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School buses checked for safety in Ashbourne.

A number of school buses in Ashbourne have been checked as part of a police and partnership road safety operation. Operation Safedrive took place on Friday, September 23 and a team of police officers, PCSOs and officers from CREST (Casualty Reduction and Enforcement Support Team), VOSA (Vehicle Operator Services Agency) and Derbyshire County Council started the day at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School. The team examined over 15 buses and coaches to check the condition and safety of the vehicles bringing children to school. During the checks two buses were found with defects which needed to be fixed as soon as possible and one bus had to be towed back to the depot for immediate repairs after officers found two wheel nuts which had sheared off.

Vehicle Checks

They then moved on to Ashbourne Fire Station where the team were joined by the DVLA and a fire safety officer to carry out checks on passing vehicles. A mixture of warnings, notices and fixed penalty notices were issued to:
• 6 drivers for using their mobile phone while driving
• 3 drivers for having tyre defects
• 2 for number plate offences
• 1 driver for not being in proper control of the vehicle
• 1 for not having a valid MOT
• 28 drivers were stopped for not wearing a seatbelt;
these drivers  were also given advice and shown photographs taken by the fire service of cases where people a seatbelt.

In addition, VOSA issued:

• 5 immediate and 2 delayed prohibition notices,
these are given to drivers for defects on vehicles which seriously affect their roadworthiness. The owners then have to have their vehicle inspected at an MOT centre before they can legally drive on the public highway.

The DVLA also brought their camera car and a total of 3018 cars passed through, and seven were found not to have road tax.