A DEDICATED police operation targeting bad drivers has been relaunched this month after more than 200 people were fined last year for driving offences in Calderdale.

Operation Hawmill saw 208 people prosecuted for the ‘fatal four offences’, 66 illegal vehicles taken off the roads and 23 people arrested between August 2019 and February this year.

The operation, which is funded by the Calderdale Community Safety Partnership, has relaunched this August with officers once again targeting motorists speeding, driving above the drink or drug limit, motorists using a phone while driving and driving without a seatbelt.

Already this month, three people have been arrested for drink-driving, one vehicle has been seized for no insurance and 10 tickets have been issued for not wearing a seatbelt in the Illingworth and Park ward areas of Halifax.

Four people have also been issued fines for speeding and one person for driving through a red light.

Co-chair of the Road Safety Delivery Group, Inspector Ben Doughty, said: “The public tell us time and time again that they are concerned about road safety, so we are pleased to receive the funding to continue to combat bad driving on Calderdale’s roads.

“Officers will be targeting the fatal four offences, alongside colleagues from the Fire Service, Calderdale Council and Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

“Over the years we have seen an increase in awareness of Operation Hawmill and an increased awareness of the risks associated with bad driving, however motorists still put themselves, other road users and pedestrians at risk through dangerous driving.

“We will prosecute anyone who continues to put themselves and others at risk, and you will face points on your licence, a fine, having your vehicle seized or ending up in court if you flout the basic laws of driving.”

As well as regular officer deployments under Operation Hawmill and enforcement work through the Road Safety Delivery Group, officers from West Yorkshire Police’s Road Policing Unit, response teams and neighbourhood policing teams continue to tackle antisocial and dangerous driving on a daily basis.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Cllr Susan Press, said: “Tackling dangerous driving is so important and we want to reassure residents that we take the issue very seriously. Through Calderdale’s Partnership Road Safety Group, a risk based, intelligence led approach is used to focus Operation Hawmill’s activity areas - these are then subject to targeted enforcement work by Calderdale Police.”

“The success of Operational Hawmill has demonstrated the importance of partnership work in supporting road safety. I’m pleased we’re able to continue this firm but fair approach to enforcement for another year.”

You can keep up to date with the results of the operations on Twitter, by searching #CalderdaleRoadSafety, #SaferCalderdale and #OpHawmill.