A covert sting removed three dangerous vehicles from Barking and Dagenham’s roads last week as part of a wider operation to keep road users safe.

“We’re on to you” is the message being sent out by the council to drivers of dangerous vehicles in the borough as a joint operation steps up its efforts to take unsafe vehicles off the roads.

A lorry driver carrying pallets of material not securely fastened to his vehicle was handed an immediate prohibition notice preventing the lorry from being used until the issue is resolved. He was also handed a £100 fixed penalty fine during the operation in Ripple Road, Barking.

Two further prohibition notices were handed out - one to a driver with a dangerously overweight van and another to a heavy goods vehicle driver whose tyres were damaged.

Four drivers were handed delayed prohibition notices, allowing their vehicle to continue to be driven provided the identified issues are resolved within ten days.

The operation is being carried out jointly by Barking and Dagenham Council, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Met Police. The operation was the fourth of its kind in recent weeks.

Councillor Laila Butt, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: “This sends out a clear message to dangerous drivers - we are on to you.

“We won’t stand for people who think they are above the law and this latest operation is yet another example of how the partnership is having a positive impact on the lives of people in our communities.”

Another driver was slapped with a fixed penalty fine for smoking in a commercial vehicle, while six others were fined for failing to display a “no-smoking” sign inside their commercial vehicle.

Graham Owen, senior enforcement manager at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, said: “Our priority is to protect you from unsafe drivers and vehicles.

“Insecure and overweight loads can cause tragic accidents and a few, simple checks would have told the drivers they were gambling with the lives of other road users.

“We won’t hesitate to take them off the road if they continue to ignore the laws that exist to protect us.”