New initiative catches inconsiderate drivers
Almost 70 inconsiderate drivers have been caught red-handed thanks to an initiative set up between Staffordshire Police and Biffa.
In 2015, Staffordshire Police teamed up with Biffa, which provides recycling and refuse services for residents in the South Staffordshire Council area, following an increasing number of incidents where refuse collectors were almost hit by vehicles.
Biffa’s refuse collection vehicles are fitted with four CCTV cameras, which give a 360 degree view and constantly record what is happening around their vehicles.
Any vehicle that causes a danger to Biffa crews or members of the public have the video sent, with a statement, to Staffordshire Police’s Traffic Process Office.
The video is then viewed and the incident investigated so that the appropriate action can be taken against the driver.
To date, a total of 67 drivers have been given a driver awareness course, one driver received a £100 fine and three penalty points and one driver has been sent to court.
Sergeant Richard Moors, from Staffordshire and West Midlands Serious Collision Unit, said: “This is a fantastic example of how our partnership working benefits the communities in Staffordshire.
“Biffa’s staff are often put at danger by impatient drivers who feel the need to undercut a lorry or mount the pavement – putting a number of people at risk.”
A spokesperson for Biffa said: “Many of the motorists who are investigated by Staffordshire Police following an incidence of reckless driving are focused on where they need to be rather than the potential dangers of their behaviour.
“The DRoPs campaign aims to make drivers aware of the potential implications of driving on pavements to manoeuvre around waste collection vehicles.”
