Vehicles seized in Bradford Operation Steerside action day

West Yorkshire Police's Operation Steerside Team, which celebrates its five-year anniversary this week, hosted a special day of action in Manningham yesterday.

The multi-agency partnership consists of representatives from Bradford Council, police, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), and the Motor Insurers' Bureau.

On the day, four arrests were made, 33 vehicles were seized, and 69 drivers were dealt with at the roadside.

Seven drivers were reported to court for road traffic offences and three reports were made to the DVLA for untaxed vehicles.

Police officers question a driver over his actions (Image: Newsquest)When it comes to dangerous driving, Police Sergeant Jamie Wilkinson said: "There is a level of acceptance that this is how Bradford is. 

"We are trying to change that culture."

A static road operation took place at Westgate Baptist Church on Thursday morning.

A cluster of police officers were tasked with flagging down vehicles of concern on Carlisle Road for the various agencies to check over.

DVSA officers were checking vehicles for defects at the Manningham site (Image: Newsquest)Meanwhile, Sgt Wilkinson and one of his colleagues took the T&A around the Toller and Lilycroft areas of the city as they patrolled the area in a police vehicle.

Within just five minutes of leaving the church's car park, we were alerted to an inconsiderate driver.

A battered Skoda Fabia suddenly cut in front of our vehicle before a set of traffic lights on Toller Lane at around 11am.

Unbeknown to him, the annoyance was caused to those in an unmarked police car.

The officer proceeded to pull over the vehicle, which had a cracked back bumper that was held together with tape, into a nearby street where the driver was questioned.

The driver told the officers that he had come from Sunderland to take his father to a local medical practice.

He added that his left rear light had been out since October of last year.

The man received a £100 penalty for driving without due consideration and the DVSA checked his vehicle's defects.

The Skoda in question (Image: Newsquest)On the hour-long drive, the officers were keen to explain why it is so important they continue to patrol the streets.

Sgt Wilkinson added: "It (anti-social driving) happens in concentrated areas of Bradford.

"There are certain areas where drivers just don't care. Other areas are absolutely fine."

He added: "It is always worth stopping these vehicles.

"If nobody were looking for these types of offences, it would increase the possibility of the drivers getting away with it. That is why Operation Steerside exists."

A spell of inactivity lasting around 30 minutes followed before the officers noticed that a BMW driver beside us was not wearing a seatbelt.

She was pulled over on St Mary's Road and police issued her with a £100 fixed penalty.

The driver said she would now be late picking her kids up from school.

The BMW that was stopped (Image: Newsquest)Officers from the MIB said they deal with around 500 claims a week nationally.

When we spoke to them, a couple of hours into the operation, they had already seized two vehicles for having no insurance.

They said the numbers in Bradford remain "stubbornly stable" with high population and deprivation linked to uninsured claims.

The technology used by Operation Steerside officers on patrol (Image: Newsquest)Sgt Wilkinson added: "The action week is going really well. We have had a variety of operations running across different areas of Bradford.

"Despite the cold weather, we have had some really good results for us and our partners.

"Some were dealt with there and then. while others are still ongoing enquiries."

69 drivers were dealt during the operation (Image: Newsquest)One of the arrests made was a driver on suspicion of drug driving.

Police pulled the Volkswagen Golf into their multi-agency check site due to excessive tints on the front side windows.

A drug wipe test then led to the individual being arrested.

A police officer's dashboard view (Image: Newsquest)Noreen Akhtar, Assistant Director of Neighbourhood and Community Services at Bradford Council, said: "As a council, we have the Community Safety Partnership, all the partners here today are represented at that table.

"When it comes to delivering, we know there are issues with unsafe cars and their anti-social use.

"I live in Bradford and I know people want these things sorted out.

"Anything you see unusual we want people to report that and we can follow up on it.

"There is a culture of people liking their nice cars. That should be celebrated but what should not be is cars being used for the wrong reasons."

Many vehicles were checked over for defects (Image: Newsquest)Since the operation started in 2019, officers have made more than 500 arrests, sent over 2,000 people to court, and seized 2,322 vehicles.

As the Telegraph & Argus was leaving the site, one driver remarked: "It's my birthday and I have just been fined £100".

It goes to show that whether it is your birthday or not if you are committing a driving offence, Operation Steerside will catch you.