MET POLICE COLLISIONS INCREASE 17% IN 3 YEARS

12.01.00am GMT Mon 17th Jan 2005

London Assembly Liberal Democrats today revealed new figures that show that Met police collisions have increased by 17% in the last 3 years.

The figures revealed in a Mayoral answer to the Liberal Democrats show that in the financial year 2001/02 there were 5,305 collisions. By 2003/04 there were 6,202 - an increase of 17%. Boroughs with the highest number of collisions over the last three years were:

· Westminster with 847

· Southwark with 615

· Lambeth with 692

· Hackney with 616

· Newham with 593

London Assembly Policing Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone, said:-

"It is vital that the police get to 999 calls as quickly as possible, and there is always a risk of accidents when driving at high speeds in a crowded city.

"However, these figures are deeply worrying. The public will be concerned that their own safety, as well as the safety of police officers, is being put at risk each time the Met responds to an emergency call.

"With the Met 1,000 borough-based drivers short, it is crucial that there is a intensive effort to recruit, train and retain officers capable of driving safely at high speeds and on crowded roads, as well as respond to emergency calls in time."

ENDS

Notes to editor

The figures can be obtained by e-mailing [email protected]

· The figures revealed in Mayoral answer to the Liberal Democrats show the number of Police 'Collisions' per Borough between April 2000 and March 2004.

*According to the Home Office, the term 'collision' includes all accidents involving damage to police vehicles, for example when a police vehicle negotiating within a confined space of a police yard and had a collision with another vehicle or structure. It also includes those accidents which are 'vicinity only' for example where a police vehicle was pursing another vehicle and the pursued vehicle then had an accident when the police vehicle was not directly involved in a collision.

· In a report to the Met Police Authority on the 22nd April 2004 Met Commissioner Sir John Stevens identified that the Met was 1,000 additional Borough based drivers short of what was needed:-

"19. It has been identified that an absence of police drivers at a borough level has impacted upon police response times. Particularly the larger outer boroughs. Eight boroughs have indicated that they are 50% below the level of drivers required to meet their demands. Across the MPS it has been identified that there is a need for around 1000 additional borough based drivers."

http://www.mpa.gov.uk/committees/ppr/2004/040422/06.htm