Officers condemn motorists speeding on empty roads
Chief warns visitors and residents
POLICE IN Yorkshire have said it is “unbelievable” that speeding motorists are taking advantage of the empty roads caused by the lockdown after clocking a car at 132mph.
North Yorkshire Police said its officers have seen an increase in vehicles travelling at dangerous, highly-excessive speeds since the nationwide lockdown. Now one of its speed cameras has clocked a BMW travelling at 132mph on a non-motorway road. The car was recorded on the A168 at Asenby, near Thirsk, earlier than this week, the force said.
A spokesman said that details of the vehicle were circulated to other units and a driver was stopped by officers from a neighbouring police force a short time later. The driver was subsequently reported on suspicion of driving offences.
Andy Tooke, of North Yorkshire Police’s traffic bureau, said: “Some of the speeds we have recorded as the roads have got quieter are frankly ridiculous, especially at a time when people have been asked to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
“It’s unbelievable that some motorists are behaving in a way that puts more lives in danger at a time when NHS and emergency service resources are so vital.
“It goes without saying that if people stuck to the rules of the road during a time of national crisis, there would be no offences for us to enforce. We will not tolerate North Yorkshire being used as a race track, and we are continuing to target those who put lives at risk by driving illegally.”
The speed limit on the stretch of the A168 that the safety camera operator was monitoring is 70mph. North Yorkshire Police say in the last few days, it has also recorded speeds of 117mph and several at close to 100mph.
Meanwhile, a Yorkshire National Park boss has urged people living outside the area not to drive there during coronavirus lockdown in response to apparent confusion and tensions over people wanting to use the area’s 2,000 miles of rights of way.
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority chief executive David Butterworth, who has jurisdiction for the 2,179 sq km area under emergency powers while its members are unable to meet, has also warned the park’s residents against alienating those from neighbouring towns and villages.
A YORKSHIRE National Park boss has urged people living outside the area not to drive there during coronavirus lockdown in response to apparent confusion and tensions over people wanting to use the area’s 2,000 miles of rights of way.
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority chief executive David Butterworth, who has been handed jurisdiction for the 2,179 sq km area under emergency powers while its elected and appointed members are unable to meet, has also warned the park’s residents against alienating those from neighbouring towns and villages.
As North Yorkshire Police reported stopping people travelling more than 100 miles to visit the area, councillors reported similar issues arising in around the North York Moors National Park.
Residents of the areas surrounding the parks, who are used to using it as their local park to exercise and walk dogs, said they had received warnings from police for driving short distances and had been turned back.
However, the latest guidance, issued by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing on Tuesday night, states people should not be punished
for travelling “a reasonable distance” to exercise and that road checks on every vehicle are “disproportionate”.
A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said the force had not issued any fines and was pursuing “an engagement, explain and encouragement approach”.
She said: “Parts of North Yorkshire including the Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors National
Parks, coast and the city of York draw a very high number of visitors from elsewhere, especially in good weather. To get to these areas, visitors must typically travel extensive distances.
“Officers who stopped and engaged with drivers to ensure they understood the Government’s measures about ‘essential’ journeys encountered a driver who was making a 140-mile round trip from Merseyside to the Yorkshire Dales and another who was making a 60-mile round trip from another county to ‘get some fresh air’ at a North Yorkshire beauty spot.
“We think most people would agree that these are not essential journeys or reasonable distances.”
Mr Butterworth said while there had been a sharp drop-off of visitors to the park over the past week, it was crucial everyone understood the Government’s rules and showed common sense as it was unclear what police chiefs meant by “a reasonable distance”.
He said: “As the days and weeks go by the importance of the rights of way for people’s physical and mental health will increase.
“Whether you are a visitor to the Dales or a resident of the National Park, if it involves driving then Government advice is that you shouldn’t be making that journey. If people walk or cycle into the National Park that is fine.
“This applies as much to people
living in the park as it does for those coming from the fringes of the park or places that are further afield.”
He said while he understood residents’ concerns to protect their families, the actions of some people, such as those blocking car parks and public footpaths or draping blankets on fencing with words to the effect of ‘go away and don’t be using our facilities’ were unhelpful.
Highlighting that residents of the Dales and surrounding area were inter-dependent, Mr Butterworth warned those in deeply rural communities not to create unnecessary tensions with those from surrounding market towns, such as Leyburn, Richmond and Skipton, as Dales communities need to visit the supermarkets and GP surgeries there.
Earlier this week, it was claimed that a wave of second home owners who have moved from coronavirus hotspot cities to North Yorkshire boltholes “to ride out the outbreak” at countryside beauty spots have put themselves and others at further risk.
If it involves driving then advice is you shouldn’t be making that journey.
David Butterworth, chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.