Road crackdown hailed succes for multi agencies

Apr 2 2008 Wishaw Press

MOTHERWELL and Shotts were both highlighted in Strathclyde Police’s recent day of action – Operation Ignis.

The local multi-agency operation proved to be a huge success in the areas, and the operation – involving officers from the Community Police, Road Policing (Traffic) and HM Customs and Excise officers – followed on from the successful Operation Priory Two, which took place in Wishaw last month.

The aims and objectives were to detect and report – and where necessary arrest – offenders for issues such as alcohol or drug misuse, road traffic offences, un-roadworthy vehicles and travelling criminals.

Officers from the various agencies carried out the roadside checks on Thursday, March 27, on Benhar Road at Station Road, Shotts.

Of the vehicles stopped and checked, seven persons were reported for drugs offences, two persons reported for vehicle excise offences, seven drivers were issued with conditional offers of fixed Penalty tickets for minor road traffic offences, such as using a mobile phone, failing to wear a seatbelt and dangerous carriage of passengers.

Two drivers were issued with tickets as part of the vehicle defect rectification scheme, in relation to the condition of their vehicles.

Twenty-four vehicles were tested for the illegal use of rebated fuel (red diesel) with one driver’s vehicle testing positive.

The penalty for this is the confiscation of the vehicle or payment of an on-the-spot fine.

Area Inspector Kenny Graham said of the successful operation: “This was another worthwhile operation and the results show that we are determined to deter individuals from using their vehicles illegally on our roads.

“Once again this multi-agency approach enabled the road-side checks to be carried out quickly and effectively and cause less inconvenience to the genuine law abiding public who use our roads on a daily basis.”

Sergeant Frank Hamill of the Road Policing Intelligence Unit added: “This intelligence-led operation successfully carried out in the Shotts area followed on from Operation Priory Two in Wishaw last month.

“In the three-hour period, our road-side cameras checked some 872 vehicles which resulted in 26 alerts on our ANPR – automatic number plate recognition scanning system.

“We will continue to liaise with local officers and carry out similar road side operations such as these in order to detect offenders.”

The successful operation was co-ordinated by officers from Wishaw’s Problem Solving and Co-ordination Unit and Constable Paul Gavan said: “We will continue to liaise with our colleagues from Road Policing and HM Customs & Excise and, where intelligence provides, we will carry out similar planned operations.

“The figures from the last two operations in this area prove that people continue to take unnecessary risks on our roads.”

Police in Motherwell also continued their efforts to make the roads safer during the 24-hour day of action on Thursday, March 27.

A total of 68 vehicles were stopped and checked by the police in the area, and 13 people have been reported to the procurator fiscal in relation to various road traffic offences and seven drivers were issued with conditional offer fixed penalty notices for various road traffic offences.

Eleven unsafe vehicles were prohibited from the roads by VOSA (Vehicle Operator and Services Agency) staff, with seven of these being given immediate notices.

Operation Ignis had several objectives and included enforcement by targeting dangerous and defective vehicles thereby enhancing and improving overall road safety.