Merseyside Police have issued a warning to drivers returning from holiday via Liverpool John Lennon Airport, as a new policing operation deploys evidential roadside alcohol-testing technology for the first time in the UK.
Operation Take Off Targets Post-Holiday Drink-Driving
The first night of the operation took place on a popular route out of the airport, with officers targeting drivers who may have consumed alcohol before boarding or during their return flight. The initiative, named Operation Take Off, follows the tragic deaths of eight-month-old Zackary Blades and his aunt Karlene Warner, who were killed in May 2024 by a driver leaving Newcastle Airport who was nearly three times over the legal alcohol limit.
According to Merseyside Police, the new evidential roadside alcohol-testing technology allows officers to charge motorists at the roadside for drink-driving offences. Previously, an initial screening test would be followed by the requirement for an evidential sample in custody, potentially several hours later.
How the New Technology Works
Merseyside Roads Policing Inspector Gavin Dixon explained the significance of the breakthrough: “It might not sound like a major breakthrough, but being able to charge people at the roadside for drink-driving could make the difference between securing a prosecution and losing one.” He noted that traditionally, if someone blows over the limit in a roadside breath test, officers must take them into custody to obtain an evidential sample before any charge can be brought. During that time, the body continues to process alcohol, meaning a driver who was clearly over the limit at the roadside may no longer provide a sample high enough to meet the evidential threshold by the time they reach custody. “Evidential roadside testing removes that risk entirely,” Dixon said.
Merseyside Police has a strong history of being an early adopter of technology that helps prevent serious and fatal collisions. While the technology is available to forces across the country, Merseyside is the first to deploy it operationally.
Additional Measures and Campaign Results
Alongside the new breath-testing technology, Merseyside Police is also trialling a nitrous oxide detection device to determine whether breath sampling could improve detection rates for drivers suspected of using the substance. The force is continuing its anti-drink and drug-driving football campaign, which has resulted in 266 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs since the start of the World Cup.
Inspector Dixon emphasised the importance of the proactive approach: “If someone has been drinking before boarding their flight home, or while travelling, and believes that somehow they can get behind the wheel without consequence, they should think again. We now have the ability to remove them from the road immediately and begin the process of bringing them to justice.”
