West Mids Police Use Top Bus Deck To Catch Drivers Using Mobiles

18 September 2018, 13:36 | Updated: 18 September 2018, 13:53

West Midlands Police are taking to the top deck of buses in the region, 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. 

Ever use your phone while driving? Well @WMPolice have taken to the top deck of buses in Birmingham so they can catch drivers out by looking down into their car. Officers caught 20 people this morning. PC Mark Hodson spoke to us #CapitalReports pic.twitter.com/b8NXSugFbc

— Capital Brum News (@CapitalBIRNews) 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.  

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.