Op Tramline highlights ongoing mobile phone use among drivers

Police officers in North Wales stopped nearly 50 drivers as part of a continued effort to improve safety on some of the region’s busiest roads.

Officers from the Roads Crime Unit took part in Op Tramline, a national roads policing initiative which uses an unmarked heavy goods vehicle provided by National Highways. The specialist HGV unit is deployed by police forces across the UK to patrol key road networks, targeting all motorists, including commercial vehicle drivers.

The elevated position of the HGV cab gives trained officers a clear view into passing vehicles, allowing them to detect unsafe driving behaviour. Offences are captured on camera in real time and relayed to colleagues in marked and unmarked police vehicles, who them stop the drivers and deal with the offences accordingly.

Sergeant Danny Rees of the Roads Crime Unit said: “Officers identified just under 50 offences during their patrols including mobile phone use, failing to wear a seatbelt, insecure loads and driving without due care and attention – to name a few. One offence of note saw an individual with one foot on the dashboard, watching a film on their phone who veered in front of the unmarked HGV.

Keeping our roads safe remains a top priority for North Wales Police, and the number of offences identified demonstrates why proactive operations like this are so important.

“Using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt are both part of the ‘Fatal 5’ – the leading causes of serious and fatal collisions on our roads. Disappointingly, these were among the most common offences detected. Choosing to commit one of the Fatal 5 offences puts not only the driver at risk, but also other road users.

“This is not the first time we have deployed the Op Tramline HGV, and it will not be the last. We are grateful to National Highways for their continued support in providing the vehicle. Operations like this will continue to target those who put others at risk through dangerous driving. Please take this as a warning and think carefully about your actions behind the wheel.”

During the operation, a total of 49 offences were recorded, including:

• 22 drivers not wearing seatbelts
• 11 drivers using a mobile phone whilst driving
• 4 due care offences
• 4 insecure loads
• 3 construction and use offences

Notes:

• Op Tramline was conducted in December 2025 where 57 offences were uncovered, including driving whilst using a mobile phone, driving without a seatbelt and drug driving.

• Over several days in August 2025 last year, almost 90 offences were uncovered including driving whilst using a mobile phone, driving without a seatbelt and abnormal loads – which also led to other offences including no insurance and defective tyres
• In February 2026 the operation identified a further 48 similar offences.

Further information regarding Op Tramline is available via the National Highways website: Tackling dangerous driving behaviour - National Highways