POLICE in charge of Knutsford and Wilmslow have reported more than 70 per cent increase in drug driving incidents since 2015.

Macclesfield LPU, which covers Knutsford, Mobberley, Chelford and Wilmslow as well as others, has recorded 43 incidents of drug driving in 2016 compared to 25 in 2015.

The figures reflect an increase in drug driving across Cheshire by nearly 30 per cent as police have ‘cracked down’ on catching the culprits.

Inspector Steve Griffiths, from the Cheshire Roads policing unit said: “It’s astonishing to see how many people still believe that it is acceptable to driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.

“Driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs is extremely dangerous; it affects your reaction time, making it harder for you to judge your speed, judge your distance between you and other vehicles and notice potential hazards. All of this means that you are more likely to be involved in a collision.

Drink driving has also increased by 3 per cent across the county, but has seen a decrease- by one incident- in the Macclesfield policing area.

“I hope that the results from this operation demonstrate that our officers are here for you, by taking dangerous drivers off our roads. We are committed to reducing the number of alcohol and drug related deaths on our roads, and my officers will use all of the tools available to them to help us achieve our goal.

“I also want to reassure residents that although this operation has concluded, it is an issue that we continue to target seven days a week, 365 days a year. The message is clear, if you drive whilst under the influence of drink or drugs in Cheshire, you will be caught.”