Scores sign up for city's safer driving courses

Scores of people have signed up to take part in a police scheme to improve driving on Bradford's roads before it has even started.

Five of the nine Safer Driving Sessions are already full, according to West Yorkshire Police which is running them as part of Operation Steerside.

Launched in 2019 Steerside involves police working in partnership with Bradford Council, the DVLA, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and schools.

Each 90-minute session is free and open to anyone across the district, whether they are a driver, pedestrian, cyclist or any other road user.

Insp Jodie Scatchard said: "I think there's a lot of negative press across a lot of cities within the UK at the moment in terms of driving standards.

"We know that, which is why we are being proactive and putting on these educational sessions."

The first session is at Javelin House police station in Eccleshill on Friday with others also being held at the same location and in Keighley.

Each one includes discussions around accident prevention, road safety statistics and policy changes.

Scatchard said: "As part of the presentations we talk about the Fatal Five.

"[These are] the things that are going to cause a serious incident or fatal collision on the roads of Bradford.

"That's around drink/driving, speed awareness, considerate driving, seatbelts and mobile phones."

In 2024 the Vision Zero initiative was launched in Bradford with a goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries on West Yorkshire's roads by 2040.

Operation Steerside and the Safer Driver Sessions are part of this work.

Scatchard said: "The sessions hold between 15 to 20. Out of the nine sessions we've advertised, five are fully booked.

"We've had some really positive interest from a varying range of people in terms of the communities of Bradford.

"But also our partners, such as the local authorities and the magistrates' court, have shown some interest too."

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