The Motorway Cops: Catching Britain's Speeders

In Gateshead a child has been knocked off his bike by a car outside a school. Sergeant Dave Roberts picks up the call and races to the scene. The boy is complaining of hip pain but the wait time for an ambulance is three hours. Police medics assess the boy, and they are worried about the level of his injuries. Time is against Dave as he tries to look after the child and get to the bottom of how the accident occurred.

PC Mary-Ann Hutchison is patrolling near Sunderland when she receives a call from the police chopper – officers above have witnessed a man being assaulted and his assailants speeding away in a car. Guided by the helicopter, more units race to the scene and stop the car. The two occupants aren't being very co-operative, leaving Mary-Ann and the other officers with a tough job trying to work out what's actually happened.

It's late at night and Martain spots a driver in a hurry in Sunderland. Martain pulls him over and alerts the man to his manner of driving. It turns out to be an emergency – a family member has been craving mozzarella dippers and so he gallantly nipped out and was determined to get the fast food back fast. Cheese lover Martain understands, but it's still no excuse for potentially getting points on your licence.

On the outskirts of Newcastle at night, Sergeant Dave Roberts is on the hunt for a possible cloned car. When he spots it pulling out of a side street, he gets on its tail, but the driver puts his foot down, and it's now a pursuit. The cops use tactics, bursting the car's tyres twice, but the driver still keeps going, refusing to stop despite two flat tyres. In a bid to shake off Dave, he makes the deadly decision to drive the wrong way down the A1, straight into oncoming traffic! Dave and more units track the car from the opposite side of the highway, but will the driver come quietly?

PC Jan Simlesa gets a report of a drink driver in the North Shields area. The driver has been witnessed worse for wear, trying to buy more booze, and then driving away. Jan and PC Jamie Leslie race to the scene and manage to get the car stopped. To their astonishment, the driver is very relaxed, openly admitting to having had a few drinks and even jokes that he'll fail the breath test. It gets worse when he confesses to being uninsured, it's the passenger's car – who turns out to be on her first date with the driver!

Police get a call about a woman suspected to be high on drugs driving a car. Jamie heads to the location the vehicle was last spotted and quickly finds it. Now all he must do is get the car stopped. The only problem is while he's working out a plan the driver goes straight through a red light. Jamie gives chase and pulls it over to find that he's arrested the woman before – but this is no happy reunion, and the driver is less than happy to see Jamie again!

In the middle of the night in Sunderland, PC Will Hunter spots a BMW with a bust tyre, spitting out plumes of smoke. As he turns around to follow it, the driver decides to ditch the car in the middle of the road and make a run for it. Will chases him on foot, but he disappears into thin air. Will searches the car, which looks like it's been in an accident. The driver has left his mobile phone behind and checks reveal he lives nearby. Time for Will to pay the driver a home visit and see what he has to say!

In Newcastle PC Brian Camsell's on the hunt for an uninsured driver. After tracking her down, the driver is adamant she's insured the car on a day policy, but can't produce her policy claim because she has no phone signal. Luckily Brian has great reception on his mobile, and a quick call to the Motor Insurance Bureau reveals the driver has been trying to take out a policy while in the back of Brian's police car!

On the nightshift, police receive reports of a massive unauthorised car meet taking place on an industrial estate. When Brian gets there he's confronted with boy racers buzzing through the streets while dozens of people watch on. As Brian prepares to disperse the crowds, a car noisily draws his attention. He pulls over the young driver, who gets a lesson in tyre standards in front of a jeering audience!

In Sunderland PC Martain Anderson is searching for a disqualified driver with a reputation. On previous stops he's made no bones about being anti-police. Martain tracks the driver down to a back street and is asked to explain who he is to the already antagonistic suspect - Martain's response "I'm a police officer, what do you think I am, in fancy dress?!" The driver tests Martian's patience even further when he declares he is well aware he's disqualified, but as far as he's concerned, the law doesn't exist, and he doesn't need a driving license to travel on the roads!

Sergeant Dave Roberts is behind a car linked to drug dealing in Newcastle city centre. More motorway cops join to help Dave get the car stopped, but as soon as patrols pull it over, the passenger legs it with officers in hot pursuit. Dave is left to speak to the apparently shocked driver; but if they've nothing to hide, why run? A search of the vehicle soon answers that question.

It's the middle of the night and PC Will Hunter has the munchies, so arranges to meet up with Martain at a drive-thru burger joint to get some food. In a first for Will, while ordering, his in-car camera alerts him to a stolen car also in the queue! Will and Martain quickly hatch a plan to catch a thief. But the driver tries to make a getaway almost as fast as his food. Only problem is he runs straight into a car park full of motorway cops.