COUNTY Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens has launched her plans for policing – with a new emphasis on road safety.
To mark a wider commitment by Avon and Somerset Police to road safety, the PCC introduced three new high-tech police motorcycle cameras to help in the battle against speeding drivers.
The Mercury caught up with Ms Mountstevens in North Petherton for a demonstration of the new bikes.
She said: “We have unveiled three new bikes which will add to our existing nine mobile speed enforcement vans. But a bike can access a much smaller space than a van and is ideal for use in small villages.
“People are requesting this service all the time and now we can help to deliver that.”
Ron Warren, who lives nearby in Shearston, welcomed the move. He said: “There’s been some serious accidents along the A38.
“If we’re going to control the flow of traffic then we need a cohesive policy and integrated infrastructure between Sedgemoor and Taunton Deane.”
A greater focus on road safety has been included in nine new plans for policing Avon and Somerset, detailed in Sue Mountstevens’ Police and Crime Plan.
The PCC said road safety was the most common issue residents raised with her, adding: “It is only right that these plans for local policing tackle the issues that most affect residents.”
Temporary Chief Sup-erintendent Ian Smith, who leads the Constab-ulary’s speed enforcement department, said: “Often we have to decline re-quests from local residents to do enforcement activity in their area because our vans cannot be deployed due to their size.
“As the motorbikes are smaller we’ll now be able to support many of those places.”
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