“It seems accidents are spiralling out of control” – that is the viewpoint of town and parish councils across the Island who have joined calls for a dedicated Roads Policing Unit (RPU) on the Isle of Wight.
Before Christmas, the Island’s MP Bob Seely and leader of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, wrote to the force’s bosses saying they felt dangerous driving on the Island is increasingly becoming a problem. With policing levels increasing, it was requested serious consideration was given to a dedicated roads policing unit for the Isle of Wight.
Using data from the House of Commons, the letter highlighted, in 2020, the Island had the highest rate across Great Britain, outside of London, for people killed or seriously injured in road accidents.
Since the new year, the Island has seen a spate of road traffic collisions, with 1 proving fatal, leading to more requests for a specialist team. Although labelled ‘accidents’, a number of collisions on the Island’s roads are as a result of drink and/or drug driving, or driving without due care and attention.
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. The dedicated unit used to be based out of Shanklin Police Station.
Now, the Isle of Wight Association of Local Council’s (IWALC) has 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.
Speaking at the IWALC meeting last night (Thursday), Havenstreet’s Councillor Mick Lyons said it seemed as if he read about a car crash every day and the situation was spiralling out of control.
Councillor June Davidson, of Newchurch Parish Council, said it was something the village felt strongly about. They asked the police to enforce speed limits but had not received a response.
At the meeting, Cllr Peacey-Wilcox said the recent enforcement, which saw 49 tickets issued over 2 days, reiterated the need for a dedicated team. A roads policing unit from the mainland joined Island officers over a weekend, in a proactive operation targeting poor driving behaviours, as previously reported by Island Echo.
And this is coming from the council that allowed more houses to be built on the island meaning we get more traffic then the island can cope with a company called island Roads who spend to much time on doing roads that don’t need doing then messing up or closing them amd making it a nightmare to get anywhere shoving more traffic on roads that can’t take it and then they wonder why there are so many accidents
A few ANPR cameras and averaging speed cameras would go a long way to combat the problems.
It would be self financing to a degree and would also flag up uninsured and criminally linked vehicles too. which would provide excellent intelligence to the Police.
There is also a need to start enforcing the law for those parking on pavements and in dangerous locations near junctions.
There’s already anpr cameras dotted around the island. Average speed cameras will work for that stretch of road and no doubt with out council they will be outside their houses.
Sorry, but it is not the roads that are a problem, it is the person driving … the driving tests are too simple.., and always getting easier.. you can practically pass your test using the internet, with mock tests.. for exam0ple, when did you last read the book called ‘ The Highway Code’ cover to cover ??
If you cut any department of the Police Force, you will always get an increase of offences.
Its called false economy, yet the powers that be are just after cost cutting and nothing else.
so what was wrong ie
Police are only one part of the puzzle. Parked cars are a major issue particularly on both sides of roads, and infringements with parking on corners and at junctions restricting visibility. Mini roundabouts have no speed deterrents. No enforcement of driving offences using camera technology.
The council on this Island needs to take action as well. They need to start forking out properly for enforcement. Do it right and it pays for itself, and makes the roads safer.
there is a very large artic which delivers to Iceland 3 times a week which parks on double yellow lines outside the bowling alley from 05;30 until 06:00 blocking the nearside lane and forcing all traffic to use the wrong lane entering the roundabout, this has been reported at least 4 times and neither the police or highways are in the slightest interested, what makes it worse is he is almost under a cctv camera operated by the council
Maybe use the police recourses that are available more wisely and in timely manner , example , look where ,what time and the age group that are involved in these incidents .
Try evening to after midnight then target the roads that are being used like race tracks I don’t have to name them but one becoming more evidential is York Avenue East Cowes to the crematorium roundabout
I think you are coming at this from the wrong angle, Absolutely nothing to do with more homes, I’m not a fan of Island Road but how can you blame them for the Traffic Light jumping,Speeding the lack of understanding on wet or icy roads which we all witness daily?
Back in 2015 everyone knew losing the Islands road policing team was a retrograde step but i can’t remember parish or town councils being that interested. Also if the stats show the Island was so bad for road traffic accidents why did IWC allow Hampshire Constabulary to pull this unit? Especially as they collect the policing precept in our coucil tax. I very sure no other area in Hampshire had their road policing unit disbanded .
this is about driver accountability and responsibility – nothing to do with the police – although the deterrent they provide is thin.
if drivers were more competent behind the wheel, kept their cars to a much higher standard of maintenance, didn’t drive drunk or drugged up and stopped trying to blame everyone and everything else for their blatant stupidity, then 95% of the accidents wouldn’t happen.
not too difficult to see where the majority of the issue is
the other 5% are genuine accidents, such as icy roads etc.
This is why we so need a dedicated Road Policing Unit. The standard of driving on the island is appalling. I witness no indication at roundabouts or junctions. Drivers just stop on a main A road to let someone out of a side road. Speeding is obviously an enormous problem on the island.
Yes, we need a RPU ASAP!
Trouble is the police are just as bad as all the other idiot drivers on the island. I have lost count of the number of times I have been behind police cars and vans and they have given no indication at roundabouts and junctions whatsoever. They are supposed to set an example as they claim to be “better trained” than the rest of us. Sadly, the only example they set is a bad one…
If you live in Newport you can HEAR the speed limits on Medina Way being broken all day, and NO the noise isn’t because they are in low gear.
I live up staplers…you should be up there at night! Going round corner at top is a very dangerous passtime for those idiots going by the sound they make
Not likely to improve, now bikes can deliberately impede cars, with no requirement to use a bike lane where available. Only B Johnson could come up with such a crass move.
Car jumped lights at coppins other day just as my partner was going forward on green…thankgod he had quick relexes is all i can say!old couple who carried on oblivious towards asdas.
Car behind us nearly rammed us ..car behind idiots nearly did them.total accident avoided which on coppins roundabout would of ground it too a holt causing major chaos.we see it EVERY TIME were out in car.VERY POOR ISLAND DRIVERS.cops wont help idiots who cant drive
Higher precept for police, but we only get platitudes from the PCC, who claims we’re happy paying more. When police catch an offender, judge fails to punish.
Too many drugged up drivers here! I’ve reported 1 several times but nothing happens to him even though its close to school and kids were going in at 8.30!
Complete idiot driving around Sandown yesterday in an old turquoise car. No regard for stop signs and giving way. Nobody called 101 and reported it which I find ridiculous.
There are some bad drivers on this island and they don’t realise they can’t drive. Then you have the complete idiot’s who have no regard for the rules and the law on the roads, they drive way too fast in noisy cars and on motorbikes. The island desperately needs a dedicated Road Policing Unit to catch these idiots and stop them speeding around as if they were on a race track, drink/drugged up in some cases and this seems to be on the increase.
Would be nice to see ‘The Rat Runs’ policed… maybe a walking police person couple times a day walk the routes.. radio in and use body cam to catch the speeders and loud vehicles. Last night, motorbike going around back streets of Ryde, past my place at 11:40 and I could hear it for a good ten minutes going off in distance…speeding often… #As for new cycle rules… sorry, thought we are supposed to drive/ride on the left ????
Why are people so surprised at the bad driving on the island when there is no enforcement? Same as dog fouling, anti-social behaviour, crime etc. etc. When nothing is done people behave as they like. We get ever more laws but zero enforcement of them.
I wish I was exaggerating. EVERY time I’m out in Sandown I see speeding and reckless disregard for the rules of crossings, it is becoming a source of anxiety as I began to realise how often I think about incidents that my children young grandchildren could be involved in, by simply going to school or shopping! EVERY time I drop/pick up from school….EVERY time …cars approach the crossing at speed even when they clearly see pedestrians waiting……and if they stop, ‘move on before the last foot is on the pavement……why isn’t it compulsory for all major routes to school to have crossing patrols? We had them 50 years ago when there were few cars!!