MOTORISTS in Blackpool are facing a seasonal double whammy as police crack down on car-related crimes.

Separate initiatives to combat drink driving, joyriding and to make speed cameras more visible have all been launched within the last week.

The county's officers launched the annual "Drink Link" initiative on Tuesday targeting drink drivers. Callers who are worried about a drink driver can phone the Crimestoppers number -- 0800 555 111 -- with any information, such as type of vehicle, registration number and a driver's usual times and locations.

Inspector Chris Gradwell said: "If we can save even one life as a result of making people more aware of the dangers of drink driving then this campaign will have been worthwhile.

"I would urge members of the public to report known offenders through Drink Link in the knowledge that their call be treated in the strictest confidence. Gathering intelligence information through Drink Link has proved very successful over previous years."

And a partnership between Blackpool Police and the Youth Offending Teams of Blackpool and Lancashire has resulted in the launch of a hard-hitting video, "Know Fear", which recounts the story of a 17-year-old mown down by a speeding stolen vehicle on Blackpool Promenade. A police spokesman said research on the Fylde Coast showed that children as young as 11 are getting involved with joyriding. "Know Fear will be aimed at groups of young people who are identified as susceptible to being enticed into getting involved or have experimented with this type of criminal activity," he said.

And he said the police and emergency services refused to recognise the term "joyriding". "We see all too often the end results and mayhem caused by stolen vehicles being driven recklessly. They so often result in road traffic accidents which involve serious injuries or death to the occupants of the vehicle and to innocent pedestrians and road users," he added.

This week the government announced new rules for the visibility and signing of fixed and mobile speed cameras.

Under the rules camera housings must be yellow, they must not be hidden by bridges, signs, trees or bushes and sites must be reviewed at least every six months to make sure visibility and signing conditions are being met.

Mobile speed camera users must also wear fluorescent clothing and their vehicles should be marked with reflective strips to make them more visible.

A spokesman for the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety -- which includes Lancashire Police and Lancashire County Council -- said: "The partnership has already made a commitment to ensure that the public of Lancashire are aware of where all traffic cameras are sited and the new rules will be implemented over the next six months. Existing camera sites will be reviewed in line with the new rules."