MORE than 100 motorists were arrested for drink or drug driving offences across Wiltshire last month as police stepped up patrols as part of a nationwide crackdown.

Wiltshire Police’s roads policing unit led the county’s response to Operation Limit, a National Police Chiefs’ Council campaign aimed at tackling impaired driving during the festive period.

Between December 1 and 31, officers carried out additional, targeted patrols to identify offenders and remove them from the roads.

The month-long operation resulted in 120 arrests – a 35% increase compared with the number of drink or drug driving-related arrests made in December 2024.

Wiltshire Police figures show that 59.2% of those arrested were suspected of drink driving, while 40.8% were suspected of drug driving.

Inspector Neil Duffin, who leads the roads policing unit, said the increase reflected proactive enforcement rather than a rise in tolerance.

“While a rise in the numbers of drivers found to be drink or drug driving may seem concerning, I want to reassure the public that we will take a robust approach,” he said.

“The arrest of these 120 individuals shows our resolve in preventing serious collisions and reducing road deaths.”

Inspector Duffin added that advances in detection methods have strengthened their ability to identify drug drivers.

“Where individuals choose to drive under the influence of drink or drugs, the law is clear,” he said. “Our officers are better equipped than ever to detect drug drivers, which is reflected in the significant number of drug-related arrests we made this month. We will continue to apply this pressure year-round.”

Wiltshire Police is urging motorists to plan ahead, avoid driving after drinking or taking drugs and report suspected impaired drivers to help keep the county’s roads safe.