On Monday 15th July, Wakefield Council Licensing Enforcement Officers, working alongside colleagues from West Yorkshire Police Roads Policing unit, NPT, Off-Road Bike Team and Police Intercept Team as well as DVLA & DVSA, held a Partnership Day of Action at Thornes Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
This was an operation targeting illegal vehicles around the Lupset and Thornes area. In total 62 vehicles were pulled into the static site for checks, and many more were checked by officers who were patrolling the area.
Below is a summary of some of the results:
DVSA: 3 serious faults which had to be rectified before the vehicle moved away and 2 tyre defects where the cords were showing
DVLA: 6 vehicle seizures for no tax and 5 warnings issued
Traffic Offence Reports were issued to 3 drivers for no seatbelts and one was issued due to an illegal number plate
The off-road bike team recovered a stolen motorbike and seized two vehicles, one for no tax and one for no insurance
Of the vehicles stopped Wakefield Licensing Officers checked 32 taxis and private hire vehicles
6 were suspended due to various issues
8 written warnings (Breach of regulations)
and 3 Rectification notices
Paul Sullivan, a Licensing Enforcement Officer at Wakefield council commented “ We are using our powers under section 68 LGMP Act 1976 to carry out spot checks to ensure vehicles remain safe in between regulatory Tests at the Depot.
"We checked vehicles in the area that were licensed from Wolverhampton, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield. Whilst a large number drivers were seen to keep their vehicles in tip top condition, sadly there were a number who would drive around in an “old boot” if they could get away with it.
"There are no excuses for any vehicle to be working with bald tyres, as they don’t lose their tread overnight and drivers are required to carry out daily checks. We have a great relationship with the local police and these operations are now set to be carried out on a regular basis."
Roads Policing Officers dealt with a number of offences including defective tyres, mobile phone offences and one disqualified driver.
There was also a vehicle which failed to stop for officers in Lupset and after a short pursuit the driver and three other males were detained. The driver was arrested for dangerous driving, failing to stop, disqualified from driving, and also over the prescribed limit through drugs. The passengers were searched and later released.
The Police Intercept Team had a KTM motorbike Fail to Stop in Lupset in the afternoon, so the team utilised the drone, the vehicle and driver were located and detained by officers and arrested for the offences of failing to stop and dangerous driving.
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