Operation Verberate: Police catch dozens of speeding drivers on Lancashire’s motorways during week of action

Police carried out a dedicated week of action last week – codenamed Operation Verberate – to tackle dangerous driving on Lancashire’s motorways.

During the operation, officers said they heard some amazing excuses for why people were speeding, including:

- “I need to buy some holiday clothes and I don’t have much spare time,” said a driver who was caught reaching speeds of over 90mph on the M61 in his one-year-old black Audi.

- “I forgot my security pass. I need to be quick because my flight has been delayed while I go home for it,” said an air hostess who was a passenger in a Vauxhall that was spotted reaching speeds of 95mph on the M61.

- “I’ve got to get to south Manchester for 2pm to meet a builder,” said the driver of a white BMW who was caught at 92mph in busy traffic on the M61 at 2pm.

- “Just let me off this once?,” said by an uninsured driver of a grey Mercedes who was driving at 105mph on the M61.

Police also stopped a number of people who were on their mobile phones at the wheel – including one HGV driver – as well as people driving without insurance or a seatbelt.

All of the drivers stopped were either issued a traffic offence report or summonsed to court.

Chief Insp Matt Wilmott, of Lancashire Police’s TacOps team, said: “You told us you see too many speeding drivers on the M55, M6 and M61, so we acted on that intelligence with a week of robust activity.

“Over the last seven days there have been dedicated patrols in both marked and unmarked cars patrolling the motorways and stopping those breaking the law.

“Speeding is one of the ‘fatal five’ causes of death and serious injury on the roads and as always we want to reiterate that the speed limit is there for a reason.

“If you break the law you are putting your own and other peoples’ lives in danger and it is never, ever worth it.

“Though the week of surge activity is over we will continue to patrol all the county’s motorways, including making use of our unmarked cars, and we will stop and deal with all of those people who think the law doesn’t apply to them.”

Anybody with concerns about dangerous driving in their area can call 101 or by report it online by clicking HERE.