News & Press

02 May 2008 | Unmarked vehicles – special operations – motorcycle casualty reduction

On 17th March 2008 a press release was issued on an operation which is running throughout the summer months – set up to reduce the number of motorcycle casualties on Derbyshire’s roads and INFLUENCE rider behaviour. A copy of this document can be viewed on the www.slowitdown.co.uk website

This current operation is intended to warn bikers that dangerous activities will not be tolerated on Derbyshire’s roads. For too long Derbyshire has suffered from a high number of bikers being killed and seriously injured, they currently account for an astonishing 30% of all people killed and seriously injured on Derbyshire’s roads, yet only account for 5% of the motoring population.

Three quarters of motorbike crashes on the county’s rural roads are caused by rider error. Surely it is not acceptable for so many people to be injured and killed?

The efforts of previous years to educate and influence biker behaviour has not had a sufficient effect and therefore we have decided to use additional tactics.

The unmarked vehicle is used on some of Derbyshire’s most dangerous roads and is one of the many tools we use to try and reduce motorcycle casualties.

Part of this operation sees the SC Unit working with Road Policing officers, stopping, where possible, all VEHICLES (bikes, cars, vans etc)travelling at excessive speeds. Those caught committing speeding offences will be reported and dealt with accordingly.

The behaviour of some bikers: riding inconsiderately and dangerously doesn't just affect them it affects other motorists, their loved ones and the community. Bereaved families suffer the trauma of losing a loved one. The cost to the community in purely financial terms of each fatality is £1.5m this includes police, fire & rescue service, hospitals, ambulance, families personal costs etc.

If you travel on Derbyshire’s roads, in a safe, legal manner, then you will have nothing to fear from this operation, but if you drive/ride in a dangerous manner, then you will stand a very good chance of being caught.

Note: In January 2007, the Department of Transport released a document which provided information in relation to changes to Safety Camera operations. The content within this document is only guidance. Prior to April 2007, Safety Camera enforcement was overseen by the DFT, but from April 2007, the National Safety Camera Programme ceased. The decision is left to individual Partnerships whether they wish to continue with fully liveried operations. The Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership decided they would continue to operate with fully liveried vehicles, however, there will be special occasions when there will be a need to operate with unmarked vehicles.

The Partnership would view the operation as a success if there were no offences detected and casualties reduced, as this would demonstrate that the road users within Derbyshire were driving more safely, it can not be stressed enough that the role of the Partnership is to achieve casualty reduction. Neither the Police nor the Partnership receive money from fines, therefore it makes no sense for us to “generate” high numbers of offences.