Crowthorne and Sandhurst

Over 100 vehicles were stopped at a road check on the York Town Road in Sandhurst on Wednesday (9/9).

The Sandhurst check was held between 8am and 12pm and focused on vehicles travelling towards the High Street.

The check was part of TISPOL seatbelt week, during which the Sandhurst road safety team’s focus is on the failure to wear seatbelts.

The operation was run by PC Bob Wade, Road Safety Constable from the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership, working in conjunction with the Vehicle Operators Services Agency (VOSA) and the Road Safety Officers of Bracknell Forest Council.

54 people were issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for failing to wear a seatbelt. The fine for this offence has recently been increased to £60. Those issued with fines were offered a new online seat belt course at a cost of £25 in place of the fine.

Eight Sandhurst drivers were issued a £60 FPN with three penalty points for using a mobile phone while driving. Those issued with fines were offered the call divert course at a cost of £79.50 in place of the points and fine.

One driver had his vehicle seized for having no insurance. He was also issued with a FPN of £200 and six penalty points. He will also have to pay for the recovery and storage costs.

One Sandhurst driver was reported for tax offences.

Fifteen vehicles were issued with prohibition notices by VOSA as the vehicles were considered to be too unsafe to continue their journey. This involves the driver having to rectify the fault, sometimes immediately, before the vehicle can be driven on the road.

PC Bob Wade said: “These checks are very important in the overall effort to improve road safety. It also provides an opportunity for specialist officers and VOSA to support the work of neighbourhood officers.

“It is worrying to see that so many people choose not to wear a seatbelt. Drivers should know the law and we will continue to punish those that ignore it.

“These checks are carried out by officers from the roads policing department and our partners, such as local councils or VOSA and as they are not carried out by local officers, they don’t take them away from the important role of policing their communities in other ways.”

Thames Valley Police ~ Sandhurst