NEWS RELEASE

8 September 2014

More than 500 buses taken off the road in Europe-wide police safety operation

TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, co-ordinated a cross border operation recently (21-27 July 2014) which involved European buses travelling in 27 countries.

A total of 31,000 vehicles were controlled, resulting in the detection of 5,722 traffic offences and a further 112 crimes. The offences included 813 cases of exceeding the speed limit, 13 drink-drive detections, 1,094 seatbelt offences and 524 contraventions of tachograph regulations.

Included in the total of 112 crimes were 21 illegal immigration and human trafficking offences, 33 drug detections and 40 other crimes.

TISPOL Director Pasi Kemppainen said: "Most long-distance bus operators offer a safe and professional service for their customers. A few choose to flout the law, and in doing so are putting themselves, their passengers and other road users at risk.

"We use operations like this to locate them and deal with them in an appropriate manner, according to the law. This operation once again illustrates TISPOL's commitment to work with appropriate stakeholders to enhance the safety of European citizens."

ENDS

Notes for editors

More information from James Luckhurst, TISPOL Media Adviser (media @tispol.org, +44 7770 608153