Officers identify 68 motoring offences during day of action in Trowbridge

A total of 68 offences were dealt with by roads policing officers in Trowbridge during a day of action this week.

Project Zero is a roads policing operation held every Wednesday at a different location in the county. It sees officers targeting drivers committing any of the fatal five offences in a bid to reduce the number of casualties on our roads.

While the work taking place is very much everyday work for our RPU officers, the project sees the department intensify resources to target those who are driving at excess speed, drink/drug driving, using a phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt or driving in a careless or dangerous manner.

On Wednesday, the team were in Trowbridge alongside speed enforcement officers.

A total of 68 offences were detected, ranging from excess speed, failing to wear a seatbelt, defective tyres, mobile phone offences and no insurance.

A man was also arrested on suspicion of drink driving in Bythesea Road shortly before 10.30am. Christopher Pidgley, 41, of Westbury Road, was later charged and is due in court in September.

A/Insp Will Ayres said: “It’s always disappointing to stop drivers who have made the decision to commit any of the fatal five offences, whether that is not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone whilst driving, or drink driving. These are factors which increase your risk of being involved in a serious or fatal collision.

“Following a large number of collisions leading to serious injuries as well as fatal collisions, Wiltshire Police is making road safety a force-wide focus over the summer in a bid to keep our roads safe.

“I’d urge drivers to think carefully about the decisions they make when getting behind the wheel. Your actions can have serious consequences.”