Barrow Police operation to crack down on traffic offences

Barrow Neighbourhood Policing Teams are responding to the concerns of the community by tackling speeding and anti-social motorists in a bid to make the town’s roads safer.

Police and PCSO’s are set to launch an operation to target motorists who speed through the areas of Michaelson Road, Andrew’s crossing, Island Road, Ramsden Dock Road and on Farm Street outside Bram Longstaffe School. This comes after local residents brought speeding and inconsiderate driving to police attention at Safer Stronger Community meetings earlier this month.

To address the issue, high visibility officers will be patrolling the hotspot areas and will also be in and around the areas of Athol Street, St Andrews Street to watch out for drivers who contravene road safety signs and travel the wrong way down one way streets. Officers will also be targeting anti-social motorists who park outside schools on Barrow Island and cars parked on pavements on Dundalk Street and Dunvegan Street.

The operation will run from Monday 15th February to Friday 19th February to coincide with the Constabulary’s Confidence Campaign, which aims to highlight the work going on in each neighbourhood to tackle community policing priorities.

Sergeant Paul Madden said: “Our community feels very strongly about irresponsible motorists who drive too fast or park anti-socially in the area – which is why it has been raised as a main policing priority.

“Road safety is an issue that concerns everyone and through this operation, we hope to send a strong message to all motorists who are putting people’s lives at risk. A number of ‘hotspot’ areas have been highlighted to us by the community which has helped to shape our operation. These include roads around our local schools - areas where drivers should be slowing right down, rather than speeding up.

“As well as enforcing the law by issuing speeding tickets and fixed penalty notices, we intend to illustrate the problem through posters that will be put up in local shops and businesses to urge people to think about their actions.”

To have your say on policing in Barrow Island, go to your next Safer Stronger Community meeting on Thursday 17th June at 6.30pm which is being held at Dundalk St Community Centre.