Edinburgh drink and drug driving offences soar by a third as police chief urges ‘discipline’ ahead of Christmas party season

Drink and drug driving offences in Edinburgh increased by a third in the first six months of lockdown, as the city’s police chief urged the public to “maintain the discipline” ahead of the Christmas party season.

New Police Scotland figures show 251 incidents were recorded between April 1 and September 30 compared to 190 over the same period in 2019.

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, puts the rise down to offenders being “more visible” to officers on quieter roads as a result of coronavirus travel restrictions.

Dangerous driving offences in the city also increased year-on-year from 106 to 157 (48 percent rise) and the number of people driving without a licence soared from 218 to 304 incidents (39 percent rise).

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott puts the rise in drink or drug driving offences down to offenders being more exposed. Pictures: Neil Hanna/ Burdun Iliya

Chief Superintendent Scott said: “It’s symptomatic of Covid that we have caught more people and there can be a rise in these types of offences.”

He highlighted there have been two occasions where there has been a fatality during road collisions, which is the same as last year - but serious and slight injury collisions have both fallen in the Capital.

When asked about the possibility of more house parties and related drink or drug driving over the party season, he said public compliance with rules around gatherings could be trickier this time given lockdown restrictions were previously eased and have since been reimposed.

Chief Superintendent Scott continued: “It’s difficult for everyone to cope with but this is a public health crisis and everyone needs to really try and maintain the discipline, especially around the party season.”

He stressed officers will adopt the four E’s approach - to engage, explain, encourage and then enforce - and that the vast majority of the Edinburgh public continue to comply with the guidance but acknowledged the winter months could be “challenging.”

He said although there will be no Christmas Market or Hogmanay street party in the city this year, they are planning now for people to be drawn in to the city centre over the Christmas period, although this will be dependent on what restrictions are in place.

A breakdown of the proportion of people drink or drug driving was not available in the latest Police Scotland management information figures.