Leaders welcome police bike support to tackle Calderdale's dangerous drivers

Police bikes are being deployed on the roads of Calderdale to help keep to roads safer.

The deployment is part of Operation Hawmill the partnership road safety operation which is funded by the Calderdale community safety partnership.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Councillor Jenny Lynn, said: “Operational Hawmilll successfully demonstrates the importance of partnership work in supporting road safety. We take the issue of dangerous driving very seriously and by working together with our public sector colleagues as part of the Community Safety Partnership, we’re able to better respond to residents’ concerns.

“In addition to monitoring our towns and busy areas, it’s also important that the partnership is able to easily respond to any issues in Calderdale’s many rural areas. The use of police bikes will make it much easier for targeted enforcement to take place all over the borough, supporting the needs of our local communities.”

Roads Policing Officers have been deployed into areas that are of a concern to the community and Police bikes will be used to allow them to more easily get to rural areas and respond to any issues accordingly.

The Operation focuses on the ‘fatal four’ offences which include speeding, drink/drug driving, using a mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt.

In the first three deployments we have caught 16 drivers not wearing a seatbelt, one vehicle has been seized, three insecure loads were identified, one vehicle did not have a valid MOT and seven others were stopped for other road safety issues.