Annual Report 2022 - 2023 - Page 9

Lancashire Road Safety Partnership

The Lancashire Road Safety Partnership is the coordinating body for Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool which aims to reduce road casualties through the management of speed, enforcement, engineering, emergency response, driver education and training and through developing collaborative approaches to education, awareness, engagement and other measures.

During 2021/22 the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership held four meetings, two chaired by Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Pratt MBE. The Partnership has made progress, building on the work we quickly began to review the functions of the partnership and start work towards a new partnership agreement which is near completion.

Project EDWARD

The Lancashire Road Safety Partnership hosted an engagement event in Preston Bus Station, with my Deputy bringing together its members and wider stakeholders to showcase the best practice work happening in Lancashire around road safety.

The event formed part of the national Project EDWARD week of action, which highlights how areas and regions are taking action to stop deaths on our road networks. There were demonstrations from our emergency services, workshops with young people on how to stay safe and a chance to talk to those involved in delivering safer roads everywhere across Lancashire.

Operation Vanquish

As a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan, tackling dangerous driving has been a focus for Operation Vanquish as Lancashire Constabulary proactively take the fight to criminals.

This has seen some great results, with October’s Op Vanquish activity resulting in almost 450 people either arrested, summonsed to court, or handed a traffic offence report.

From no insurance or MOT to drink and drug driving and a range of other offences, the increased activity that builds on the work done every day of the year, sends a clear message around the need to drive safely and that if you don’t, officers will stop you.

Average Speed Cameras

As Chair of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership, my Deputy, Andy Pratt MBE, together with Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Constabulary, announced investment into new average speed cameras on some of the county’s historically most dangerous A-roads.

This investment is a result of significant analysis and follows close work with local MPs, Councillors and Parish Councillors, who have expressed their concerns on behalf of local residents and communities in terms of speeding in the five areas the cameras are set to be installed in.

These routes include A581 from Rufford to Euxton and A588 from Lancaster to Skippool, through to the A683 in Lancaster from junction 34 of the M6 motorway to Kirkby Lonsdale, and the A6 in Lancaster between the city centre and J33 of the M6 motorway towards the end of February.

All of this and the work highlights the difference we can make to tackle dangerous driving, target areas we know there is increased risks and make them safer.

Op Snap

Whilst we are putting more officers on the streets and proactively taking the fight to criminals, we know that our officers can’t be everywhere and can’t see everything.

That’s a key part of why we launched Operation Snap towards the end of 2021 and continued to support and promote initiative, that sees members of the public helping in the fight against dangerous driving, with an online portal for digital footage of suspected offences.

During 2022/23

• Received 3,143 submissions
• 1,898 of these were actionable, over 60%, leading to drivers receiving a sanction, whether warning, fixed penalty, training course or prosecution.

Drink and Drug Driving

Anyone who puts themselves or others at risk by recklessly driving under the influence of drink or drugs needs to be taken off our roads and feel the full force of the law.

Whilst a key focus around the clock for Lancashire Constabulary we continue to see intensive activity take the fight to offenders, such as around Christmas and the wider festive period.

There were almost 350 arrested during a clampdown between 21st November 2022 and 31st January 2023, addressing key concerns on our roads during that time of year and sending a clear message to anyone thinking about driving whilst drunk or after using drugs – don’t do it.

Statistics

• Sadly, there were 1,072 people killed or seriously injured on Lancashire’s roads last year, an increase of 37 from 2021/22, up 3.6%
• Police enforcement activity for each of the fatal five (careless driving, driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, failing to wear a seat belt, speeding, and using a mobile phone whilst driving) significantly increased:
• Arrests for impaired driving = 2,683 (+5; +0.2%)
• Seat belt enforcement = 788 forms (+352; +80%)
• Mobile phone enforcement = 621 forms (+261; +72.5%)
• There was also an increase in the number of prosecutions, vehicle seizures and focused activity to reduce anti-social behaviour of motorists and riders.
• Section 59 warnings issued (vehicles being used in manner which causes alarm, distress or annoyance) = 2,067 (+484; + 30.6%)
• S165 enforcement (power to seize e-scooters without a licence or insurance) = 2966 (+249; +9%)
• Number of camera van deployments = 4,417 (+12.6%)
• Number of speeding tickets issued = 66,878 (+0.5%)
• Number of diversionary courses delivered = 41,385 (+16%)