FORTY motorists have been arrested as part of a drink and drug drive crackdown launched earlier this month – including one allegedly three times over the limit.

North Yorkshire Police kicked off a campaign on June 1 to stamp out the problem of people driving under the influence as part of a national month-long roadside crackdown.

Police have so far breathalysed 350 drivers and have charged 20 people with drink driving.

Seven people have also been subjected to a roadside Field Impairment Test (FIT), resulting in four arrests on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs.

Sixteen people out of the 40 arrested have been bailed pending further enquiries.

Those arrested included a 31-year-old local man who was arrested on Saturday, June 4, after he appeared to be asleep at the wheel of his car in the Co-op car park in Acomb, York.

A 41-year-old local man was arrested on Ousegate, Selby, at about 11pm on Monday, June 13, following a routine stop by police. He allegedly blew 104 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – just short of three times the legal limit of 35mg in 100ml.

On Tuesday of this week, a 58-year-old man from Scarborough was arrested following an accident in Great Barugh, Malton. A car had left the road and hit a hedge and police say a man at the scene was over the limit.

In the past five years in York and North Yorkshire, 259 people have been killed or seriously injured in collisions involving drunk drivers.

Traffic Sergeant Ian Pope, of North Yorkshire Police’s Road Policing Group, said: “Drink driving is totally unacceptable and it will not be tolerated.”