That's a motoring offence itself, officers

A MOTORIST has accused the police of hypocrisy for parking on a pavement while trying to catch speeding drivers.

The speed trap was set up on Huddersfield Road in Mirfield on Friday - but the van was parked on the pavement.

Mirfield man Brian Charlton said: "It smacks of hypocrisy. The police are trying to catch people committing motoring offences while committing one themselves."

He also said the advance warning sign that the mobile speed camera was in action was poorly displayed.

Surveillance cameras are required to have notices displaying their purposes and operator's details.

Mr Charlton said: "There was one sign which was propped up against a wall. When people are concentrating on the road ahead they would not notice the sign.

"These speed traps are all about raising revenue."

The van is run by West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership - an organisation which operates all speed cameras in West Yorkshire - but crewed by police officers.

Partnership spokesman Philip Gwynne said: "We only target areas where there is a problem with speeding which has led to accidents.

"We need the van to be in a place which can get good view of the stretch of road which is causing the concern."