There are no current plans for the return of a dedicated Roads Policing Unit on the Isle of Wight, Hampshire Constabulary has said – but Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has this week accepted the need for one.
Hampshire Police says it is ‘actively considering options to develop the capability’ of roads policing on the Island and has reaffirmed the force’s commitment to ensuring road safety, but hasn’t gone as far to say that a dedicated unit will make a return.
It was in February 2015 – almost 7 years ago – that Island Echo exclusively revealed that the Island’s RPU was to be shelved. It took Hampshire Constabulary 7 months to confirm the merger of roads policing and armed operations, which saw just 2 RPU officers retained. However, by May 2017 those officers were also cut.
According to Hampshire Constabulary, one of the reasons the Island now has a dual-skilled road police and armed response unit, instead of a dedicated unit, is due to the different level of demand on the Island, for example, the fact there are no motorways – despite the Island having a dedicated Roads Policing Unit (RPU) up until 2016.
A spokesperson for the force has said that the Joint Operations Unit (JOU) team’s skills and equipment allow them to deal with road policing needs, like roadside offences, collisions, making scenes safe and breathalysing or drug testing drivers. Furthermore, the spokesperson has said that the force is regularly looking at ways it can improve the service and will continue to review its operating model ‘in light of social changes’, changes in demand and its resourcing capabilities.
On Saturday, Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones held a briefing with Conservative members on the Isle of Wight where she is said to have ‘accepted the need for a Roads Policing Unit on the Island’ and that ‘she hoped to get it to us as soon as possible’.
It comes after calls from Island’s MP Bob Seely and leader of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, for a dedicated roads policing unit. The pair wrote to Police bosses before Christmas saying they felt dangerous driving on the Island is increasingly becoming a problem
The Isle of Wight Association of Local Council’s (IWALC) has now agreed to write a letter to the Island’s new district commander Superintendent Jim Pegler, Chief Constable Olivia Pinkley and Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, in support of the campaign too, as previously reported by Island Echo.
So much for helping the island with more police and shoving up our council tax to pay for nothing then. Useless, totally useless in the extreme.
Because we don’t have motorways we wont get a dedicated Traffic Unit.
Yet report after report keeps saying Motorways (except the smart ones) are the safest road in the UK.
Give us our Traffic Unit
Yes we accept the need for it…. But we’re not planning to do anything!
Um am I the only person wondering why the hell there isn’t a plan?
Just how many accidents and deaths are needed to justify such a plan Mr crime commissioner?
We may not have motorways on the island but there are plenty of ‘rat runs’ and ‘black spots’ to deal with.
With the greatest of respect for her position, but I have seen our lauded Police Commissioner… Does she really have any idea what need is, let alone understand the concept?
Then don’t ask for a increase in our council tax then.
You can’t have it all.
Yeah. We should refuse any increase in the police levy. Would Donna Jones refuse to pay for something she aint getting, you bet she wouldn’t. Its all about Hampshire because the island only gets lip service. How many deaths and terrible injuries will it take ? Shameful. Will they start reducing our coppers because they dont think there’s enough of the right type of crime on the island. Nothing surprises me anymore. !!!!!
This very expensive PCC just issues hollow promises. Then swiftly puts our bills up.
Default position of all state bodies, council, police etc. More money from those paying, for even less in return.
I would like to know, why are there so many Police vehicles parked up at Ryde Police Station all day, every day, I thought that station closed years ago. Maybe they having parties in there… !!
Have a look at Yarmouth Harbour, looks like a police car park.
While boy races charge about west wight with exhaust systems that would put concord on take off to shame.
Raise in taxes, they hear the concerns of the Island but wont bring back this unit. Dont worry its now IoW and Hampshire police force now though 😀 As said before, no one cares about a back water island
That’s why it’s called “Hampshire Police”, all the police resources are channelled to them, we get the leftovers.
Still many motors on IW Roads with no MOT
Great Preston Road nr Preston Close
White Tipper truck NO MOT been there for weeks causing an obstruction
NO LAW ON ISLAND ROADS