Tuesday April 23, 2024

Dangerous and illegal drivers have been taken to task in Batley and Spen in the first of a ‘rolling’ series of operations to tackle the five key causes of serious collisions.

The Batley and Spen Neighbourhood Policing Team has advised they and colleagues from the Roads Policing Unit have more work planned, after seizing a stolen bike and taking action for driving offences over the weekend.

During the weekend they patrolled in Cleckheaton, Batley, Birkenshaw and Birstall and dealt with a total of 19 drivers and riders seen committing offences.

Action will be taken against five drivers for not having insurance, four for not wearing seatbelts, two for mobile phone offences, one for running a red light, one for driving  without due care and attention and one driver for speeding.

All were issued with Traffic Offence Reports which mean they will be further investigated and could potentially receive fines, penalty points or other enforcement.

One stolen motorbike was also seized with another vehicle seized by the DVLA.  

The operation followed similar enforcement work in Huddersfield last week and an operation in North Kirklees in early April in which more than 20 vehicles were seized for motoring offences.

The fatal 5 offences themselves have been identified as speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, drink and drug driving, using a mobile phone and careless driving.  

West Yorkshire Police remains committed to Vision Zero, a road safety aim established with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all in West Yorkshire.  

Inspector Charlotte Nicholls of the Batley and Spen NPT, said: “Authorities in West Yorkshire, including police, are committed to reducing the number of serious casualty collisions on our roads, and we have identified a Fatal 5 type of offence which we believe are key causes of these incidents.

“Our weekend operations in Batley and Spen are being mirrored by colleagues in other NPT’s in Kirklees, with a real focus on seatbelt, drink and drug driving, mobile phone use and speeding and driving in a careless manner.”

She added: “We know making roads safer is a big concern for Batley and Spen residents, and they will see more operations in their communities over the next few weeks.

“We continue to urge anyone who has footage of dangerous and anti social driving in West Yorkshire to submit it online to our Operation Snap webpage, or to make a report to their local NPT via 101 or www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat  

The West Yorkshire Operation Snap site can be found at https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/SaferRoadsSubmissions