Police blast at speeding drivers (From Gazette & Herald)

Police blast at speeding drivers

TWO police operations to clamp down on motorists recklessly speeding on Ryedale roads have produced worrying results - and a senior traffic officer has warned it is only a matter of time before someone is killed.

Operation Siren, which aims to educate motorists about the dangers and effects of speeding, was carried out by North Yorkshire Police, Safer Ryedale and the fire and ambulance services at Hutton-le-Hole and on the A170 at Kirkbymoorside.

Sergeant Paul Stephenson, of the eastern area road policing group, said: "My view is that at 30mph if you hit somebody the casualty will probably live. At 35mph the casualty will probably die. What I explain to speeding motorists is that if they decide who lives or dies - it's their foot on the accelerator."

The clampdowns produced some alarming results.

At Kirkbymoorside officers stopped two motorists who were driving 60mph in the 30mph zone. Both will be "fast-tracked" to court and face disqualification.

Other drivers who were travelling at between 38 and 45mph were given an Operation Siren talk, illustrated by graphic photographs of accidents and a video, immediately after being stopped.

Sgt Stephenson said he explained what criminal prosecutions the motorist could face for killing someone, and the devastating effect it would have on the victim's family as well as their own. Some of the drivers were also issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Two motorists were also stopped for driving through red traffic lights.

"The speeds people were driving weren't very good considering we're already conducted Operation Siren in that area. There's obviously still a lot to do," said Sgt Stephenson.

Residents and the parish council at Hutton-le-Hole invited the agencies to conduct Operation Siren in their picturesque village because they were concerned about motorists speeding through it.

Sgt Stephenson said: "People are driving too fast for the conditions. There were a number of tourists and children walking around, but people are taking no notice of the speed limits".

It's only a matter of time before someone is killed by a speeding driver."

Under Operation Siren, a mobile speed sign was used to warn speeding drivers, then police officers visited Hutton-le-Hole to carry out enforcement action.

Sgt Stephenson said 23 drivers were caught travelling at about 45mph in the 30mph zone and were given the educational lecture.

Updated: 10:39 Tuesday, May 11, 2004