More than 500 drink and drug drivers arrested over the festive period

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GMP arrested more than 500 drink drug drivers over the festive period Credit: GMP

More than 500 drink and drug drivers were arrested over the festive period across Greater Manchester.

Operation Limit - which took place throughout December - saw officers taking a proactive approach to catching drug and drink drivers. The legal alcohol limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for driving is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood or 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

From the start of December to New Year’s Day officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Specialist Operations arrested 507 motorists for drink or drug driving offences.

Roadside checks around Greater Manchester took place in areas such as Bolton, Bury, Salford, Tameside and Wigan.

GMP target drug and drink drivers over the festive season Credit: GMP

In addition to arrests, traffic offence reports were also handed out to drivers for offences ranging from using mobile devices behind the wheel, not wearing a seatbelt and speeding, all of which, alongside drink and drug driving, make up the ‘Fatal Four’.

With others being penalised for vehicle defects which in poor weather conditions can have catastrophic effects, and even no insurance.

On Christmas Eve, 19 motorists were arrested, with 13 on Christmas Day and 43 on New Year’s Eve.

Chief Inspector Michael Parker from GMP’s Road Policing Unit said; “It is unacceptable that so many motorists found it acceptable to put the public at risk by driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs on the roads of Greater Manchester.

“But by conducting proactive policing operations and targeting high-risk drivers by acting upon information from the public we have removed 507 from the roads in just one month.

“Our enforcement tactics and zero-tolerance approach run 365 days a year and not just over Christmas, so if you know of a drink driver that is a loved one, please encourage them to not get in their vehicle whilst under the influence as it can have fatal consequences.

“Failing that you can always report them anonymously via Crimestoppers and we will take robust action to ensure their actions are punished.”