Officers from the Thames Valley Road Policing team have cracked down on mobile phone use and driving offences during a sting operation on the M25 this month.

The patrols took place between November 7 and November 11 where a lorry was used to track drivers in breach of a variety of driving offences.

During this operation 258 separate offences were identified, and 165 vehicles were stopped.

According to police the majority of offences were dealt with by ticket, with fines reaching as high as £200 for using your phone whilst driving.

Police Sergeant Paul Diamond in charge of the Thames Valley element of the operation and part of the Joint Operations Commercial Vehicle Unit, said: “Distracted and inconsiderate driving has been shown as responsible for a significant number of incidents on the motorway network causing congestion, injuries and death.

“Thames Valley Roads Policing Department are committed to reducing casualties from these unnecessary incidents and in prosecuting drivers pro-actively before their actions injure others on the road.”

This operation was in partnership with National Highways, partner forces, HTC Reading who provided technical support and Event Technology Group who provided the lorry.

Both companies delivered support at no cost to the taxpayer so that Thames Valley Police could continue to deliver the message - ‘we can’t be everywhere but we could be everywhere’.

Sergeant Diamond added: “We will be using other forms of covert vehicle in the near future. Drivers using the M25 can be reassured that we will do all we can to prosecute those that put them at risk as they travel.”