MORE than 7,000 motorists have now been caught by police as part of a crackdown on dangerous drivers in Bradford - as the operation nears its one-year anniversary.

The landmark figure for Operation Steerside was hit when a driver was caught speeding at 77mph in a 50mph zone on the Bingley bypass.

As of 5pm last Thursday, 7,031 drivers had been caught and 606 vehicles seized. Number 7,000 was snared last Tuesday at 1.10pm and has been reported for summons, said police.

Sergeant Cameron Buchan, who leads Steerside, said he hoped the operation - which started on February 1 last year - was embedded in people’s minds.

He added: “The cumulative results total shows our commitment to tackling dangerous driving in Bradford district and the fatal four offences, which are considered the most likely factors in serious and fatal road traffic collisions.

“Public safety is one of the key actions for the police, as set by our Police and Crime Commissioner.

“We hope people are noticing a difference on the roads of Bradford and that this initiative is now embedded in their minds as ongoing, and that we take their safety - road or otherwise - very seriously.

“The legacy of Steerside now means Bradford police have a dedicated email address for reporting such matters and/or submitting evidence to us.

“The Telegraph & Argus has reported on several court cases regarding dangerous driving and police pursuits – a lot of which have been Steerside cases.

“This work is ongoing and district residents can be reassured it will continue.”

Sarah Harrison, whose mum Mary Byrne was killed by a speeding driver, congratulated police for reaching 7,000.

Mrs Byrne, 51, died in April 2013 when she was thrown from a minicab that was hit by a car going at more than 60mph.

Mrs Harrison said of the Steerside milestone: “I think it is brilliant - 7,000 is a huge amount, isn’t it.

“It is what we needed, obviously, especially if 7,000 can be caught in under a year. Hopefully it will carry on and hopefully the number will drop because people will realise the police are out there. 7,000 is impressive. It shows the hard work that the police do put in.

“They get criticised enough for not doing stuff, but 7,000 shows they are tackling it and that is really good.”

She added: “It is about getting out there and educating people about it. When you are out driving, you can still pass people on their mobile phones.

“It is about getting people to realise what they can cause by being on a mobile phone.

“Sometimes it doesn’t hit people until something does hit them. It is all about educating them and them seeing what damage they can cause.

“Lots of people in Bradford support this campaign because they know it was needed. Something had to change. I know I say that over and over again, but something had to change and it is happening. It is good.”

Zari’aat Masood, spokesman for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “This is an impressive milestone for Operation Steerside, but there is still work to be done.

“Roads policing needs to be a national priority so forces can afford to crackdown on risky law-breaking drivers and we urge the government to keep investing and treat it as a priority: it saves lives.”

Mrs Harrison said her family were preparing to raise money for Brake by doing a charity walk in memory of her mum and to mark four years in April since her death.

She said the two people jailed for causing her mum’s death were due to be released from prison soon.

“They are due to be released anytime soon,” said Mrs Harrison. “We were thinking about doing a four mile-walk as it will be four years in April since mum’s death.

“Instead of moping around, we are doing four years, four miles, four pubs, because my mum liked a little drink, and to raise some money for Brake.

“We didn’t know anything about the charity before what happened to my mum. The help they offer to families and in building awareness is brilliant, so we thought we would raise some money for them.”