Festus Akinbusoye, has today announced plans to bring back a Roads Police base and to invest in roads policing, if re-elected for a second term as Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner on Thursday 2 May.
As part of the Tri-Force Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire collaboration arrangements from nearly a decade ago, the force’s roads policing unit was moved to Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire as a part of an effort to cut costs and make efficiency savings.
This meant that officers were deploying from outside the county to patrol roads or deal with road traffic incidents in Bedfordshire.
Commenting on this announcement, a former Roads Police Sergeant with Bedfordshire Police, Keith Hubbard said;
“This will be a significant decision that will have a major impact on police presence on our roads. Bringing the roads policing base back to the county is a bold move.”
“It will help with better targeting stolen vehicles, deal with anti-social use of our roads and keep the public safer”
In 2022, there were nearly 300 road fatalities and casualties on the roads of Bedfordshire.
Speeding and anti-social use of vehicles are among the most raised issues by residents. During his first term as Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, each annual survey of residents identified speeding and nuisance use of powered vehicles such as e-scooters, electric motorbikes etc as key concerns. Despite the additional resources made available by the to tackle this, it is clear more needs to be done.
Commenting on this announcement Festus Akinbusoye said:
“My heart goes out to anyone who has been affected by the tragedy of collisions on our roads. A Commissioner, I have met one too many families that have lost loved ones our roads. We can do more to make the roads in Bedfordshire among the safest in Britain.”
“Education is clearly part of this, as well as the work of our local authorities and road planners. However, the police also have a role to play which is why investing in a permanent roads police base for patrol officers in Bedfordshire will be part of this vision, if I am re-elected as Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner on Thursday 2 May”
“Much has been achieved to make our county safer under my watch as PCC over the last three years. We cannot put this at risk. I want to build on the progress made. Delivering a roads policing base in Bedfordshire will be a key part of this”
Festus Akinbusoye is the only candidate with recent, and frontline experience of policing in Bedfordshire.