0:00:02 > 0:00:04The A1, Britain's longest road.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09Stretching almost 400 miles from the City of London
0:00:09 > 0:00:11to the heart of the Scottish capital.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Connecting two nations and passing through 18 counties.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19It's an unrivalled highway
0:00:19 > 0:00:21used by hundreds of thousands of vehicles every day.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24We're going southbound down the A1
0:00:24 > 0:00:26on the northbound carriageway.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29But not all journeys go to plan.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35I thought, am I going to lose my life?
0:00:35 > 0:00:36Cars are coming close.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39It is a dangerous place to be.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Lives can hang in the balance.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43The rear end of that vehicle is unrecognisable.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45This is actually the bodywork of the car.
0:00:48 > 0:00:4924 hours a day...
0:00:49 > 0:00:51It's not a safe place here.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53..there's a team of people who keep us safe from harm -
0:00:55 > 0:00:56the police...
0:00:58 > 0:00:59..response teams...
0:00:59 > 0:01:03We don't know whether they've got the road closed and we don't know what's happened.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05..and traffic officers.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Keep going.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Keeping Britain's most iconic road...
0:01:11 > 0:01:13- Get out.- ..on the move.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Substantially damaged flat-bed truck in lane two.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21The A1, the monster that it is, will start to return to normal.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Coming up...
0:01:27 > 0:01:28a rush-hour crash...
0:01:28 > 0:01:30- HE COUGHS - Dear me.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34..leaves traffic officers hot under the collar.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38There is some smoke coming from inside the cabin.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Can we request fire to scene to check it out, over?
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Police take the high road in a crackdown on dangerous truckers.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Hand-held mobile device.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Had his phone in his left hand.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53And a bus breakdown sparks a major highway hold-up.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56My concern is that because there's so much oil and fluids inside the vehicle,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59when they lift it up to tow it off,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01that might spill out on to the road.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05At nearly 400 miles long,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08the A1 is Britain's longest and most iconic road.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13And problems can often occur when it meets with some of the country's
0:02:13 > 0:02:15other major routes.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17One such area is in South Yorkshire,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20where the A1 intersects with the M18.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24It's the morning rush-hour and as Highways England traffic officers
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Matt Gibson and Rob Larkin approach this crucial crossroads,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31it already appears trouble is brewing.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34At this point it's backing up on the roundabout,
0:02:34 > 0:02:35which isn't normal.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38So there's a possibility something has broken down somewhere.
0:02:40 > 0:02:451-3, we're on the roundabout, junction 35 A1(M).
0:02:45 > 0:02:47We believe there is a live lane breakdown.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48Go down the slip, Matt.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52What looked like a breakdown is in fact much more serious.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55Oh, it's an RTC.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00I can confirm it's RTC.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Car in lane one of the slip.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04LGV in lane one of the roundabout, over.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10There's been a collision between two cars.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14A Hyundai appears to have shunted a BMW into the middle of a roundabout
0:03:14 > 0:03:17that feeds on to the A1.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20The first priority for Matt and Rob
0:03:20 > 0:03:24is to assess whether the drivers are hurt.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25Is everyone OK?
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- Yes. Fine.- No injuries?
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- No.- Are you sure?- Yes.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31- Just shook up.- Just shook up.- OK.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34With the traffic ground to a halt and already backing up,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37they need to clear dangerous debris off the road.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43It's rush hour now. We've got traffic stopped.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47We intend to get it running as quick as we can.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Before the rush-hour commuters can get on their way,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53the damaged vehicles need to be moved to the hard shoulder.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55It won't start that, Rob.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57- Won't start?- No. We need to drag it in a minute.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00If they won't drive, they'll have to be towed.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04I'm just going to hook this vehicle up to ours, so we can drag you out
0:04:04 > 0:04:06of the live lane.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09But it appears there's a big problem with the BMW.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11HE COUGHS
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Cor - the smell coming out of this car.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18And Rob fears the worst.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Could be... Sometimes battery acid smells.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Could be that.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28An acid leak is a potential fire risk.
0:04:28 > 0:04:29THEY COUGH
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Add to that a jammed handbrake,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36and this shunt is turning into a challenging recovery
0:04:36 > 0:04:38for the traffic officers.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39It might be a tough drag, this.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41We'll do it.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58After just 15 minutes, they have managed to shift both vehicles.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02We'll get back over here and then we'll let traffic go.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06And with the road reopened,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09rush-hour commuters can head off to work.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14- Dear me.- But for Rob,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18the BMW is still a serious hazard and he's calling for urgent backup.
0:05:18 > 0:05:221-3, we've moved this vehicle on to the hard shoulder.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27There is some smoke coming from inside the cabin.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28We believe it might be the battery.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30With it being a BMW, the battery's in the back.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33It may have split. It is a very sulphury smell.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Can we request fire to scene to check it out, over?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41With huge tailbacks and vehicles passing close by,
0:05:41 > 0:05:45Rob is just hoping the fire brigade will arrive before the incident gets
0:05:45 > 0:05:47out of control.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58Hundreds of thousands of vehicles use the A1 every single day.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01But like all roads,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05it's affected by one of the scourges of modern-day Britain -
0:06:05 > 0:06:07drivers who are distracted behind the wheel.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Mobile phone calls,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13texting or even adjusting in-car controls
0:06:13 > 0:06:17can all lead to a momentary lapse in concentration,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19which can have disastrous results.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26And when lorries weighing up to 40 tonnes are involved,
0:06:26 > 0:06:28the consequences can be deadly.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34On the A1 in County Durham,
0:06:34 > 0:06:39police are on a mission to rid the road of dangerous truck drivers.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43And they have a secret weapon.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48It's an unmarked six-tonne lorry
0:06:48 > 0:06:52which will give them a bird's eye view into other HGV cabs.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58Riding high in the lorry are PCs Andy Edgar and Ian Stapeley...
0:06:58 > 0:07:01He's got his belt on.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05..while PC Neil Armstrong travels behind them, ready to pull over offenders.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Predominantly, we are targeting the heavy goods vehicles.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12You know,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15the vehicles that we ordinarily can't see into.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17In a police car there is only so much view,
0:07:17 > 0:07:23so with a HGV we now have a better scope on looking for seat belts,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25mobile phones.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28If we can educate drivers, casualties will be reduced.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34And within just minutes of arriving on the A1 in County Durham,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37the police team spot a lorry with a driver
0:07:37 > 0:07:39who has just one hand on the wheel.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42He's on his phone.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Yep, I'll have him.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Hand-held mobile device.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52Had his phone in his left hand.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58If he loses control playing with his phone in that,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01the damage it could do on a road like this, it could be horrendous.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Obviously you've realised why we've stopped you.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09We carried out an operation today
0:08:09 > 0:08:13using this vehicle, which is an unmarked police vehicle,
0:08:13 > 0:08:14and as we've come past you,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17you've got your phone in your hand, using it.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20In 2014, more than 16,000 drivers
0:08:20 > 0:08:24were convicted of using a mobile at the wheel
0:08:24 > 0:08:27and PC Neil Armstrong is quick to lay down the law.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Because you've committed an offence of using your mobile phone while
0:08:31 > 0:08:33driving, I have to caution you.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36OK? You don't have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you
0:08:36 > 0:08:39don't mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43Do you wish to give any explanation
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- as to why you've committed that offence?- No.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51The driver faces a £100 on-the-spot fine
0:08:51 > 0:08:53plus three points on his licence.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57You're going to be reported for the consideration of the question
0:08:57 > 0:09:00of prosecuting you for using a mobile phone while driving.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03So what's going to happen now, that will get submitted to the central
0:09:03 > 0:09:06ticket office. You do nothing now.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09You wait for the central ticket office to get in touch with you
0:09:09 > 0:09:11and make you what they call an offer.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- All right?- No worries. - Take care now.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17The fine and penalty points might not be the only worry for this driver.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23With some haulage firms operating a zero-points policy, it could mean
0:09:23 > 0:09:25he also loses his job.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31When drivers use their mobile phone,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34their attention is not being paid to the road.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39If you're travelling at 70mph, to hit another vehicle,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41you're talking major trauma.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44From his elevated position,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47it's easy for Ian to spot complacent or
0:09:47 > 0:09:50negligent HGV drivers.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51And it's not just mobile phones
0:09:51 > 0:09:55which are creating life-threatening situations.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57I don't think he's got his belt on.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Yes, yes, all received. Just behind him, Ian.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04Right, jump out.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08It's estimated that around a thousand drivers a day
0:10:08 > 0:10:11don't wear seat belts on this stretch of the A1.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18My colleague has already alluded to the fact we are on operation today.
0:10:18 > 0:10:19Not wearing your seat belt.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21It's all been captured on camera.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23What I propose to do is issue you with a non-endorsable
0:10:23 > 0:10:25fixed penalty ticket.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28It's not points, so you're not looking at your licence being endorsed but,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31obviously, it is a fine, the fine being £100.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32All right?
0:10:32 > 0:10:34My point of view,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36you're getting stung harsh, but please, yeah, belt on.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39- Belt on, we wouldn't be having this conversation.- Yeah.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41With hard evidence captured on Ian's camera...
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Watch how you go, take care.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47..the driver has no option but to accept the fine.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53The usual reaction you get when you stop a motorist that has committed
0:10:53 > 0:10:57offences, is just dazed and then usually, to be fair,
0:10:57 > 0:10:58probably gutted.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01We sort of, like, compound the fact when we tell them
0:11:01 > 0:11:04how much the fine is and that really upsets them.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08With six hours of their operation still to go,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Neil and the team are convinced they'll catch even more culprits.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17More than 50 miles north, near Newcastle,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20a hefty problem needs to be sorted out by the police.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28It's Friday rush hour, and A1 patrol officer PC Darren Lant
0:11:28 > 0:11:31is heading out to deal with a broken-down bus,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34which is blocking a lane of the busy southbound carriageway.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37I'm not quite sure what sort of bus, whether it's a single-decker
0:11:37 > 0:11:41or double-decker, whether it's got passengers on it, or...
0:11:41 > 0:11:44We're still waiting for that information coming forward.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47It's right at the start of the Easter break,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50and, with the road approaching one of its busiest times of the year,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54an incident like this will definitely create traffic trouble.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56SIREN WAILS
0:11:56 > 0:11:59It's my job to get there,
0:11:59 > 0:12:00and if there is anybody on the bus,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03just keep them on the bus and that's going to give them some protection.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Hopefully we'll get there nice and quick.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08The A1 here is a dual carriageway,
0:12:08 > 0:12:13so the breakdown is having a huge effect on traffic flow.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18This traffic here is the consequence of this bus breaking down.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20CAR HORN HONKS
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Look at all this traffic.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24We'll try and fight our way through here.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Darren's the first on the scene...
0:12:30 > 0:12:326-3-4, pulling up on scene.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35..and he's greeted by the driver of the stricken bus.
0:12:35 > 0:12:36Hello, sir!
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Yeah?
0:12:41 > 0:12:42OK.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48With his bus starting to overheat, and the lives of his passengers
0:12:48 > 0:12:52paramount, the bus driver has already got them to safety,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54away from the A1.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56So I saw some smoke coming off the oil,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58and I thought, if that's...
0:12:58 > 0:13:01If it was a hazard, like. if it was going to go up in flames...
0:13:01 > 0:13:03I got them off onto the grass verge
0:13:03 > 0:13:04in front of the bus, for safety reasons,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06and then I flagged another bus down.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09They weren't too bad, actually, and luckily there's buses coming
0:13:09 > 0:13:12past here every, sort of, minute or so.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16But while the passengers have all been safely evacuated,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19the bus itself still represents a major hazard
0:13:19 > 0:13:22for thousands of motorists making an Easter getaway.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27As well as Darren, his colleague Alan Keenleyside
0:13:27 > 0:13:29is now at the scene...
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Give us a run-down.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33..while highway officers are helping to make
0:13:33 > 0:13:36the area around the bus safe...
0:13:36 > 0:13:37All that's going to run out.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41..and soon it's clear this hulk of a vehicle is going to take
0:13:41 > 0:13:42some time to shift.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45So, right at the bottom there, almost behind the wheel,
0:13:45 > 0:13:46is part of what's called the prop shaft,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48which basically spins the wheels,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51and it's that that's flew up inside the engine compartment,
0:13:51 > 0:13:52and it's hit the oil sump,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and that's punctured, set the oil out,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and made the engine come to a complete stop.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00But because it's now unstable,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04simply towing the bus away isn't an option.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06There's something telling me, if the transmission's on
0:14:06 > 0:14:08the left side of this engine base, you can't...
0:14:08 > 0:14:10- You've got to leave it. - You've got to leave it, aye.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12So it's a left-mount leave, L for leave.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14We could end up causing more damage than it's worth,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17and I'm not being responsible for damage to that bus.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20With thousands of vehicles caught in miles of tailbacks, the breakdown's
0:14:20 > 0:14:24already causing traffic chaos,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27and unless they can stem the oil spillage soon,
0:14:27 > 0:14:31recovering the bus could lead to even bigger delays.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32The problem we might have is,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35because there's so much oil and fluids inside the vehicle,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37when they lift it up to tow it off,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39that might spill out on to the road.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42So we have the option of doing a reverse lift,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44where we have to close the A1,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46and take it north in the southbound lane.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49We don't know yet. We'll have to see.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54With holiday traffic already backing up for miles,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57closing the entire southbound carriageway would be
0:14:57 > 0:15:01a further nightmare for thousands of people already suffering
0:15:01 > 0:15:02at the start of their break.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04The recovery vehicle that we really need,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07like, now, is stuck in traffic,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09which is a direct result of the bus breaking down
0:15:09 > 0:15:12and the lane having to be closed.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14It's not very good when your recovery truck
0:15:14 > 0:15:16gets stuck in traffic.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21Finally, the potential saviour arrives under police escort,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24and Darren can only hope this escalating situation
0:15:24 > 0:15:26doesn't get any worse.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34In South Yorkshire, an accident close to where the A1
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and the M18 intersect is causing big delays.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Traffic officers Rob and Matt have moved two cars,
0:15:43 > 0:15:49which were blocking the road, allowing vehicles to get back on to the A1.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54As you can see, it's freed up again quite quickly, so that's the aim of the game.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57But now, they've got an incendiary issue to tackle.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58HE COUGHS
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Dear me.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04They suspect a battery damaged in the crash is leaking acid and
0:16:04 > 0:16:06could be a fire hazard.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08So they've called for help from the Fire Brigade.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12There's a really eggy smell coming out of the back of it.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15A choking, choking smell.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18So what we've done, we've asked for the Fire Brigade to attend.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20If it is the battery and it's split,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23they might put some neutraliser on it or something.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25But there's a chance, with it being electrical,
0:16:25 > 0:16:27it could cause a fire, so it's always better to have them
0:16:27 > 0:16:29come out just in case.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34They're here now. The Fire Service are coming.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38But there is confusion over where the fire engine should be coming to.
0:16:38 > 0:16:43- Where have they gone? - Up the M18 slip.
0:16:43 > 0:16:471-3, I believe Fire Service have maybe got the wrong location for this.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50They've gone by us and gone straight up the slip.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53After a short detour, the Fire Brigade have arrived.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58You all right?
0:16:58 > 0:17:01All it is, it's been hit up back and the car's full of smoke still inside.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03A really, really strong, like, toxic smell.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06We just thought we'd get it checked out because the smell was constant.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08It won't go away.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Access to the battery is via the boot,
0:17:12 > 0:17:17but the accident means it won't open. The smell is getting worse.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19So drastic measures are called for.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Aye-aye, the jaws of death are coming.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Rob and Matt were right.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40The battery is smoking and could have ignited at any point.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Well, basically, it's had a rear-end collision.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51The battery is in the rear on a BMW. It's been fuming off.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55So we just cut through the terminals and made it safe.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57With the danger averted,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Matt and Rob can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04The Fire Service have now left the scene. They've checked the car over.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07They've disconnected all the battery, it's all been declared safe.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10The lady's just been on the phone to BMW Assist,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and they're going to come out within the hour to recover this vehicle.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15So we're just going to stay on scene,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17make sure it's safe and protected, and then hopefully,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20we'll get it all clear and back and running shortly.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Over there, you can see we have had the contractors come.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32They've picked up the debris from the two vehicles where they crashed,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35and then obviously, we've got the recovery here.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38That's coming for this, and then it will be scene clear.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46With the recovery vehicle on its way,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Rob and Matt can head back to patrol
0:18:48 > 0:18:53this incident-filled stretch of the highway.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56It's not a bad outcome at all - really.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57No injury.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01The driver had arranged recovery through her insurance company.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03I think she's getting the train, isn't the?
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Yeah, they're going to take her to the car dealership
0:19:05 > 0:19:07and they're going to provide a taxi,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09then a train all the way back to Suffolk.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12So she doesn't have to travel by car back home today.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Yeah, she did say she didn't want to drive, didn't she?
0:19:14 > 0:19:16So, that's a good outcome.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26On the A1 in County Durham,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29the team targeting dangerous lorry drivers is nearly an hour and a half
0:19:29 > 0:19:32into its operation,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35using an unmarked HGV.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40The three officers are on the lookout for
0:19:40 > 0:19:41unsuspecting lorry drivers,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45who might think that their lofty position on the road puts them
0:19:45 > 0:19:48out of sight of regular police cars.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50But riding high in the police artic,
0:19:50 > 0:19:55it's not long before PC Ian Stapeley spots another offender.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56No belt.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57No belt.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Pulling over this pallet wagon.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01'Driver... No seat belt.'
0:20:01 > 0:20:04All received. We're just pulling him in now.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08But as the officers pull him over, they're in for a surprise.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11Sorry?
0:20:16 > 0:20:18When this vehicle was first put on the road,
0:20:18 > 0:20:20it didn't have seat belts fitted.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22so, because, as the law stands,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25if the vehicle wasn't fitted with seat belts at the time,
0:20:25 > 0:20:26then, under the Road Traffic Act,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29they don't need to actually have them.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32So, not very often you see a vehicle as old as this,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35so they're...they'll be on their way.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Never mind.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Andy and Ian are not just on the lookout for HGV drivers
0:20:46 > 0:20:48who are breaking the law,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52they have a bird's eye view of all traffic on the A1,
0:20:52 > 0:20:57and Ian's taking a closer look at a passing car transporter.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59- No belt.- Yep, no belt.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Yeah, there's a car transporter just behind us,
0:21:02 > 0:21:03one vehicle on the back of it,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06driver - no seat belt.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08This guy has, again, no seat belt,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10so main arterial route, speed limit 70,
0:21:10 > 0:21:15and although this bit of glass keeps you dry when it's raining,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18it's not going to protect you from hitting the tarmac
0:21:18 > 0:21:20if you're involved in a bad collision.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Safety is at the heart of the crackdown,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30and getting the right message across is one of the team's top priorities.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32- Is this your vehicle?- No, work.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35- Works van. Have you got any ID on you at all?- Yeah.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38- So, if you want to just come take a seat in my car, mate...- Yeah.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45So, any reason why you weren't wearing your seat belt?
0:21:49 > 0:21:50So you don't have an exemption?
0:21:57 > 0:22:00OK, there will be a fine involved
0:22:00 > 0:22:02as a result of not wearing your seat belt today.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- OK?- OK.- Seat belts will save lives,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08and that's the reason why we stop drivers
0:22:08 > 0:22:11and try and educate them into using that.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15It's an instant £100 on-the-spot fine for the driver,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18but this motorist is more interested in handing out
0:22:18 > 0:22:20safety advice to Neil.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Police officers are exempt from wearing seat belts
0:22:27 > 0:22:29while they have people in the vehicle,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31and we are exempt from wearing seat belts when we don't
0:22:31 > 0:22:33have people in the vehicle.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35And after a quick vehicle check...
0:22:35 > 0:22:38'I've checked, and recently it's been in our area.
0:22:38 > 0:22:39'Stand by, one.'
0:22:39 > 0:22:43..the driver's day is about to get even worse.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44Did they say it ain't got an MOT?
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Your MOT ran out, yeah.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50Unfortunately, because the MOT is out on the truck, erm,
0:22:50 > 0:22:54that's an offence, and I have to issue you with another one of these.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56If the MOT's out,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00then what's to say what faults are on that vehicle from the day it was
0:23:00 > 0:23:02tested, if you follow me?
0:23:02 > 0:23:04And that's your documentation, there.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Right, watch out over here. Watch how you go, kidder.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11£200 lighter, the driver's finally on his way.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14He's not had the best of starts to his day.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22You know, I do like meeting the public,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I do like making a difference.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27It sounds corny, but, you know, you do.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29You do make a difference, at times,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32and if these people who I've stopped today
0:23:32 > 0:23:34prevent the accidents tomorrow,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36you know, we just can't quantify it.
0:23:36 > 0:23:37You know, we won't know.
0:23:43 > 0:23:44In Northumberland,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46a broken-down bus is causing PC Darren Lant
0:23:46 > 0:23:49and thousands of Easter holiday-makers
0:23:49 > 0:23:52huge problems on the A1 at Seaton Burn.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00It's been blocking half of the carriageway for nearly an hour...
0:24:00 > 0:24:02I'm not praying, I'm just looking.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06..and congestion is so bad that the police helicopter has been sent up
0:24:06 > 0:24:10to keep others trying to begin their Easter getaway informed.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Basically, the helicopter's up, cos what that'll do is that
0:24:13 > 0:24:16videos us and puts the live images into the control room,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19so the supervisors in there can see what effect it's
0:24:19 > 0:24:21having on the traffic, and how far the traffic jam is,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23and then they'll come up with a strategic plan
0:24:23 > 0:24:25as to how they're going to deal with that.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29With a broken prop shaft and badly-leaking oil,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33the bus needs expert handling before it can be removed.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35You can't really tow a heavy goods vehicle
0:24:35 > 0:24:37when the prop shafts are engaged.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40You have to disengage them or take them out, so the vehicle will run
0:24:40 > 0:24:42freely, so that's basically what the guys are doing now -
0:24:42 > 0:24:46they're disengaging prop shafts, so the vehicle can move easily.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55And to Darren's relief, moving it won't mean dragging it backwards,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58which would have meant closing the whole of the southbound A1.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01The recovery lads have said that the easiest...
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Probably the best way to do it is just to lift the front up
0:25:03 > 0:25:05and take it with the flow of traffic.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07My concern is that when they do that,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10because the vehicle is lifted up, and all the fluids are at the front,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13are they going to drain out from the broken prop shaft
0:25:13 > 0:25:15where all the oil and fluids are?
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Is that going to drain on to the road?
0:25:19 > 0:25:21When it goes off, we're just going to, any second...
0:25:21 > 0:25:25It may cause a trail, but the Highways staff are behind.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27They'll sprinkle all that sawdust-type stuff,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29they'll sprinkle that and that'll soak that up.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Yeah, I think we're ready to go.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36With the recovery driver all set...
0:25:36 > 0:25:37I'm just going to go for it.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40..Darren takes up a watching brief behind.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42The bus is now all hooked up, erm,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46as a trailer to the recovery operator,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49and we're going to follow the truck back,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53being towed back to its depot in Ashington,
0:25:53 > 0:25:54which is a canny little drive away.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56That's a good 15 minutes away.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01But almost as soon as the bus sets off,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Darren's hopes for the recovery come to a grinding halt.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Strange.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12What's the matter? Is it leaking again?
0:26:12 > 0:26:13Aye. Yeah. The brakes have gone.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16It's all locked on.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17With the bus's brakes jammed,
0:26:17 > 0:26:22towing this 18-tonne monster is going to be impossible,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24and for traffic officer Peter Senior,
0:26:24 > 0:26:28that means his stretch of the A1 faces further delays.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Yeah, they managed to tow this bus approximately 50 metres,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34and they've had to stop again.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35The problem is...
0:26:35 > 0:26:38The initial problem with the bus, the prop shaft snapped,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41but apparently it's damaged one of the air lines
0:26:41 > 0:26:43and now the brakes have locked on.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45We've got to fit a bag under the bus now.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47He's trying to wind the brakes off manually,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49so hopefully it's not going to take too long,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51and we'll be able to get it moved over.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Oh, and we're off.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Yay. Here we go. We'll try again.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00HORN HONKS
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Hopefully, we've...the recovery staff have got it cracked,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08and they can get it safely recovered to the bus depot.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13Back on the move again,
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Darren and the recovery crew finally make it off the A1
0:27:17 > 0:27:21and nurse the stricken bus back to the depot for repairs.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Oh, well. Happy days.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29After dealing with two hours of traffic chaos
0:27:29 > 0:27:31caused by the bus breakdown,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34there's just one last job for Darren.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35We've rejoined the A1.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37We're going to have to check to make sure everything is OK,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39and, look, all gone. Beautiful.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Nice and clear. Just back to normal Friday rush-hour traffic.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51You would never think it was at a standstill half an hour ago.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00The driver stopped for using his mobile phone at the wheel
0:28:00 > 0:28:02was fined more than £130,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05and received three points on his licence,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08but a recent change in the law means those penalties
0:28:08 > 0:28:11have now doubled for new offenders,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14and the trucker who was found not to be wearing a seat belt
0:28:14 > 0:28:16was fined £100.