Police officers hide in buses to catch drivers using their phones

Police have caught unsuspecting motorists using their phones after hiding in double-decker buses.

Officers sat upstairs and waited for drivers to use their devices during "Operation Decker" in Bournemouth and Poole on Thursday.

Dorset Police’s Road Casualty Reduction and No Excuse teams caught 12 drivers on their phones.

Officers observed driver behaviour and reported it through radio to unmarked police vehicles, who then issued any relevant tickets or educational courses.

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Sergeant Lee Savage, of the Dorset Police No Excuse Team, said, “This has been a really successful operation for us with 12 drivers found to be using their mobile phone at the wheel – 10 of these were within the first hour of the operation.

“A further 13 offences were detected including driving with no insurance, a licence, valid MOT, or tax.

“Sadly, our officers regularly see the devastating consequences of being distracted at the wheel and I would urge all motorists to do the right thing and put their phone away whilst in the car.”

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David Squire, Yellow Buses Managing Director, added: “We are delighted to have worked with colleagues from Dorset Police on this project, as a local company, we are proud of the work we do in the local community and this is another example, in this case targeting road safety to make sure our roads are safe for everyone”.

Motorists could be fined £200 and hit with six penalty points on their licence if caught using their phone while driving.

Operation Decker took place during the National Police Chiefs' Council mobile phone week of action.