Abertillery and Brynmawr Neighbourhood Policing Teams are working to address anti-social driving in their town centres.
Over the last couple of months they have been holding targeted operations with Gwent Police’s ANPR Team (Automatic Number Plate Recognition), VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) and Blaenau Gwent Council’s Environmental Health Department.
In both areas, residents have highlighted anti-social driving as a PACT priority, and these latest operations are part of an ongoing effort to prevent illegal and unsafe driving.
The teams have stopped over 200 cars in the last month, and 12 of these have been seized by the police as a result of the drivers not having insurance.
Officers were also addressing the manner in which some of the vehicles were being driven. They issued nine Section 59 notices – these are issued to drivers who are driving in an anti-social manner. If they receive another notice in the next 12 months, then their vehicle will be seized. Seven cars were seized from their drivers, after they all received their second Section 59 notice.
A further two people were disqualified from driving as a result of their dangerous driving, which was captured on CCTV.
In total, 55 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued to drivers for an array of offences including not wearing a seatbelt, driving whilst using a mobile phone and having a defective exhaust.
Three individuals were also arrested over the course of the operation – two for public disorder and one for driving whilst disqualified.
Another 20 people were reported for driving document offences, such as not producing insurance, MOTs or for not having road tax.
VOSA issued ten Prohibition Notices to drivers in the Brynmawr area, after they deemed their cars not to be road worthy. The cars are taken off the road, until the drivers can prove that they have fixed defects on their vehicles. Another 11 drivers were given notices to repair defects.
Blaenau Gwent Council’s Environmental Health Department also issued 42 advisory notes over the course of the operation to different vehicle operators, giving advice on noise issues.
Abertillery and Brynmawr Neighbourhood Inspector Ian Muirhead, said:
“Over the last few weeks, we have stopped vehicles to speak to the drivers and explain the issues with anti-social driving, as well taking enforcement action.
We hope that the drivers take the advice that we have given and realise that the nature of their driving could have severe consequences for themselves and other road users. It’s important that all drivers act responsibly and legally. We are receiving fewer calls regarding anti-social driving since this action and I would like to reassure local communities that this will remain one of the priorities for policing in the area.”
