Police officers deployed in Batley and Spen to tackle dangerous driving

Starting this month and continuing into the new year, the operations will see a West Yorkshire Police tactical operation car and officer deployed into the hotspots areas at key times.

The operations will be funded through the Members Local Project Fund with the aim of clamping down on anti-social driving, including speeding and dangerous parking.

The Members Local Project Fund is a ward budget that councillors can allocate to address specific local issues and priorities.

The wards which will benefit from these operations are Birstall and Birkenshaw, Batley West, Batley East, Liversedge and Gomersal, Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton.

The ward councillors who have initiated these operations are Coun Mark Thompson, Coun Elizabeth Smaje, Coun Joshua Sheard, Coun Shabir Pandor, Coun Gwen Lowe, Coun Yusra Hussain, Coun Mahmood Akhtar, Coun Fazila Loonat, Coun Habiban Zaman, Coun David Hall, Coun Lisa Holmes, Coun Melanie Stephen, Coun Viv Kendrick, Coun Steve Hall, Coun Aafaq Butt, Coun Kath Pinnock, Coun Andrew Pinnock and Coun John Lawson.

Coun Carole Pattison, cabinet member for learning, aspiration and communities, said: “Road safety and tackling dangerous driving is of paramount importance to residents and I whole-heartedly agree with them.

“The councillor funded operations shows the commitment from my colleagues to create safer roads for our residents and I very much welcome this approach.

"I would like to thank West Yorkshire Police for all of their support with helping us deliver these operations and for the work they do on a daily basis to keep our roads safe.”

Inspector Rebecca Calpin, of Batley and Spen Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We are well aware of residents’ concerns regarding recent instances of speeding and dangerous driving in Batley and Spen and do share them.

“My officers have been working with colleagues at Safer Kirklees to put an operation in place to clamp down on such driving, which is clearly even more dangerous in the sort of wintry conditions we are now seeing on our roads.

“Officers and police vehicles will be deployed at a variety of targeted locations right throughout the winter months and I can promise we will prosecute those caught driving in a dangerous manner to the fullest extent of the law."

She added: “I want to thank colleagues in Kirklees Council for helping fund this operation, and hope our actions in the coming weeks send a clear message to those who think it is OK to drive in a manner which endangers both other road users and also themselves.”

The police vehicle and officer can respond to any road traffic issues that presents itself during the operations and will take action against those caught offending.