A CRACKDOWN is taking place on motorists in Denbighshire who could be putting lives at risk by overloading their vehicles.

Denbighshire County Council works closely with its partners from North Wales Police and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to raise awareness of the dangers around overloading vehicles.

But it is also carrying out random checks to see whether people are complying with the law.

Since September 2017, 338 vehicles have been weighed in Denbighshire.

Of these, 58 were reported for action and 30 written warnings were issued.

There were 14 verbal warnings or advice issued, with a number of other offences identified. These included the use of red diesel, no tax and insurance, no licence, unsafe loads, faulty tyres, faulty suspension, loose wheels and drug driving.

Cllr Tony Thomas, cabinet lead member for housing, regulation and the environment, said: “It’s all about making our roads safer, asking people to abide by the law and ultimately protecting people’s lives.

“Our random checks have found there are some individuals and businesses who comply with the regulations, but there are also those who flout the law by carrying goods in vehicles in excess of their weight limit and acting recklessly by needlessly putting lives at risk.

“We want to drive home the message that motorists should know their limitations, keep their vehicles in good working condition and in a roadworthy manner. Failure to do so can result in a prohibition notice and prosecution in some cases. That is how seriously we are taking the issue."

He added: "We would also urge businesses involved in haulage to ensure they have robust policies and training in place for their employees to ensure they understand what is expected of them.

“By working together, we can really make Denbighshire’s roads safer”.

PC Nick Power, of the commercial vehicle unit with North Wales Police, said the joint operations are "part of our ongoing commitment to keeping the roads safe for all and to provide a high visibility reassurance to our communities".

"We will continue to take action against drivers who commit offences on our roads," added PC Powell.