Operation SPARC launched in July 2020.
Update 4 January 2021
Operation SPARC road traffic officers have now dealt with 746 drivers since the initiative began last July.
Update 7 December 2020
After 315 hours of Operation #SPARC deployments around #Leeds, @WYP_RPU have dealt with a total of 575 drivers & issued 441 tickets.
Update 9 November 2020
Update 20 August 2020
“After 7 deployments of Operation SPARC, which is currently in its fourth week of action, we have seen that speeding is the most common illegal driver behaviour. So far during these deployments, we have dealt with 67 drivers for excess speed across Leeds. Also concerning is the lack of/improper use of seatbelts, with 30 drivers having been dealt with for this. Many of these drivers were educated at the roadside and as a result, we hope their driving behaviour now changes.”
Summary so far:
Speed (advice given + Tickets) – 67
Seatbelts (advice given + Tickets) – 30
Vehicle defects (Tickets) – 7
Seizures for no insurance – 6
Use of mobile phone whilst driving – 2
Cllr Lisa Mulherin said “We listened to calls from the public for tougher action on illegal, dangerous and/or inconsiderate driving. Road danger is one of the key barriers to more people feeling confident to walk and cycle more around Leeds. This additional police enforcement should help to remove some of those barriers and support Council ambitions for a step-change in travel behaviour, away from car-use and towards walking, cycling and scooting as a natural, everyday choice, especially for shorter trips.”
Chief Inspector Richard Padwell, who leads on road safety for the Safer Leeds partnership, said: “This is a landmark initiative backed by significant additional funding to help prevent collisions involving deaths and serious injury on our roads. It will also give us an increased capability to target the anti-social use of motor vehicles and address road safety issues in our local communities.
