----- Original Message -----

From: Adam Coffman

To: CTC-RTR@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 10:48 AM

Subject: [CTC-RTR] Metropolitan Police consultation and traffic safety

 

Dear All

 

We encourage all Reps particularly those living in and around London, to respond to a Metropolitan Police consultation about the priorities for its Policing Plan 2006/7 and its Policing Strategy 2006/9.

 

Please respond saying that you feel that the Met should be giving much higher priority to traffic policing, including lower a tolerance threshold for those breaking the speed limit, better investigation of road crashes, tackling traffic issues in Community Safety Units and Police Community Consultative Committees, providing better support for road crash victims and putting more police officers on bikes.

 

Point out that traffic policing is highly effective way to tackle other forms of crime, as there are proven links between driving offences and other forms of criminality.  You can add that, according to Home Office research, speeding easily tops the list of the public’s anti-social behaviour concerns – well ahead of issues such as litter, graffiti or vandalism.

 

 

The consultation is at:

http://www.met.police.uk/about/performance/consultation/

 

Roadpeace have responded with the following recommendations:

 

1. Traffic law enforcement, especially speed enforcement This should include

stronger support being given to safety cameras by the Met Police and

lowering the speed tolerance limit. DfT restricts speed cameras to worst

locations only and requires them to be signed but the speed tolerance margin

is a local decision.

 

2. Investigation of road traffic collisions (including injury collisions

which are investigated by borough police) Collision investigators only

handle the fatal and near fatal collisions and general borough police

investigate all others (over 80% of all injury collisions). Injury collision

investigations are a very low priority for the borough police and this shows

in the quality of investigation undertaken, i.e. witness statements are

posted and not taken in person.

 

3. Support services/treatment of those bereaved and injured in road

collisions.

Previous research into the level of satisfaction of victims with Met police

investigations has excluded those bereaved and injured in road collisions.

Victim Support does not assist road traffic casualties and the information

provided by the police is minimal and misleading. A Home Office booklet is

given to bereaved families but this does not even warn families that the

most common charge, driving without due care and attention, must be laid

within six months. No written information is given to those injured on the

road.

 

4. Inclusion of traffic safety in Community Safety Units and the monthly

borough Police Community Consultative Group meetings.

 

Safer Streets initiative and Community Safety Units do not include traffic

safety in their remit. Traffic safety is also excluded from the regular

discussion of the Police Community Consultative Group meetings. The

Southwark Police Community Consultative Group is to hold a special session

on traffic safety but it should be discussed at every meeting. In a British

Crime Survey on anti social behaviour, speeding was the most common problem

reported. ASBOs should be used for speeding and motoring offences.

 

5. More police on cycles.

Police on bicycles represents a cost effective solution that should also

help police be more able to appreciate the risk to vulnerable road users and

be more proactive about protecting them.

 

Cheers

 

Adam

 

 

 

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