Police swoop in crackdown on nuisance drivers in Leyland

Police staged an operation targeting anti-social behaviour drivers from the Leyland area following numerous complaints from members of the public over “many months”.

And they warned that further crackdowns will take place.

South Ribble Neighbourhood Policing Team, along with special constables, TAC Ops and the DVSA, carried out the operation in the town centre on Saturday.

A check point was set up on the Tesco car park where the DVSA checked vehicles for defects.

Police reported that 18 vehicles where checked, with the results:

l Five had tyre faults.

l Three had noisy exhausts.

lTwo displayed illegal number plates.

lOne had no MOT.

l One had a faulty handbrake,

l One had a faulty steering rack

lAnd one vehicle had illegal tinted windows.

Police added that the DVSA gave two drivers advisory notices and three delayed probations - meaning the driver must have the vehicle fixed and re-MOT’d within 10 days and then attend the nearest police station with a new MOT certificate.

Three fixed penalty notices were handed out and two drivers were reported for summons.

In addition, one driver was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs.

South Ribble police said: “We hope this sends out a clear message that anti-social behaviour driving will not be tolerated.

“Further check points will be conducted in the future.”

Sergeant Anthony Burgess. of the South Ribble Neighbourhood Police Team, said: “This was a multi-agency operation following complaints across the Leyland area over many months which supports the substantial amount of work already carried out by the police and partners.

“The results speak for themselves. We will continue to address the issue of anti-social drivers and the danger that individuals involved in this activity pose to the public.”

Leyland residents have used social media to highlight their concerns about the likes of ‘boy racers’ speeding and causing a nuisance in the town for months.

Action was taken in response to issues raised of speeding in the Leyland area - specifically Broadfield Drive - last April.

Sergeant Burgess said at the time: “Leyland Police in partnership with Community Road Watch have and continue to carry out targeted operations designed specifically to tackle speeding and anti-social driving.

“This has resulted in action being taken against over 240 drivers in Leyland since January 2017. Should anyone from the community wish to get involved in future partnership work please contact The Lancashire Volunteer Partnership.”

Meanwhile, a hard-hitting annual road safety campaign returns to Leyland on Saturday and Sunday, August 31 and September 1.

Staged by Chorley Advanced Motorists, Alive to Drive will take place at Tesco Leyland.

It will have on show a car, which belonged to Dan Birch, 23, of Coppull, who was killed in 2012 driving home after a night out when he lost control of his car and collided with a brick gatepost.

The event is being supported by the local police, fire service, ambulance service, Lancashire Road Safety Partnership and Highways England to name but a few.

It takes place between 9am and 5pm on the Saturday and 10.30am and 4pm on the Sunday and all are welcome.