Cars, Christmas and coffee: a night shift on the roads with police

As festive anti-drink drive campaigns run across the country, reporter Phil Bodmer spent a night on North Yorkshire's roads with traffic officers aiming to ensure everyone gets home at the end of the evening.

Pub closing time on a winter's night and noisy revellers spill from of a cluster of bars heading for the warmth of home.

A parked black Audi waits by a large Christmas tree in the festively decorated Market Place, its exterior lights dimmed.

Most people enjoying the nightlife, don't give it a second glance.

Watching from behind the wheel is Chris Storey, one of North Yorkshire Police's traffic constables.

"It's always there" says Chris, "it doesn't seem to be going away, people still take risks, that's why we're looking to take them off the roads."

The calm inside the police car contrasts with chatter and laughter on the streets outside.

The 35-year-old officer is on the lookout for drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

A backlit dashboard illuminates Chris's face as he scans screens for constantly updated information about vehicles on the move which could be of interest.

I'm out for a night with the force in Knaresborough. Officers patrol about 6,000 miles of road across England's largest county.

Last Christmas more than 150 drivers were arrested for drink and or drug driving offences over a 32-day period.

This year the force is targeting young men aged 17 to 29, due to national statistics showing 90% of fatal collisions involving drink or drugs since 2014 involves someone in that group.

Just before midnight, we spot a speeding Seat Ibiza, passing in the other direction. "That's all I needed" exclaims Chris, as the A6 purrs into life.

The driver hasn't noticed us, as the police officer turns the unmarked patrol car 180 degrees to catch the Seat up.

A bleep from the radio at control in York confirms the vehicle being followed may have been involved in supply of drugs previously.

A burst of flashing blue lights brings the Seat to a halt. The driver claims he hasn't consumed any alcohol, but the breathalyser tells a different story.

Suspicions further raised, Chris "invites" the motorist to take a seat in the back of the Audi so he can perform a drugs test.

After a wait of around eight minutes the result comes back and its positive for cannabis.

The man is read his rights arrested and handcuffed as he wait for a marked van to take him to Harogate Police Station's custody suite.

"Our message is really clear," says Chris.

"If you feel you're going to be over the limit or under the influence of drugs don't get behind the wheel."

After six years with the traffic department, the officer says one of the hardest aspects of the job is having to inform loved ones someone has been killed.

"Making that knock on the door is absolutely horrendous, it's the most devastating thing you could possibly do.

"We sit with people we cry with them. It's heartbreaking."

The 12-hour night shift can be gruelling so Chris suggests a pit stop for a coffee at a local petrol station.

"It's known by local cops as Pannal police station," he says with a chuckle.

The staff there are familiar with officers dropping by, in need of a pick-me-up.

A quick discount-price drink and we're back on the road.

Traffic officers are rarely crewed together these days, so it can be a long and sometimes lonely night.

"What's the best part of the job?" I ask.

"Knowing you've made a difference, taking people off the road, there's always someone out there who needs stopping.

"It's about reducing the number of people killed on our roads".

Before the shift ends Chris will head back to the police station to process those he's arrested.

Twenty miles away officer Jack Dodsworth is driving a marked BMW 340i; unlike the Harrogate based Audi, it's battenburg livery is obvious.

Still in his twenties, Jack is one of North Yorkshire Police's youngest traffic officers.

He joined after working in the force control room, before becoming a constable.

In the Acomb area of York, he spots a Hyundai with a defective front light.

He sticks the BMW in reverse and turns the car around.

But the Hyundai has clocked the police car's reversing lights and has made a sharp left turn and disappeared.

"He doesn't do that for no reason, does he?" asks Jack, glancing in the rear-view mirror as he accelerates to catch up with the driver who appears keen to give him the slip.

The Hyundai has little chance of outrunning the highly-tuned three-litre engine of the BMW.

Perhaps realising this, the motorist suddenly pulls into the side and turns off his lights. Jack pulls level - before boxing the Hyundai in and asking why he made the turn.

The owner of the Hyundai says he has been with some friends who may have consumed "weed", but maintains he has not had anything.

Jack's instincts are heightened and, due to the manner of the 20-year-old's driving, it's a breath test and drugs wipe for him.

Both come back negative but while the driver is in the back of the police car, the control room informs Jack the driver failed to stop previously, having driven the wrong way on a roundabout.

Jack issues him with a ticket for a defective headlight and he gets a straightforward Yorkshire warning about his antics behind the wheel: "If you drive like that, you're going to get tickets, go steady and stop driving like a numpty."

The stop is one of dozens he will perform during his night shift.

In 2023 more than 1,000 drivers were tested at the roadside by North Yorkshire Police.

Both officers say they're not out to spoil people's fun, especially at Christmas.

Simply, they are trying to prevent people losing their lives at the hands of drink or drug drivers.

Both have a simple message to those getting behind the wheel at any time of the year: "The only safe limit is none."

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