West Midlands Police Are On The Buses Targeting Drivers Using Mobiles

18 September 2018, 13:46 | Updated: 18 September 2018, 13:54

West Midlands Police are taking to the top deck of buses in Birmingham, in a bid to catch drivers using their mobile phones at the wheel, by looking down into the cars of unaware drivers.

Operation Top Deck is the first operation of it's kind in the UK. 

@WMPolice officers are targeting drivers who use their mobiles at the wheel. They’re sitting on the top deck of buses so they can look down into cars to catch offenders. They say 20 people have been caught today. Here’s PC Mark Hodson #HeartNews pic.twitter.com/Wqctdk8OTI

— West Mids News (@HeartWMidsNews) September 18, 2018

On Tuesday (18 September) morning they caught 20 people using their mobile phone, including one driver eating cereal out of a bowl with their hands not on the wheel. Officers also say they stopped a doctor, who was on their way to a speed awareness driving course.

As part of the operation, West Midlands Police, also want the public to help. They say they want to see any video evidence that's been captured by dashcam of drivers using their mobile phones.

The force's Road Harm Reduction Team ran a test operation in June on the A34 Walsall Road that resulted in 17 mobile phone offences being detected in the space of just over an hour.

Twelve of the drivers were prosecuted and handed £200 fines and six licence points while five - ones who were using devices while in stationary traffic - were given an on-the-spot education input on the dangers. Their details were taken and they face prosecution should they be caught a second time.

Other vehicles were seized as drivers didn't have the necessary documentation, one for having no MoT and three cars found to be in a dangerous mechanical condition.