Driving crackdown leads to police chase and five arrests in Harrogate district

Roads Policing Group officers have seized 25 vehicles, arrested 11 people and reported more than 160 drivers and riders for motoring offences in North Yorkshire this month under an intensive new road safety operation.
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Under Operation Boundary, specialist units are deployed en-mass to target specific roads in villages, towns, rural areas and key routes - and the Harrogate district took centre stage on Tuesday, April 13.

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North Yorkshire Police says the aim is to reduce collisions by providing a high-profile police presence, and to enforce dangerous motoring offences such as uninsured driving, drink and drug driving, speeding, using a handheld mobile phone, unroadworthy vehicles, dangerous driving and not wearing a seatbelt.

Police have cracked down on driving offences in the county.Police have cracked down on driving offences in the county.
Police have cracked down on driving offences in the county.

The operation in Harrogate led to five arrests, two vehicles seized and a pursuit after one driver failed to stop.

Officers have also been out in Scarborough, Selby, Richmondshire, Craven and Rydale.

In all locations, traffic offence reports were issued by police for speeding, using a handheld mobile phone, dangerous overtakes, not wearing a seatbelt and similar offences which typically result in points on a driver’s licence and a fine.

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Traffic Sergeant Pete Stringer, who is leading the operation, said: “The strong results we’ve seen over the past couple of weeks show how our roads are being used, and occasionally abused, as lockdown restrictions ease.

“We’re seeing much more traffic, particularly in scenic rural areas, and a small minority of road users who seem to think the rules don’t apply to them.

“Unfortunately for them, Operation Boundary allows us to focus a lot of specialist roads policing resources in areas where they are most effective. So we’re always one step ahead of anyone who uses the road illegally or unsafely.

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“We’ve put deployed into villages and towns that experience a lot of motoring offences and worry that someone will be injured or killed in their community.

“We’ve had an extremely positive response from residents so far and we’re continuing to listen to their concerns so we can help keep their communities safe. I hope these results will give them further reassurance that we are taking a very robust approach and we will simply not tolerate North Yorkshire being used as a racetrack.”

Op Boundary will continue to run at various locations throughout the summer, when North Yorkshire’s roads are expected to become even busier as more lockdown restrictions ease.