A new policing team aimed at reducing the number of casualties on the counties roads has been launched in Norfolk and Suffolk.
The Road Casualty Reduction Team (RCRT), made up of four police motorcyclists, carries out pro-active patrols targeting vulnerable road users and collision hotspots and provides additional support to routine patrol deployment.
In the first month of operation, the team recorded 41 speeding offences, 57 offences of not wearing a seatbelt, 58 offences of driving while using a mobile phone and made one drink-driving arrest.
Chief inspector Chris Spinks, head of roads policing in Norfolk and Suffolk, said: "The creation of this new team will see officers being much more pro-active in their ability to target hard-to-reach groups such as motorcyclists and carry out patrols in problem areas, all with the aim of helping improve road safety.
"We already do a lot of work to engage with motorists as part of our routine patrols while also attending specialist events; the real benefit of this team allows us to enhance this work as we are able to dedicate these officers for specific tasks and events. These patrols are above and beyond our normal capability which means they can concentrate on casualty reduction work without the need to respond to routine calls."
Norfolk and Suffolk police point to stats which show that motorcyclists are disproportionality represented in collision statistics; nationally they comprise 1% of all traffic but account for 19% of all road user deaths.
CI Spinks added: "Motorcyclists traditionally have always been a hard-to-reach group in terms of road safety and for me, there’s no better way to improve this than having police bikers at the forefront of our efforts to educate and enforce."
Jenny McKibben, deputy police and crime commissioner for Norfolk, said: “When you look at the casualty figures it is clear that the highest number of those killed or seriously injured are younger and older drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. This new team will help make Norfolk’s road safer by targeting vulnerable groups of road users."
Good point, David. We live in hope, but that might be as far as it goes because I feel Bob is also right when he mentions more police officers will be losing their jobs. In Somerset you even have PCSOs driving marked vehicles with the light bars. Apparently it’s a way of implying the bums are on seats when the bums aren’t there. How much worse is it going to get?
Nigel Albright
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I am sure that the experienced police officers whilst on the roads might be able to identify areas that need attention. Matters that may have been overlooked or certainly not identified by others about aspects about a particular road. Ones that can benefit from a possible change that would make it safer for other road users and motorcyclists alike. Fresh eyes from a motorcyclist’s point of view would I believe be a good idea.
Bob Craven Lancs….Space is Safe Campaigner
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Sorry David, don’t hold your breath. Recent national news indicates that a further number of police officers will lose their jobs very shortly.
Not much mention of their objective group the motorcyclists, unless some of the speeders were such. However that said, some good roads policing and reporting and possibly deterring other road users from being unsafe which can only lead to hopefully safer roads for all.
Bob Craven Lancs…Space is Safe Campaigner
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Let’s hope that this initiative marks the start of a return to sensible levels of roads policing. For too long this crucial aspect of policing has been relentlessly pruned.
David, Suffolk
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