Man arrested and multiple traffic offence reports issued as part of Project Zero

A man was arrested today during a regular road safety operation targeting the ‘fatal five’.

Project Zero, which in short, aims to reduce the number of casualties on our roads, takes place at various locations around the county every Wednesday.

Although the project encompasses what is everyday work for our Roads Policing Unit officers, it sees the department intensify resources to target the fatal five which are:

• Excess speed
• Drink/drug driving
• Driving while using a mobile phone
• Not wearing a seatbelt
• Careless/dangerous driving

Today, the team were based in the Royal Wootton Bassett and Malmesbury areas and in total, 12 Traffic Offence Reports were issued as well as 14 Fixed Penalty Notices.

One man was arrested on suspicion of drug driving after his Ford Fiesta was stopped in Tinkersfield smelling strongly of cannabis. He remains in custody for questioning. 

Roads Policing Sergeant Ben Cox said: “Our aim is always to reduce the number of casualties and fatalities on our road network and our Project Zero work is important in helping us make our roads as safe as possible, on top of our day to day work.

“Today we’ve had a driver recorded at 47mph in a 30mph zone in Brinkworth, as well as a van driver in Royal Wotton Bassett not wearing a seatbelt and found to be disqualified from driving. He was also carrying a passenger in the back with his tools, who had no actual seat. It really is shocking to see the conditions of some of the vehicles on our roads and the dangers drivers are putting themselves, passengers and other road users in.”