Case Study :
Operation Tramline
Overview of the approach
One safety initiative which developed out of the need
to provide an effective deterrent to a hard-to-reach group is Operation Tramline . This approach uses three unmarked HGV lorry cabs ( supplied by Highways England ) to allow roads policing officers to see into the cabs of HGVs , and to record offences via video cameras . The recorded offences are then used to support officers in their subsequent interaction with offenders at the roadside , where the action leads to prosecution or education . Without this raised viewpoint , HGV drivers were , effectively , immune from most enforcement efforts . The officers in the cabs are not restricted to identifying offending behaviour by HGV drivers , but Tramline gives officers the ability to police that group of drivers alongside other drivers on the Strategic Road Network ( SRN ).
The three cabs are borrowed by forces who then use them as they wish to patrol the SRN and to respond to instances of distracted driving , including mobile phone use .
If you are employed by a force that is interested in using the Tramline cabs , contact Incident . Prevention @ highwaysengland . co . uk for more information .
Mobile : Engaged contribution
Knowledge exchange
As part of the Mobile : Engaged project we met both the people responsible for Operation Tramline at the centre ( within Highways England ), and some local RPU officers who were engaged with using Tramline at a local level . Our suggestions are therefore based on both conversations , and this approach gave us an opportunity to have input on the broader policy and the specific issues associated with police use .
A visible deterrent The Tramline cabs are designed to be used overtly to act as a deterrent , and their use ( and the reason for their use ) is therefore promoted by Highways England . This approach is , first and foremost , a safety initiative and is widely publicised . Highways England encourage forces to use the cabs for engagement and awareness events whenever they are not in use operationally . Some aspects of media coverage have tried to imply that the cabs
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