Dyfed Powys Police – Op Darwen results and ongoing road safety programme

Over the bank holiday weekend of May 28 – 30, as part of an ongoing road safety programme, roads policing units continued their efforts to promote road safety and reduce the number of casualties on our roads. Officers across Dyfed Powys spent the weekend providing high visibility patrols and focusing activity around motorcycles, and concentrated on the main routes used by motorcyclists riding through the force area.

Dedicated roads policing officers conducted Op Darwen over full twelve hour periods, many at short notice over the bank holiday. They utilised marked and unmarked cars and motorcycles during the operation. Officers experienced very positive engagement with motorcyclists in various sites where motorcyclists tend to congregate, such as cafes, services and lay-by’s in Llandovery, Glan Usk, Sennybridge and Brecon areas.

As well as engagement and education, enforcement activity also took place where appropriate, and some of the notable results were as follows:

• A number of Section 59 notices and verbal warnings were issued to motorcyclists in the Dyfi forestry. Bikers were cleared from the area and Natural Resources Wales notified.
• A motorcycle was seized under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act, no licence
• 7 Section 59 notices issued to motorcyclists
• 16 fixed penalty notices issued for incorrectly displayed number plates
• 8 Traffic Offence Reports submitted for excess speed
• 2 Traffic Offence Reports submitted for contravening solid white lines
• 1 fixed penalty notice  issued for no MOT
• 2 motorcyclists arrested for positive drug wipes

Car drivers were also dealt with robustly during the operation, with examples as follows:

• 3 Traffic Offence Reports issued for no insurance
• 1 arrest for disqualified driving
• 6 Traffic Offence Reports issued for excess speed
• 2 Traffic Offence Reports issued for no seatbelt
• 1 fixed penalty notice for no MOT
• 2 Traffic Offence Reports issued for driving whilst on mobile phone
• 2 warnings for cannabis possession
• 1 arrest for drink driving

Officers involved were pleased to note that there were no fatal or serious motorcycle collisions over the weekend, which made it a successful operation for all involved.

Roads Policing Inspector Mike Melly said: “Road safety and casualty reduction on our roads is a priority for Dyfed-Powys Police. Operation Darwen provides an opportunity for officers to engage with and educate motorcyclists, and other road users, to prevent tragedies. Patrolling our roads in this way is about saving lives. I am very grateful to those officers who worked on to cover the operation, and to those who worked at short notice – and it is pleasing that thankfully there were no serious or fatal motorcycle collisions following the successful operation. Operation Darwen will be ongoing throughout the summer months.”