Thousands of Illegal Drivers Prosecuted With Multiple Cars Seized In Kirklees Operation

More than 2,500 illegal drivers have been dealt with in just 12 months in an ongoing operation to make roads safer in Kirklees.

Police in Kirklees and the force’s Roads Policing Unit have pledged an ongoing Operation Trimburg  campaign to tackle danger and illegal drivers will keep motoring on in the district after a busy 12 months.  

Between March 2025 and March 2026 Trimburg patrols and days of action resulted in 2,632 prosecutions including 561 for speeding drivers as well as 654 drivers caught not using seatbelts.

They also included 165 persons caught driving while using mobile phones and 134 for driving without due care and attention.

Thirty five arrests were also made over the same period including 11 for drivers caught drink or drug driving and eight caught behind the wheel while disqualified, as well as four for dangerous driving.  A total of 72 cars and other vehicles were also seized over the 12 months.

During the period, officers carried out patrols in communities including Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Mirfield, Golcar, Liversedge and Cleckheaton focussing on roads specifically highlighted as road safety concern hotspots for offending by residents. 

Multiple days or nights of action were also held across all parts of the district.

Operation Trimburg itself remains focussed on targeting the #fatal5 offences identified as being the main cause of serious and fatal road incidents.     

The Fatal 5 offences are not wearing a seatbelt, drink and drug driving, using a mobile phone, speeding and careless driving.   

West Yorkshire Police also remains committed to Vision Zero.  This is a road safety partnership aim established with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and other key partners to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe serious injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all in West Yorkshire.      

Chief Inspector Rebecca Calpin of Kirklees Police, said:  “Operation Trimburg was established to provide a dedicated and long term response to residents’ concerns about poor driving in parts of Kirklees.  Due to its impact it now operates across the whole district and I want to thank our colleagues at the Roads Policing Unit for their continuing support.
“Poor driving on our roads has been a key concern for communities and us as the officers that police them, and that is why we base these deployments on feedback from residents.
“The number of motorists prosecuted and vehicles seized demonstrates how successful and necessary this operation has been , and it will remain ongoing on our roads in the coming months.
 

Chief Inspector James Farrar, head of West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “Drivers must be under no illusions that if they speed, drive carelessly, do not use a seatbelt, use a mobile while driving, or drive under the influence of drink and drugs and are caught they will be prosecuted.   Fatal and serious injury road traffic collisions are absolute tragedies for affected families and we and partners desperately want to see the numbers of these incidents reduce.  
“That is why we remain so focussed on reducing these five offence types which we know are the key causes of the serious incidents we see on our roads . 
“We will continue to do all we can to educate and where necessary, enforce safer motoring, but also encourage anyone who has information about dangerous driving to contact us at - West Yorkshire Safer Roads - Op Snap | West Yorkshire Police."