Forty suspected kerb crawlers have been arrested in Bradford in the last month in a continuing clampdown on prostitution in the city.

Police have reiterated there is no “tolerance zone” for prostitution in Bradford after self-proclaimed Crossbow Cannibal Stephen Griffiths was jailed for the murders of three sex workers.

Bradford South Superintendent Angela Williams said: “In Bradford we do not have a tolerance zone for prostitution and our focus continues to be around reducing the harm associated with this behaviour.

“For many years the police in Bradford have worked closely with partner agencies and local groups to tackle the root causes of the sex trade, such as drink and drug dependency.

“The women involved are able to sign up to a wide range of specialist services to help them address these issues.

“Those who refuse to engage willingly with the specialist services available, are tackled by the Vice Team who utilise the laws available to their full extent to ensure their engagement.

“This is about tough choices and we are making a difference.

“Not only do we enforce the law regarding the women involved in prostitution, but also the men who solicit them. If there is no demand, there is no service.

“In the last month alone, our operations have seen 40 men arrested for kerb crawling offences in the city centre and we will continue to target those who purchase the services of women.”

Sheila Wilson, a volunteer at Sunbridge Road Mission, Bradford, knew one of Griffiths’ victims, Shelley Armitage.

She said the amount of girls on the streets varied, with the mission – which welcomes and reaches out to prostitutes – sometimes seeing up to 12 girls in a night.

She said: “Particularly after the incidents with Shelley and the other girls it went very quiet. Some nights we were quite busy but when I say that, we only probably spoke to four, five, six girls.

“There are still girls that put themselves in a very dangerous situation out there, not only at night when it’s dark. You see them during the day as well.”

City centre vicar the Reverend Chris Howson said of the Griffiths case: “I think it has made street workers a lot more aware and the police and Council really work hard to do the best they can.

“It is going to have an impact, but it is not an industry you can wipe out overnight. Work needs to be done around drug abuse and to make users of sex workers realise they are not immune to prosecution.”

Susan Rushworth, 43, disappeared on June 22, 2009. Shelley Armitage, 31, was last seen on April 26 this year and 36-year-old Suzanne Blamires went missing on May 21.

Griffiths, 40, of Holmfield Court, Thornton Road, Bradford, was given three life sentences at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting their murders and told he will spend the rest of his life in jail.

e-mail: tanya.orourke@telegraphandargus.co.uk