CREDITON COURIER: ALAN QUICKON Tuesday, June 2, officers from the Mid Devon Neighbourhood teams, along with specialist police officers and partner agencies carried out a large road safety operation on the A377 near Half Moon.

Attending agencies included HM Revenue and Customs officers, who were checking road users were using correctly taxed fuels, Trading Standards and Animal Health officers were checking the safety and welfare of animals.

The Benefits Agency were also represented, ensuring that any employed persons were not also claiming inappropriate benefits.

PC Johnny Haynes, told the Courier: "The operation is aimed at safety education, not primarily enforcement.

"Our aim is to reduce the number of injuries caused on our roads by ensuring the standard of safety of vehicles is maintained.

"We invited partner agencies to maximise the efficiency of our operation. We all have to pay various taxes, and one of those taxes is on fuel.

"Driving a vehicle on the road with red diesel is allowed in only a few circumstances. Using red diesel otherwise is cheating our country, and all of us out of taxes.

"Likewise, so are people who are unlawfully claiming benefits that they are not entitled to because they are working. This is not acceptable.

"Trading Standards and Animal Health officers are generally unable to engage in people transporting livestock during a journey. They hold an invaluable role in ensuring that livestock are fit and healthy, and that their vehicles and trailers are of an acceptable condition, and that legally required documentation is correct.

"It is these kinds of checks that go a long way to preventing future outbreaks of diseases such as foot and mouth, and ensure that meat entering the human food chain is of standard.

"Overall today's operation has been a huge success. This is the second such operation we have conducted in Mid Devon this year, and we already have several more planned."

The operation saw a total of 60 vehicles stopped, ranging from private cars, taxis and vans to HGV lorries and agricultural tractors.

In total 38 vehicles were tested by HM Revenue and Customs, with two vehicles found to be illegally using red diesel. PC Haynes said these generated fines of £1,140. He said no offences at all were discovered in relation to livestock transport vehicles.

Police reported two drivers for offences of using a mobile telephone while driving and having a trailer in a dangerous condition.

PC Haynes added: "Other offences were dealt with by advice and education, with one van rectifying a defect on site before being allowed on its way.

"One vehicle was seized as it had no insurance, no MOT and no tax."

PC Haynes warned: "Using a mobile phone while driving is a serious offence. Even by simply picking it up to read a text, you are committing an offence.

"While you are reading that text, you are not concentrating on what is going on, and that causes collisions on our roads."

Further similar operations are due to take place across the Mid Devon police area.

Alan Quick