Northumbria Police called time on Operation Cadence after just three weeks

Operation Cadence, a Northumbria Police scheme which invited the submission of helmet cam footage, appears to have been shelved within weeks of its launch. Those attempting to submit footage since are reported to have received only an automated message proclaiming it to have been a ‘success’.  

“We don't have to be at the scene to prosecute drivers who put cyclists at risk,” the force tweeted in March. “Send your footage to us today.”

PC Richard Groves, of Northumbria Police's Motor Patrols department, said at the time: “Modern technology means that motorists no longer need to be caught red-handed by the police at the scene of the crime to be prosecuted. More and more cyclists now have GoPro cameras and this means we can put people before the courts even if we don't catch them at the scene.”

Groves said officers would analyse the footage, speak to victims about what punishment they would like to see and would then take “appropriate action that could see drivers put before the court.”

However, road.cc reader Gav Warrender got in touch with us last month to say that would-be contributors were now receiving an automated email response explaining that the initiative was closed and had been ‘a success’.

Others on social media have reported getting the same response.

Northumbria Police were contacted by road.cc to explain why the decision was taken to close the operation, but they have failed to provide a response.