Police: More than 100 illegal drivers in Dewsbury, Mirfield Batley and Spen punished in December

Over 30 speeding drivers and a drug driver were among those dealt with last month as part of Operation Trimburg, an initiative by West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit and Kirklees neighbourhood policing teams.

The operation, which was launched to reduce fatal and serious road incidents in Dewsbury and Mirfield and Batley and Spen, is now approaching its first 12 months of activity.

In the last four weeks of 2024, police seized two cars for document offences and arrested a driver on suspicion of drug driving.

Of the 100 drivers served with Traffic Offence Reports, 26 were dealt with for seatbelt offences, 32 for speeding and eight for driving without due care and attention.

All drivers served with the reports will be dealt with via fines, points or potentially further action.

Inspector Charlotte Nicholls of the Batley and Spen NPT, said: “Operation Trimburg has seen us take action against illegal Kirklees drivers month in and month out since its launch, and will be continuing this work in 2025.

“Communities don’t want to see uninsured cars, speeding or any manner of illegal driving on thier roads, and I thank residents for continuing to contact us with intelligence.

“Trimburg patrols continue to be based around direct feedback from residents about offences and locations of concern.

“We always encourage anyone who has concerns about a particular roads related issue in their community, such as speeding or poor parking, to contact their local neighbourhood policing team.”

December’s Operation Trimburg itself ran in parallel with the force’s Operation Limit drink / drug drive campaign, an operation which saw a total of 279 motorists arrested, including 186 for suspected drink driving and 93 for suspected drug driving, across the whole of West Yorkshire.

Operation Trimburg remains focussed on reducing the #fatal5 offences identified as being the main cause of serious and fatal road incidents.

They are speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, drink and drug driving, using a mobile phone and careless driving.

The operation continues to be supported by local councillors in Dewsbury and the Mirfield and Batley and Spen areas and has seen police carry out car-based patrols and operations in those North Kirklees communities.