An operation to drive home road safety messages to nuisance drivers in Yate and Chipping Sodbury led to nine vehicles being ordered off the road.
The Neighbourhood Team worked with Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s specialist Road Policing Unit, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), Avon Fire and Rescue Service and South Gloucestershire Council’s environmental services, road safety and anti-social behaviour teams on the initiative on Wednesday October 14 2009.
Neighbourhood PC Ian Matthews said: “Nuisance drivers and riders in the Stover Road and Badminton Road areas were identified as a local priority for police and the council to tackle. We recognise that moped riders are among the more vulnerable on our roads which is especially concerning as they are often teenagers with less experience on the road.
“This joint operation has given us and our partners the opportunity to reinforce some basic road safety information to help them become safer and better drivers. We also talked to them about anti-social vehicle use and its impact on residents.
“The fire service also invited the drivers to watch an educational video showing the consequences of poor driving or inadequate vehicle maintenance.
“This was a very valuable partnership operation which has helped us to ensure that vehicles on our roads meet all the legal requirements and are safe.”
During the operation, officers patrolled the Chipping Sodbury and Yate areas and stopped drivers and riders under the Road Traffic Act. Drivers were taken to Yate Fire Station. Mopeds were given a ‘rolling road’ test and all vehicles were safety checked by a VOSA inspector to ensure they were roadworthy and legal.
Sixteen vehicles were checked:
- Nine were found to be defective and the drivers and riders given prohibition notices banning them from the road until the faults were repaired. Faults included noisy exhausts, lighting defects and illegal modifications
- Five riders and drivers were issued with fines
- One moped was seized because it was in such a dangerous condition.
- Six people were referred to the Kick Start scheme, an educational course with a fee equivalent to a £60 fine.
In 2007 106 motorcyclists or moped riders were injured on South Gloucestershire’s roads, with 25 being killed or seriously injured.
Chris Gillett, South Gloucestershire Council’s senior environmental health officer said: “As well as monitoring the noise levels from the vehicle exhausts, we checked the noise levels inside the cars from customised audio systems.
“We recorded levels above that which could cause permanent hearing loss and warned the drivers about the nuisance their loud stereos and heavy bass could cause – along with the increased risk of hearing loss to themselves and their passengers.”
Source: Avon and Somerset Police
