NEARLY 100 motorists were caught by police for breaking driving laws in a 24-hour blitz in Glasgow's East End.

The 96 were booked for using mobile phones, speeding and flouting seatbelt laws in Parkhead, London Road, Gallowgate and around Glasgow Green between 7am on Tuesday and 7am yesterday.

Of those, 23 were for using a mobile while driving, 46 were for speeding offences and 27 were caught flouting seatbelt laws.

All will receive Fixed Penalty Notices and some will have points imposed on their licences.

The stops were made as part of Operation Myriad, a Glasgow-wide crime blitz.

As the Evening Times reported yesterday, drugs worth about £10,000 were seized in Maryhill, Bridgeton and Parkhead during the first two days of the latest phase of Operation Myriad, which began this week.

It comes as new measures were announced by the UK Government to crack down on careless driving.

Motorway tailgaters and middle-lane hoggers will face on-the-spot fixed penalties from next month.

Police will be able to issue £100 fines and three points for offences that would currently have to go to court.

Current fixed penalties for using a phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt will also rise by £40 to £100.

The move brings careless driving offences into line with the penalties for similar non-motoring fixed penalties.

Drivers will still be able to appeal any decision through the courts.

Many offences currently go unpunished because of the bureaucracy involved in taking a case to court.

Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond said: "Careless drivers are a menace and their negligence puts innocent people's lives at risk.

"That is why we are making it easier for police to tackle problem drivers by allowing them to immediately issue a Fixed Penalty Notice rather than needing to take every offender to court."

The AA said responsible drivers would welcome the changes.

caroline.wilson@ eveningtimes.co.uk