EFFORTS to tackle drink-driving in Redbridge appear to be paying off after the borough saw a slight fall in arrests for the offence over the Christmas period.

The number of people arrested for being over the limit has dropped from 57 in December 2008 to 50 last month.

The fall has been blamed in part on the icy weather, which dissuaded many drivers from using their cars, but the figures have also been welcomed as a sign that police warnings are finally being listened to.

A total of 7,638 drivers were arrested after breath tests in England and Wales between December 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010 according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RSPoA).

A spokesman for the organisation - which is campaigning for the legal drink driving limit to be reduced from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg - said: "Although the figure is 16.51 per cent lower than the number caught drink-driving in the previous year's campaign, it demonstrates that far too many drivers are still putting themselves and others at risk in such an irresponsible and avoidable way.

"Figures published by the Association of Chief Police Officers, show 223,423 drivers were breath tested during the month-long blitz – a rise of 21.82 per cent on the previous year.

"Three per cent of all drivers breath tested were over the limit, but the percentage rose to four per cent for drivers under the age of 25 and to seven per cent for drivers involved in an accident."