Police stop more than 20 vehicles in Wolverhampton road safety crackdown

More than 20 vehicles were stopped by police during a multi-agency road safety operation in Wolverhampton on Tuesday, 27 January, as part of a national enforcement campaign focusing on light commercial vehicles.

Local neighbourhood officers joined the force’s Road Harm Prevention Team for the operation, which was based off Springvale Way in Bilston. They were supported by partners including the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Wolverhampton Council’s licensing officers.

During the checks, officers stopped 24 vehicles they suspected were dangerous or being driven illegally, including 10 vans and small lorries. Eight vehicles were seized for a range of offences, such as having no valid tax, and one driver was arrested for driving while disqualified.

Another driver was arrested after officers recovered an offensive weapon — a friction-lock baton — from the footwell of a vehicle that was uninsured and towing a trailer carrying another car.

In total, 13 drivers were issued with traffic tickets. The most common offences identified during the operation included drivers using mobile phones at the wheel, not wearing seatbelts, vehicles with windows too dark to see through, overloaded vehicles, and motorists driving while banned, uninsured or untaxed.

Police say road safety operations like this are carried out regularly across Wolverhampton and the wider West Midlands. They are aimed at preventing collisions and saving lives, as unsafe vehicles and careless driving can lead to serious injuries or fatalities.