PEOPLE in Bradford are starting to feel safer on the district's roads - thanks to a crackdown on danger driving, according to comments made to West Yorkshire Police.

Sergeant Cameron Buchan, who is leading Operation Steerside in the city, said the force had received numerous messages of support from the public after snaring 1,657 illegal motorists in only nine weeks.

Last week, which saw the start of Phase Two of the operation, a total of 118 drivers were caught breaking the law in Bradford and ten vehicles were seized.

Steerside, which was inspired by the Telegraph & Argus Stop The Danger Drivers campaign, started at the beginning of February and was due to end on March 31.

However, police decided to extend it by 12 weeks because of its success.

Speaking about the start of Phase Two and the feedback from the public, Sgt Buchan said: "The momentum has continued. We are still getting a large volume of feedback from the public, giving us encouragement, saying the work that we are doing is brilliant - which is brilliant for us.

"If the public is happy, then that is the point. They are saying it is a very worthwhile cause. Quite a few are saying they feel safer on the roads and that they are noticing a difference on the roads. That is lovely, and better than I could ever have hoped for.

"But it is a time to not rest on our laurels. The Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire talks about making communities safe and making them feel safer. The figures show we are contributing to making them safer.

"In phase one there were 1,539 motorists caught - that is the indication that we are making communities safer and the emails we are receiving are saying we are making people feel safer.

"So we are hitting the Police and Crime Commissioner's two targets - and we are very proud to have done so."

He added: "The numbers and feedback are very encouraging and will help us continue with the good work."

On the operation continuing, and its scope, Sgt Buchan said: "We have carried on with the operation because of the support we have got. We know people are supporting us.

"We talked about concentrating our efforts in the five areas highlighted by our intelligence work, but we are going all over Bradford.

"We get emails asking us to go to areas of Bradford that are not on our original list of areas. We are going everywhere - we are responding to requests. We have lots of calls about Canterbury and Morley Street in the town centre."

Week one of Phase Two saw 52 drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt, 19 speeding, 14 using a mobile phone at the wheel, ten driving without insurance, and ten others snared for other driving offences.

On seat belts, Sgt Buchan said: "I do not understand why people don't wear their belts, because it is so quick to do.

"I don't know if it's about looking cool, but they won't look so cool with a scar on their face after they have gone through the windscreen.

"I personally feel naked in a car if I'm not wearing a seat belt."