50/50 split in the amount of drunk and drug drivers caught on the roads over this Christmas and New Year
Over the festive period, Greater Manchester Police's Operation Limit resulted in 570 arrests for drink and drug driving offences, with an even split between drug-related (259) and alcohol-related (259) offences. The campaign, which ran from December 1 to January 1, involved over 1,700 breath tests and 200 roadside drug wipes. Most offenders were male (88.4%), aged 28-37. Chief Inspector Michael Parker emphasized the dangers of impaired driving and urged community engagement to report offenders. The initiative is part of Vision Zero, aiming to eliminate road deaths by 2040.
Greater Manchester police arrested 570 motorists during the month-long Christmas drink- and drug-driving blitz known as Operation Limit, removing 585 impaired drivers from the region’s roads between 1 December and 1 January.
Roadside squads stopped more than 1,700 vehicles for breath tests and carried out 200 drug wipes, netting an even 259 arrests each for drink- and drug-driving offences, while 67 drivers refused to provide a specimen. Men accounted for 88.4 per cent of those taken into custody, with the largest single group—204 offenders—aged 28 to 37.
Chief Inspector Michael Parker of the force’s Special Operations Branch said the totals “showcase why we intensely and proactively patrol our road network daily”.
”Whilst the figures look alarming in the grand scheme of things… if you decide to break the law, you will have to face the full consequences for your reckless actions,” Parker warned.
”We see on far too many occasions the devastating consequences that result in drivers having impaired vision due to the effects of drink and drugs.”
Officers pledged that roadside checks will continue at key locations throughout 2025 and urged residents to report suspected offenders on 101—or 999 in an emergency—or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The force is working with local councils and road-safety partners on the Vision Zero pledge to eliminate fatal and life-changing collisions across Greater Manchester by 2040.
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