Highway patrol police issue hundreds of fines, dozens of court dates during Tamworth Country Music Festival operation 2023

Officers have been out in force during the operation making sure the thousands of visitors as well as locals are making safe decisions on the roads.

Peel Highway Patrol manager Inspector Kelly Wixx told the Leader hundreds of people were hit with fines, while dozens of others will go before a magistrate in court on criminal charges.

Police had breath tested 4500 drivers by the end of the closing weekend of the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

Since January 12, they had dished out 300 speeding fines, caught 17 people not wearing seatbelts, 11 using mobile phones behind the wheel, 14 drink drivers and 33 drug drivers.

More than 300 other offences were detected.

"We target the main causal factors for serious injury collisions in this region," Inspector Wixx said.

"I don't know how many more people have to lose their lives for people to get the message."

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She said there was no excuse for speeding, one of the easiest things for drivers to control.

"It is unnecessary and adds to that additional risk if you are in an accident," she said.

"You're in control of a potential death trap and you're the one who has got to live with the consequences."

As the festival operation continued on Sunday, police said a motorcycle rider was detected speeding along Werris Creek Road at 210km per hour.

Investigations continue.

In a separate incident, a 22-year-old P-plater lost his licence and had his car's registration plates confiscated after being caught more than 50km over the speed limit.

The man - who has a speed restriction of 90km per hour - was clocked driving a Holden Statesman at 151km per hour in an 100 zone on Werris Creek Road, near Tamworth, on the morning of January 19.

The highway patrol's country music festival operation ends at midnight tonight, and will roll straight into double demerits for the January 26 public holiday.

Tragically, 21 people were killed on the region's roads last year, while a woman and a young girl have died in a car crash on a local highway this year.

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