Operation Wheeled Respect Returns to Gloucestershire Roads

A moment of distraction, a lapse in judgement or a decision that seems minor at the time can have serious consequences and put lives at risk.

This autumn, Gloucestershire Constabulary, supported by the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership, relaunched Operation Wheeled Respect, a roadside education initiative designed to prevent future harm by encouraging drivers to reflect on their behaviour and make safer choices.

The initiative took place on Saturday (24 October) in Gloucester. It was delivered in partnership with the Police, the OPCC, the Motor Insurers' Bureau, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service and National Highways, with each organisation providing valuable insight into the real-life consequences of dangerous driving and the importance of road safety.

For certain offences, eligible motorists were offered the opportunity to take part in an educational intervention instead of receiving an immediate fixed penalty notice and penalty points. The offence is not ignored; rather, it becomes an opportunity for drivers to understand the potential consequences of their actions and reduce the likelihood of repeating the behaviour.

Some of the engagements that took place included:

• 28 x Speed Educational Attendances
• 11 x Mobile Phone Educational Attendances
• 2 x Seat Belt Educational Attendances
• 2 x Non-Road Legal Tyres – Driver sent to garages, tyres replaced and receipts produced
• 3 x Non-Road Legal Tyres – Drivers replaced with Spare wheel at roadside (safe location)
• 18 x Vehicle Defects dealt with (Lights)
• 15 x Blue Light compliant stop checks   
• 2 x Window Tints removed following Tintman checks
• 1 x Trailer with Insecure Load
• 2 x No Insurance
• 1 x Disqualified Driver reported (made to walk home in the rain)
• 2 x Illegal use Trade Plates
• 1 x Failure to display number plate
• 1 x Child not in Booster Seat

The operation mainly focuses on three of the Fatal Four behaviours known to contribute to death and serious injury on Gloucestershire's roads, including:

• Speeding
• Mobile phone use while driving
• Failing to wear a seatbelt

While enforcement activity is sometimes viewed solely through the lens of fines and penalties, it plays a crucial role in preventing harm. Enforcement is targeted at locations and behaviours where evidence shows the greatest risk to road users, with the primary objective of encouraging safer behaviour and reducing the likelihood of collisions.

The operation will be informed by collision data, intelligence, Community Speed Watch schemes and concerns raised by local communities, helping partners target activity where it can have the greatest impact and make Gloucestershire's roads safer for everyone.

Nick Evans, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner and Chair of the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership, said: “Operation Wheeled Respect is about using enforcement as a point of prevention, not simply punishment.

"Most people do not set out to drive dangerously, but a poor decision behind the wheel can have consequences that last a lifetime. Everyone deserves to feel safe on our county’s roads.

"This operation gives people the opportunity to understand the risks they are taking, and imposing on others, and change their behaviour before someone is seriously hurt.

"This is not a soft option. It is a practical one. The aim is to prevent collisions and save lives.”

Inspector Martyn Murawa from Gloucestershire Constabulary added: “This was an opportunity for officers from the Special Constabulary, Specialist Operations Unit and our Neighbourhood teams to work with the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership to educate drivers and improve road safety.

“27 people have lost their lives on the county’s roads so far this year (2026) and many more have been seriously injured.

"A large percentage of these collisions will be because of someone committing at least one of the "fatal four" causes of collisions or not giving their full attention to the road.

“We hope that rolling this operation out around the county will allow us to promote road safety, dispel some myths and ultimately reduce the number of collisions in Gloucestershire."

By bringing together police officers, road safety professionals, emergency services and community volunteers, Operation Wheeled Respect connects enforcement with education and prevention.