Van Driver Fined for Breaking Rolling Road Block

A van driver from Mossley has become the second driver in Tameside to be prosecuted for ignoring Highways Agency Traffic Officers’ directions, after breaking a rolling road block imposed by Traffic Officers on the M60. Derek Carley, aged 51, appeared at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on Monday (01/09/08) and admitted driving without reasonable consideration for other road users. He was fined £585 with three penalty points added to his driving license.

On Tuesday, August 28 2007, Traffic Officers put on a rolling road block to help colleagues recover a lorry strap from lane three of the M60, between junctions 22 and 23 near Ashton under Lyme. The Highways Agency’s Regional Control Centre at Newton-Le-Willows had already set advisory 50 mph signs to warn drivers of the danger.

The road block was breached almost immediately by a van driven by Mr Carley. The road block had to be abandoned, and safe recovery of the strap was delayed. Traffic Officers subsequently reported the registration of the vehicle to Greater Manchester Police, and the driver was summonsed.

The size of the fine, and the imposition of penalty points, reflect the seriousness and potential danger of this driver’s actions.

North West Divisional Director, David Grunwell, said: “We take the safety of our road workers and Traffic Officers very seriously. In this case two people working on the motorway, attempting to recover potentially dangerous debris were put at risk by a driver breaching a rolling road block. We hope today’s conviction will remind drivers that it is an offense to ignore the instructions of Traffic Officers.

“Traffic Officers have been introduced to cut congestion and improve motorway safety. Rolling road blocks are only ever used sparingly. In this case it was to enable the safe recovery of a lorry strap from the outside lane of a busy motorway. Lorry straps have large steel buckles which can cause drivers to brake or swerve to avoid them and can cause damage and injuries if struck by oncoming vehicles.

“We would like to thank Greater Manchester Police for pursuing this prosecution.”

Source: Highways Agency

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