A team of officers who are tasked with improving safety on our roads is set to increase by two thirds, Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has announced.
West Midlands Police will increase the number of Road Harm Prevention Officers by 66 per cent in 2024. The Road Harm Prevention Team is made up of officers, with a range of experience in enforcement, collision investigation and community engagement. All are accredited, traffic patrol trained, with enhanced skills in respect of driving, road legislation and vehicle examination.
There are currently 11 Road Harm Prevention Officers. A total of seven new police officers will be joining the Road Harm Prevention Team, which was set up to improve road safety, reduce collisions and promote responsible driving behaviour in the West Midlands.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said: “I am committed to preventing, tackling and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and the number of people, who are tragically and avoidably, killed and seriously injured on our roads.”
Last month, the PCC revealed the results of a consultation he carried out, into how money raised from fixed penalty notices, imposed as a consequence of speeding, should be spent.
The PCC asked the public if money raised from fixed penalty notices in the region, should be used to fund road safety schemes in the West Midlands, instead of being sent to central government.
A total of 93 per cent of the consultation respondents agreed with this proposal and expressed their concerns about the high levels of speeding and the low levels of safety on the roads.
All money, generated through the enforcement of unlawful speeding on West Midlands roads, should be spent in the West Midlands. This can be used to fund further enforcement and improve safety on the road network for all road users, through interventions such as driver targeted behaviour change programmes, education and infrastructure enhancements and to make use of the road network safe for vulnerable road users, for example, pedestrians and cyclists.
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