THE officer leading a police crackdown on dangerous driving in Bradford said the name of the operation had become part of the city’s vocabulary.

Sergeant Cameron Buchan said people in the street were talking about Operation Steerside, which was launched on the back of the Telegraph & Argus' Stop the Danger Drivers campaign.

Sgt Buchan also praised the partnership between the police and the T&A in trying to stamp out the plague of dangerous motorists on the district’s roads.

“It is a many-fronted war. If I was doing it on my own it would not have a fraction of the impact, without you guys on board.

“It is one thing telling the public we are doing it, but another thing getting people behind it.

“But when your average man on the street is saying the word ‘Steerside’, we are doing something right. People we pull over are saying, ‘Are you guys part of that Steerside?’ It has become part of the vocabulary of Bradford,” Sgt Buchan said.

“We are giving you [the T&A] the ammunition - and you are selling it to the public for us. I am proud of the partnership.”

Stop The Danger Drivers is shortlisted for the Making a Difference award in Local Newspaper Week -which runs until Sunday. It is up against 31 other initiatives from local newspapers across the country and will be decided by a public vote.

People can vote until 5pm on Wednesday, May 18, at localnewspaperweek.co.uk/Making-a-Difference.

“I will be voting for it. I would urge other people to have a look and a make a choice,” Sgt Buchan said.

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“It is recognition. Other papers might pick it up and say ‘look at Bradford’ and want to team up with their local police and do something like this.”

A total of 158 motorists were caught during the past week of Steerside. There were 64 speeders, nine using a mobile phone at the wheel, 62 caught not wearing a seat belt, 12 without insurance, and 11 other road-related offences. Twelve vehicles were seized.

It take the running total for phase two of Steerside to 886 drivers caught, broken down as: speeding 287; phone use 60; no seat belt 355; no insurance 53; and other road-related offences 131.

“I am pleased with the work this week. There have been no particular standout moments - we have not had any high-speed stuff - but the work has been going on and officers have been bringing in good results.

“Could that reflect that we are having an effect, if people are not misbehaving? I would like to think we are having an effect, but I maintain realism,” Sgt Buchan said.

“I am enjoying the responsibility. I don’t want to let anyone down - and I am keeping my foot on the gas.”