NSW police have stopped almost 260 buses and coaches for compliance checks in one week
May 29, 2013
Buses and coaches were not forgotten during the first week of a police operation
aimed at
enforcing heavy vehicle compliance in New South Wales.
NSW Police and officers from the Roads and Maritime Services intercepted 257 coaches and buses for compliance checks from May 20 to May 26 as part of Operation Austrans, which will run in May and June.
In total, authorities stopped 11,400 heavy vehicles, including B-double trucks and road trains.
Police issued 79 infringements for speeding, 63 for not wearing seatbelts, 20 for using a mobile phone while driving, 164 for defects, and 627 for other offences.
RMS officers took action on 1,370 matters concerning various traffic offences including load restraint, vehicle mass, defects and registration.
But the majority of vehicles pulled over were compliant.
“Whilst the heavy vehicle transport is vital for the economy, it must be done safely for the benefit of all road users,” NSW Police Assistant Commissioner John Hartley says.
“Given the significant police presence on NSW roads, enforcement on all other vehicles has included 4,197 traffic related infringement notices, 2,908 for speeding, 180 for restraint offences and 404 charges for a range of other offences.”
Operation Austrans
is aimed at
heavy vehicle compliance and involves police and transport departments from Australia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation, NSW Police Transport Command arrested almost 60 people and laid more than 100 charges
on the state’s public transport network.
During Operation Javelin III, which
began April 15 and finished May 23, 102 charges were made against people for offences including drug possession, assault-resist-hinder police, goods in custody (GIC), assault, and possession of an illegal weapon.
Police also handed out 2,539 infringement notices issued for offences, including fare evasion.
According to police, the operation was a high visibility policing operation designed to minimise crime and anti-social behaviour, and increase passenger safety on the public transport network.
Police were deployed on foot, bikes and in plain clothes around major transport interchanges such as trains, buses, ferries and taxis.
Police Transport Command Commander, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell says police will continue to focus on public transport.
“The Police Transport Command will continue to focus its attention on catching and charging those who choose to break the law on the state’s public transport systems,” Mitchell says.