A CLAMPDOWN by police over the Easter weekend led to arrests, vehicles seized and unsafe drivers taken off the roads.

North Yorkshire Police say there was an enhanced police presence on routes across the county, including villages, suburbs and rural and main roads.

The easing of some lockdown restrictions, fair weather and the long weekend led to lots of traffic – especially leisure motorists in scenic areas – and increased risk of collisions.

Officers dealt with unlicensed and uninsured drivers, unroadworthy vehicles, drink and drug driving, speeding, dangerous driving and intercepted criminals who use the road network.

The team responded to several serious collisions that left motorists in hospital with serious injuries, including a motorcyclist who crashed in Horton-in-Ribblesdale and another near York.

One driver was recorded at 102mph in a 50mph zone in Richmondshire.

Traffic Sergeant Pete Stringer, who led the operation, said: “We’ve had a very busy but extremely productive weekend, the results of which speak for themselves.

“We’ve dealt with some serious road offences over the last few days and Op Boundary allowed us to focus on reducing collisions in key areas and keeping the roads as safe as possible.

“But it also meant our units were strategically deployed so they could tackle other offences, such as theft and burglary, which involve the use of our road network.”

More than 80 traffic offence were issued during the weekend for a range of offences including using mobile phones while driving, double white line offences, highly excessive speeds, unroadworthy or illegally-modified vehicles, ignoring red lights and other offences.

A driver in York was arrested on suspicion of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and drink driving. A woman near Harrogate and a man in Ripon both blew almost three times the drink drive limit.

North Yorkshire Police listened to concerns from residents about road use in their communities and has been working with residents to target a range of offences, from speeding and excessive exhaust noise to dangerous driving and drink and drug driving.

Sgt Stringer added: “We’re grateful for the strong support we’ve received from the public this weekend, whether it’s when we’ve been policing the roads in their communities, when talking to motorists at our pop-up BikeSafe base in the Dales and in comments on our social media.

“Everyone has a right to use North Yorkshire’s roads without being put at risk by an irresponsible minority. North Yorkshire’s roads aren’t racetracks and anyone who uses them illegally will be dealt with as robustly as possible.

“This is just the start of this intensive and hard-hitting campaign and we’ll continue this approach throughout the summer.”