Police carry out checks on ‘dangerous road’ where fatal and serious crashes happen

Yesterday morning (April 7), officers from North Yorkshire Police conducted a road safety enforcement operation in partnership with the DVSA.

Officers deployed along the A61 between Bishop Monkton and Ripley in unmarked vehicles and on an unmarked motorbike to identify road-related offences.

Police during the operation between Ripon and Ripley (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) The location was chosen following several serious and fatal collisions which have happened on the A61 between Harrogate and Ripon, the most recent being on Saturday (April 5).

During the police operation, almost thirty vehicles were stopped, and four of those checked were issued an immediate prohibition for various dangerous driving defects that required immediate rectification, according to police. 

Police stop a vehicle (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) Officers issued eight traffic offence reports for mobile phone use and not wearing a seatbelt; one vehicle was seized.

PC Gareth Skelton, from North Yorkshire Police, said: “Keeping our roads safe is paramount, which is why we launched this operation on a stretch of road which has seen several serious road traffic collisions.

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“During April, we are having an intense focus on the five main causes of fatal collisions, which are drink or drugs, not wearing a seat belt, using a mobile phone whilst driving, excess/inappropriate speed and careless/dangerous driving.

“My message to anyone who is committing one of these fatal five offences on North Yorkshire’s roads is quite simple, we’re not having it.

“Working 24/7 we will continue to be relentless with our approach to reducing the number of fatalities and serious injuries on the road network.”