s North West Regional Control Centre at Newton-le-Willows had set a series of signs above the lane warning drivers to switch lanes and slow down as well as the red crosses warning of the lane closure ahead. However, the driver ignored these and was then reported by the Traffic Officers to Greater Manchester Police.

The driver was fined £60 and three penalty points were added to his driving licence at the magistrates’ court hearing in March.

Dave Ryder, Network Operations Manager for the North West Traffic Office Service, said, “This case will raise awareness of the powers of Highways Agency Traffic Officers and hopefully strongly influence drivers to observe the directions given by them when engaged in the direction of traffic and in the management of incidents.

“Traffic Officers’ duties include the setting of signs and signals and effecting closures and directing traffic in order to ensure the safety of the public, themselves and other roadworkers.

“Drivers therefore need to understand they run the risk of prosecution, which includes the imposition of penalty points on their licence, which could lead to a driving ban, should they fail to heed signs and or Traffic Officers’ instructions.”

Arthur Ashburner, Director of Traffic Operations North which runs the North West Traffic Officer Service, said, “In 2005 five roadworkers lost their lives on England’s major roads. All were caused through operatives being struck by third party vehicles. We also had 12 major injuries and a further 29 injuries causing absence from work for more than three days.

“We are totally committed to protecting personnel carrying out repairs and improvements or tackling incidents. Their work is vital to keep the motorways open and traffic moving but they cannot do that unless they are confident they can do so in a safe environment. They should not have to live in fear of drivers ignoring road signs.”