Police hiding on bus catch 19 drivers on the phone in 90 minutes
More than a dozen drivers will be fined after being caught using their mobile phones at the wheel by police hiding on a nearby bus.
The covert operation saw officers filming unsuspecting motorists from the top of an out-of-service National Express bus in Great Barr.
In just 90 minutes the officers caught 19 drivers yesterday who will now receive a £200 fine and points.
Pc Mark Hodson explained: "We're on a bus, we've stopped at traffic and literally we've got officers, two upstairs, two downstairs, and we are looking for people using their mobile phones.
"What we'll do is we'll capture video evidence and then we'll ticket them later in the post.
"They will get their six points and £200 fine for the offence.
"It is a really effective way of us catching people, it is the easiest way of us doing it.
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"In two-and-a-half hours last time we caught 41 offenders.
"Lots of people are aware that we are doing it, it's a great public awareness, they'll go away and tell people, and it really is a case of if you're driving and you're around any bus in the West Midlands now you could be caught using your mobile phone so it's not worth doing.
"So turn it off, put it in your glove box and there won't be any issues."
Back in September 45 drivers were caught in the first three hours of the same covert operation – with one woman spotted eating cereal at the wheel.
Twitter users branded the operation, carried out on the Birmingham Road near the Scott Arms pub in Great Barr, a waste of police resources.
Bus Chief Constable Dave Thompson insisted it could save lives.
Police said the bus would continue to be used around the Black Country.
The force confirmed use of the bus did not cost it anything as National Express is a partner.
