I was going to just post this on my 365daysofbiking mini-blog, but this deserves a wide exposure, as I’ m sure there’s a perfectly innocent explanation. Perhaps readers or indeed, the local police can explain this to me. It was recorded at about 6:15pm, Thursday 23rd June 2011.
I’m sure there must be some special dispensation or need for the police to take this route – although they clearly weren’t in a hurry, so I doubt it was an emergency. I find this surprising, as recently there have been a number of press releases such as this one from the WMP press office. I look forward to being suitably enlightened.
Police Crackdown on Town Centre Motorists
16 June 2011
Walsall Police have caught another 25 drivers flouting traffic regulations during a further crackdown at a hotspot in the town centre yesterday (Wednesday 15 June).
During the three hour operation, officers issued a total of 25 fixed penalty fines to drivers who ignored the no right turn from Hatherton Road into Lichfield Street. All drivers caught were also breathalysed as part of the ongoing summer drink drive initiative.
All drivers tested for alcohol were negative.
The operation follows numerous complaints to police by the local community about motorists ignoring restrictions and a number of near miss accidents being recorded.
Insp Simon Rowbotham from the town centre team, said: “This is the fourth operation carried out in recent weeks following a number of complaints to local police and there have also been several near collisions. “
He added: “We want to warn motorists that we will continue to address the priorities highlighted in the town centre by cracking down on drivers who blatantly ignore the restrictions and that anyone caught will be issued with fixed penalty fines.”
He added:” All drivers stopped are also being breathalysed and it was good to see that the drink drive messages are working as all the tests were negative, as they were on the previous operation.”
Further operations to enforce the restrictions in the town centre will be regularly carried out.