A police crackdown aimed at cutting the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured on Staffordshire roads has been hailed a massive success. Marked and unmarked police cars and bikes, safety camera vehicles and the police helicopter were all drafted to take part in Operation Octane. The blitz targeted riders who endanger themselves and others by taking unnecessary risks. Emergency services recorded no deaths or serious injuries on the county’s roads over the period of the operation.
It took place over the traditionally busy bank holiday weekend at the end of May.
A total of 146 riders were pulled over and given road safety advice and information, including an invitation to do advanced training to improve their skills.
Officers issued nine fixed penalty notices and some riders were caught for offences including no insurance, drink-driving and riding while disqualified.
Councillor Carol Dean, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for road safety, said the biker community really had taken notice.”The campaign targeted bad rider behaviour in an effort to nip their foolhardiness in the bud before it cut short their lives,” she said.
