‘Public let down by lack of investment in roads policing’

21 January 2022

The failure to reduce deaths on our roads in the last decade is the result of underfunding the police, according to the chair of Suffolk Police Federation.

Darren Harris was reacting to Monday’s BBC Panorama programme which claimed that vehicles had become safer in recent years, but this had not resulted in fewer casualties.

He said: “It is disappointing that the programme chose to blame the situation on ‘weak policing’ – that is an insult to colleagues frankly. The reality is that police officers are not miracle workers, we can only do our best with the resources we have and that comes down to the funding.

“Inevitably tighter budgets mean fewer police officers on the roads, keeping the public safe and carrying out the vital public information side of the role. The Federation has consistently warned of the tragic consequences of under resourcing roads policing and we are now seeing the results of that.”

A Freedom of Information request from 34 forces, which featured in the programme, found that the number of dedicated traffic officers had fallen from 5,014 in 2016, to 4,257 currently. And the number of police officers tasked with enforcing road laws has dropped by 15 per cent in that time.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), reporting two years ago, found that between 2015 and 2018, an average of 1,610 people lost their lives each year while many more were seriously injured.

Gemma Fox, Police Federation roads policing lead, said: “Every single roads policing officer I know personally wants to complete more pro-active activities. While reacting to accidents and enforcement are essential aspects of the job, this lack of resources has meant the public information side of the role has not been prioritised and this has been really damaging.

“Admittedly, many forces have made major improvements in staffing and resources since the 2020 report findings. Although this will have a positive impact on the future of roads policing, we also must see further investment as there is so much more which can be done to improve safety for colleagues and members of the public.”