Not in my Neighbourhood Week - Anti-social Driving

Release Date: November 2009

Anti-social driving has been the focus of our policing teams this week, tying in with the ‘Not in my Neighbourhood week ’national incentive aimed at highlighting the good work that goes on behind the scenes to keep our communities safe and free from Crime and Disorder.

At several Safer Communities ‘You Said, We Did’ meetings in the Brixham, Paignton and Torquay areas concerns were raised about driving-related behaviours. In response, and with the view to deter potential anti-social motorists; sending out the message that anti-social driving will not be tolerated, the police have been rolling out several targeted traffic operations in the Bay over the past few months.

Operation Hawkshead is an initiative targeting those individuals that are driving in an anti-social manner and those who flout the law, committing driving offences across Torbay. This is an on-going operation with a series of focused activity planned over the coming months across all of the bay’s identified problem areas.

The most recent operation was held last Wednesday evening and targeted areas identified by the ward Community Partnership groups as hot spot areas for anti-social driving across Torbay. As well as the main arterial routes between our busy town centres, several car parks known to Police as particular problem areas were also targeted.

17 Fixed Penalty tickets were issued over the evening of which 2 were for speeding with motorists clocking 50mph and 46mph in a 30mph zone (a number of verbal warnings were also given for minor offences). The other 15 Fixed Penalty tickets were issued for infringements such as exhaust noise and not wearing of seatbelts.

16 Vehicle Defect Rectification notices were issued for offences such as lights, faulty exhausts and number plates not conforming with UK required standards, several verbal warnings were also issued for minor misdemeanours.

Partnership Sergeant Nick Healey, Officer in Charge of the operation said; “ This week’s operation was heavily linked in to Not in my neighbourhood week as part of the week’s activities which are aimed at showcasing the work that goes on, often un-noticed, on a regular basis by partner agencies. However, this operation will continue to run in the forthcoming months as it has done previously due to the number of residents who have highlighted anti-social driving as priority issue across Torbay. The message is that we will continue educating motorists but there has to be a visual degree of enforcement in order to drive the message home.”

Louisa Aiton Cabinet Member for Community Safety said, “Listening to the views of our communities and acting on their concerns is extremely important to us. We want to build neighbourhoods that are safe and free of anti- social behaviour, for all to enjoy. It is the small majority of people that ruin the lives of others and it is pleasing to see that such positive action has taken place.”

The aim of the operation was to reiterate the police presence in the area and act as a deterrent to potential anti-social motorists.

To report any anti-social behaviour in your area please call 01803 207900. Alternatively, you can contact your neighbourhood policing team via Devon and Cornwall Police’s website Devon & Cornwall Police  or by calling 08452 777444.

ENDS