ALMOST 100 cars have been taken off Huddersfield's roads by a police clampdown on uninsured drivers.

And the new man in charge of the area's road traffic police, Sgt Danny Groiser, has vowed to keep up the pressure.

Huddersfield-based Kirklees South traffic police have Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology they can now use every day on the area's roads.

The system immediately shows up any vehicles that are not insured, untaxed or are linked to crime.

Under new legislation, police can immediately seize cars driven by people who are not insured.

If the drivers cannot provide insurance documents within two weeks the vehicle is crushed.

Since July police have seized 95 vehicles in this way and the vast majority have since been destroyed.

Sgt Groiser said: "Many of these vehicles are known as `pool' cars which are shared by criminals.

"Since all these cars were seized the number of injury accidents on Huddersfield's roads has fallen.

"From now the same legislation can be used to seize cars from people who do not have driving licences."

Off-road police motorcyclists are homing in on people causing a nuisance riding off-road bikes - and many have been seized.

Police often act on complaints from the public. The more information they get the better.

They are also carrying out checks for speeding drivers on problem roads in response to complaints from the public.

Sgt Groiser said the ANPR technology was being used in crime hotspot areas targeted by travelling villains - especially those thought to be travelling across borders with neighbouring police forces.

The traffic police are also concentrating on reducing the toll of deaths and injuries.

Regular joint projects with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and the DVLA stop vehicles and check them for mechanical faults.

* Sgt Groiser, 33, of Mirfield, used to serve in the RAF police.

After two years working in a control room for the Metropolitan Police in Marylebone, London he joined West Yorkshire Police in 1995.

He worked on the beat in Chapeltown until 1998 when he became a traffic officer in the same division.

In 2003 he was promoted to sergeant and worked on the beat in Dewsbury and then as a custody sergeant at Dewsbury police station.

He is married with two young sons aged three and one.

* Anyone who has information about criminals using cars or other offences involving vehicles should contact Pc Phil Shaw.

Pc Shaw has worked in traffic police for several years, but suffered a serious collarbone injury while arresting a suspected thief in Kirkheaton.

He has undergone months of rehabilitation and is due to return to frontline duties early next year.

But he is now back in the traffic office at Holmfirth collating information for colleagues to pursue.

He said: "After I was injured two women came to my aid and I'd really like to thank them for their kindness that day."

Contact him on 01484 436847.