Scores of motorists were stopped during the checks carried out by police and other enforcement agencies on the A49 and A41 at Prees Heath near Whitchurch.

Road safety was another key issue for the organisations in an area where several motorists have been killed or seriously injured during recent years.

Police Collision Investigator, PC Nik Stafford, who was one of the organisers, said: “The four-hour operation last Wednesday went very well with the majority of road users appreciating the purpose of the exercise.

“With regard to road safety, the A41/A49 is a target route for the police where we spend time to try to reduce the number of casualties.”

He said other organisations involved included the DVLA, the Safer Roads Partnership, the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (VOSA), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Shropshire Trading Standards and the British Transport Police.

Twenty six motorists were reported for speeding, four vehicles were found to be in a dangerous condition, two had no insurance and three were seized for being untaxed. Other offences were no driving licence, tachograph prohibitions and various vehicle defects.

Trading Standards conducted 20 checks on trader’s vehicles to make sure they were genuine operators, three scrap metal vehicles were examined and one light goods vehicle seized for a diesel offence.

PC Stafford added: “Members of West Mercia Police Force Operations Support Team frequently carry out road checks, often with our partner agencies, seeking to disrupt travelling criminals and to stop drivers who compromise the safety of other road users.”

Anna Higgins, Communications Manager at the Safer Roads Partnership said “We have received concerns in the past about the speed of some vehicles using the A49 and A41 in the Whitchurch area so we were very keen to support West Mercia Police in this operation by providing speed detection equipment.

“Police officers were then able to issue graduated fixed penalty notices and process on-the-spot roadside fines to motorists – including drivers of foreign vehicles – for speeding and other motoring offences.

“It sends a clear message out to drivers to comply with the speed limit. We will continue to work with our partners to improve road safety and reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.”