West Mercia Police and Herefordshire Council carried out a joint operation in Leominster on Monday, involving livestock and agricultural vehicles.
From West Mercia Police:
“Monday 12th May saw Leominster safer neighbourhood team working in partnership with animal welfare and community protection officers from Herefordshire Council on Mill Street in Leominster.
“We set up two static areas, where we could stop any agricultural, livestock and possible waste carriers/rogue trader vehicles. Police checked for documentation of the vehicles and the drivers.
“Community protection team checked for trading offences and waste carriers licences.
“Animal welfare checked for passports of livestock, tags and welfare.
“Our aim, is to deter criminals using our rural roads for the transportation of stolen rural equipment, livestock and to identify any rogue traders.
“Rogue traders have a huge impact on our older vulnerable communities by charging an astronomical amount of money for poor work or they take the money and do no work at all.
“Most are around gardening/hedge/tree trimming, they often do a small amount of work to ‘look good’ but later fly tip all the cuttings, at a cost to the tax payer to clear up.
“We stopped and spoke to around 50 drivers, two were issued notices for defective tyres, one was issued notice for having no MOT and one vehicle was seized, as the driver only had a provisional licence (also, no insurance, or MOT).
“The vehicle that came to collect the driver of the seized vehicle, was then prohibited from going further, due to cord showing on the tyres, no working seatbelt and no reverse lights. The roads are a safer place without those two vehicles on it.
“On behalf of Leominster Safer Neighbourhood Team.”
