Fixed penalty notices worth £1,800 were issued to drivers as part of a police operation to improve road safety.

Police stopped 12 vehicles between Junction 18 and Membury Services on the M4 last week and issued notices to those driving vehicles in dangerous conditions.

The two-day road safety operation on September 19 and 20 saw Wiltshire Police working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and focused on the roadworthiness of vehicles and overloading.

These included HGVs, vehicles that require a movement order due to size and/or weight, and vehicles carrying goods such as vans, and including trailers and bike racks.

PC Alexandra Way, from Wiltshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “This operation was targeted at those who drive vehicles which are in a very poor or dangerous condition, as well as those who are carrying goods and may be overloaded or unsafe.

“It was quite shocking that we saw so many issues during the two days, with many of the vehicles that we stopped presenting a serious risk to other road users.

“It’s particularly concerning that so many of these motorists had little or no awareness about the danger they presented – especially given how often these types of vehicles are contributory factors to collisions.

“Hopefully, this two-day event has helped to educate drivers, raised awareness about the laws of the road, and made the roads of Wiltshire much safer.”