'˜Don't hog the middle lane'

Police have issued a warning to Lancashire drivers about hogging the middle lane on motorways.

North West Motorway Police have reminded drivers that it is an offence to drive slowly in the middle lane and can result in a £100 on-the-spot fine.

It comes after a driver was stopped on the M6 at Thelwall Viaduct near Warrington on Thursday night.

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He was given a fixed penalty notice for doing 50mph in the middle lane, causing traffic to veer around him on the inside and outside.

NW Motorway police tweeted: “Play the game, don’t hog the lane”.

Earlier they tweeted: “Driver issued with a ticket for hogging lane stopped on M6 during the night”.

The driver also apparently stopped in lane two after being tailed by police with flashing blue lights.

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NW Motorway police added : “If requested to stop by Police and you are driving on the motorway pull over to the hard shoulder, not in the live lane.”

Motorists hogging the middle lane are a source of frustration on Lancashire’s motorways, with other vehicles having to veer around them at speed.

Drivers crawling along at much less than the 70mph speed limit are seen by police as a danger to themselves and others.

Motorists in the middle lane are urged to move over to the inside lane when it is clear.

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In 2013, lane hogging became a careless driving offence, carrying a £100 on the spot fine.

But a survey last year found that many motorway users were unaware it was an offence and a third admitted they never moved over to the inside lane.