Drivers carrying 'hazardous materials' targeted in police crackdown including 'acid leak' incident

Cheshire Police has issued an urgent warning to drivers carrying dangerous goods after a campaign targeting motorists with hazardous materials uncovered multiple issues.

The Commercial Vehicle Unit of Cheshire Police has taken part in the nationwide Operation Chemical to assess that drivers with particular substances in their vehicles are being safe.

Operation Chemical, which ran between May 5 and May 22, was launched to oversee vehicles transporting substances that could pose a serious risk to the public.

The operation was overseen by partners from the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Practitioners Forum (CDGPF) to monitor the safety of goods drivers.

As part of the operation, officers stopped numerous transportation units and checked the cargo, drivers and companies against compliance and safety regulations.

Around three-quarters of the 15 vehicles checked were found to be in breach of safety regulations, potentially posing a serious risk to other road users and themselves.

One inspection in Sandbach saw a Spanish-registered heavy goods vehicle carrying a "large quantity of dangerous goods" from Manchester to Spain.

Officers found that the driver hadn't received any training on how to transport the goods safely before embarking on the journey.

To the surprise of officers, the driver did not hold a licence to operate the vehicle while carrying the dangerous goods.

As a result, officers prohibited the motorist from continuing his journey to Spain.

Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor Police Constable Aiden Sharrock, of the Commercial Goods Unit, said it was "very alarming" to see how many drivers were breaking rules.

He emphasised how the regulations in place are designed to protect motorists and the public, especially since they are carrying hazardous materials.

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Another incident saw officers attend the scene on the A556 in Davenham, east of Chester, after it received reports of an "acid leak".

The vehicle displayed signage indicating that volatile substances were being carried, prompting a large-scale emergency response to the scene.

Despite this, it was quickly found that the vehicle was not leaking acid, but rather that its fuel tank had ruptured.

Diesel had actually spread on the carriageway, with the driver claiming to have forgotten to remove the signage from a previous delivery.

This made the large-scale emergency service presence unnecessary and could have avoided local residents from being disrupted.

Constable Sharrock maintained that the Commercial Vehicle Unit would continue to do everything it could to protect hauliers and the public.

He added: "It is for exactly this reason that the Commercial Goods Unit, which has recently celebrated its first anniversary of operations in Cheshire, conducts deployments such as this to ensure those operating on our roads are doing so safely - and taking action against those who do not.

"This operation should make one thing clear: we will act, without hesitation, against anyone who chooses to ignore road laws and put others at risk."