Residents in North Kirklees are being urged to "shop'' motorists who drive dangerously under a new campaign to reduce deaths and injuries on the district's roads.

The plea is part of a flagship strategy to boost road safety launched today for the Dewsbury sub-division which covers Cleckheaton, Liversedge, Heckmondwike, Birstall, Mirfield, Batley and Dewsbury.

Between April 1997 and the end of March this year there were 586 injury road accidents resulting in 819 casualties - only 19 and 30 down respectively compared with the same period the year before.

Area traffic commander Sergeant Alan Kaye said the public had asked at police community forums for more effective ways to deal with traffic offences as well as tackling burglaries and drug abuse.

He said residents wanted a clamp-down on drivers who speed through residential streets, drink and drive, park on pavements or near school entrances, or drive cars with no tax, or insurance and are poorly maintained.

Sgt Kaye said: "If residents can provide us with precise details of regular law breakers - names, registration numbers, locations etc - then we will aim to tackle the problems.''

Other objectives of the strategy include traffic officers working with the CID to target "travelling'' criminals who use cars to commit crimes.

Sgt Kaye said: ""Many are disqualified from driving, have no insurance and flout the drink-drive laws.

"With our specialist training and equipment we will be targeting the activities of these offenders in an attempt to prevent them committing further crimes.''

Another objective is to carry out high-profile random checks on lorries with the help of Customs and Excise, the Ministry of Transport and the Benefits Agency to keep dangerous vehicles off the roads.

Sgt Kaye said: "The majority of vehicles examined during our last spot checks on Bradford Road in Batley had defects such as faulty brakes and faulty steering.

"I am continually astounded by these totally unacceptable figures and that operators are prepared to gamble on road safety.''

He said another objective was to use education, advice and enforcement in the coming months to slash road accidents.

Sgt Kaye said: "The three main factors causing injury and death on our roads revolve around drink-driving, speeding and the non-wearing of seat belts. Although there is a slight downward trend in accident figures in the sub-division, they are still unacceptably high."

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