Watch: Major Calderdale police blitz on demon drivers and dodgy cars

Operation Hawmill is aimed at tackling the ‘Fatal Four’ - speeding, drink and drug driving, failing to wear a seatbelt and using a mobile phone - all of which are the main causes of fatal and serious road accidents.

Inspector Colin Skeath, of the Halifax Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We’ve had a lot of concerns raised by councillors and residents right across Halifax and Calderdale about dangerous driving.

“We will be taking action across the district to remove these often dangerous vehicles from our streets and deal with those drivers who are breaking the law.　

“We have also noticed a lot of people not wearing their seatbelts.”

Specially trained officers have been brought in and are working with the Halifax and Calder Valleys Neighbourhood Policing teams to carry out more patrols.

The traffic officers are a specialist team dedicated purely tackling irresponsible driving.

“They have been working with our neighbourhood police officers to target problem roads and speeding blackspots in the borough,” said Insp Skeath

“These are specialist teams which are allowing us to catch more criminals. They are dedicated to the operation and will not be called away to other incidents or crimes that are happening.”

“We know how frustrated people get with people who drive dangerously, irresponsibly and without insurance.

“We are committed to making the roads safer for all. Any vehicle which poses or is believed to be posing an immediate risk to the public should be reported on 999. Non-emergency calls should be made on the 101 number.”

Operation Hawmill has been running since the beginning of September.

Over that period 29 vehicles have been seized. Of those, 27 drivers were found to have no insurance and officer seized a van that had been stolen. The driver was also arrested. Another vehicle was also seized after a section 59 order for anti-social driving was given to the driver with a Ferrari.

The order can be given to the vehicle AND the driver, so if either is caught doing the same again, the vehicle can be seized.

A total of 92 tickets have been issued: These include: 33 for speeding; five for use of mobile phone whilst driving; six for not wearing a seatbelt; one for due care and two for running a red light.