ANTI-social and illegal drivers are “not welcome” in Keighley.

That’s the message from the senior police officer in charge of a major campaign to rid the town’s roads of law-flouting motorists.

Over the past two months, as part of Operation Steerside, 121 motorists in Keighley have been reported for traffic offences.

Officers have dealt with 52 drivers for speeding, 29 for not wearing a seatbelt, and 15 for using a hand-held mobile phone while behind the wheel.

Twenty-five vehicles have been seized, either because the driver was uninsured or a warning had previously been issued – under Section 59 of the Road Traffic Act – for anti-social driving.

West Yorkshire Police say the figures only relate to part of the campaign – an element led by the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Additional results have been achieved through multi-agency initiatives headed-up by the Steerside Enforcement Team and operations carried out by officers from the roads policing unit.

Operation Steerside activities in Keighley have been part-funded by the town council for several years.

And tribute is paid to town councillors for their backing.

Inspector Adam Beecroft, who oversees the initiative in Keighley, said: “We would like to thank the town council for its continued support of Operation Steerside.

“Those who use vehicles anti-socially and illegally are not welcome here and we continue to tackle offenders through targeted local operations, using road safety partners where possible, to make our roads safer.”

Town mayor, Councillor Peter Corkindale, said he was delighted with the ongoing success of the operation.

“It started off in Bradford but we felt that Keighley could also benefit and this will be the fourth year now that we as a town council have contributed funding,” he said.

“We need to get illegal vehicles and anti-social drivers off our streets to make them safer for other road users and I’m pleased that Operation Steerside is having an impact.

“There is a big push at the moment to make towns and cities more pedestrian and bike-friendly, and this type of police action will complement that.”

Across the Bradford district, Operation Steerside recently achieved a milestone – the 1,000th vehicle seized.

The campaign began in 2016.

It initially focused on enforcement against the so-called ‘fatal four’ – speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, drink and drug driving and using a mobile phone at the wheel – but its area of work has expanded.

In 2018 a partnership board was formed and its scope widened to also work in schools.