Effective road and traffic management

Written evidence from Jonathan Smith (ETM 37)

It is with utter amazement and deep concern I learn that on the 20th May 2011 the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary are to remove, without a contingency, dedicated Roads Policing patrols from the two counties. These officers work to deny criminals the use of the road by enforcing the law, reducing road casualties, tackling the threat of terrorism, reducing anti-social use of the road, enhancing public confidence and reassurance by patrolling the roads. They also engage with members of the public, spread a positive message about road safety and target those who seek to spread death and misery on our roads.

As a tax payer, I have over the years seen an increase in the council tax aimed at ensuring the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall is best able to provide a safe environment for me to live and go about my daily life. The high number of fatalities and serious collisions that were evident on our roads over the past decade has shown a steady decline during the last two years as a result of the high visibility roads policing patrols that the traffic and dedicated firearms officers provide. This has been enhanced by the provision of a balanced and proportionate response by the Safety Camera Partnership. These changes are being driven through purely from a financial and budget saving point of view, are shortsighted and will result in the "safer roads" trend being reversed.

The integration of these officers with the local community has been vitally important, intelligence lead taskings and an adherence to the last Government’s policy on local neighbourhood policing has been of immense importance. Indeed, the policing of the major arterial roads and motorway was very often the only contact and visibility that commuters had with the police, so to remove this dedicated high visibility patrol is a damning indictment of the current reforms. It also provides a very real danger to the local residents as well as the many tourists that visit our two countries.

The loss of the more experienced police officers under regulation A19 is undoubtedly going to have an impact on policing, combine this with the removal of new officers entering the service due to a ban on recruitment the future looks anything but rosy. To expect to an adequate response from the remaining police officers will have to mean that their shift patters are changed so they work longer, their workload more taxing which will have a profound effect on their morale and sickness levels. This will compound further a reduction in the service to the public caused by a cynical and politically motivated attack on the front line policing, by the Force, in response to what it sees as enforced budget cuts.

I would ask that these plans are urgently reviewed prior to the launch date of 20th May 2011, to try and prevent the loss of experienced roads policing officers which will be difficult to redress. It would also be prudent for the Police Authority to provide assurances that a timescale is considered to monitor this proposal in order to ensure there is no escalation in anti social driving and road collisions, which would result in an increase in those seriously injured or killed on our roads.

January 2011