MORE than 50 motorists have been fined for driving without a seatbelt, using their mobile phones or for motoring offences during police stop checks.

Police were joined by Oxfordshire Fire Service and Oxfordshire County Council in Ock Street, Abingdon, between 8am and 10am yesterday.

Police issued £30 fixed penalty fines to 35 drivers not wearing seatbelts and all but one of those drivers opted to receive education from a road safety officer instead of the fine.

Sixteen drivers stopped for driving while using their mobile phones were issued fixed penalty notices of £60, and three points on their licence.

They can opt to pay £74 and attend a road safety workshop at a later date rather than accept the points.

Two drivers were stopped for not displaying a tax disc. They were given £60 fines.

Pc Mark Pilling, Road Safety Constable for Oxfordshire, said "It is alarming that in just under two hours on one stretch of road, so many drivers were found to be travelling without their seatbelt or using their mobile phones.

"The message does not seem to be getting through to drivers that mobile phones are a big distraction and all their attention needs to be focused on driving, not using their phone. I hope these regular checks will help to reinforce key road safety messages."