One of the key roles as Police and Crime Commissioner is to hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public, and make sure that Derbyshire Constabulary deliver on the key strategic priorities included in the Police and Crime Plan 2021/2025.
The Performance Scrutiny Meetings are just one of the ways that the Chief Constable is held to account. It is an opportunity for the force to provide extensive evidence on their performance and plans for improvements where necessary on the key priorities. It is also an opportunity for the public to send in specific additional questions.
Below are the questions that were submitted, alongside the response to those questions from the Chief Constable.
The Agenda and Papers and Presentation submitted at the meeting are available to view.
Public Questions Submitted
Parking
Q1) What measures will the Chief Constable be introducing to stop motorists from parking their vehicles against the flow of traffic, ie: facing the wrong way? This is depicted as being unsafe in the Highway Code. (Resident from Chesterfield)
Q2) The policing of anti-social dangerous parking around schools at arriving and leaving times especially at Eckington School. (Resident from North East Derbyshire)
Constabulary Response to Q1 and Q2
The Beat officer for Eckington has been contacted about this issue. Reports in relation to parking issues are limited despite our community engagement events. When we are made aware of such issues the local SNT have attended and took positive action, this has been reported back via our social media.
We continue to work in partnership with the parking enforcement officers from the local authority with future actions are already scheduled. Within this policing section there are 7 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, and a college to manage regarding prospective parking problems. If we are made aware of any problems we would happily attend, we would also speak to the schools and ask them to make the parents aware of issue, as we have done previously.
Q3) Vehicles parking on the pavement and cycles/electric scooters riding on the pavement. (Resident from Derby City)
Q4) In our area cars and vans are parked on the pavements restricting pavement use and obstructing visibility to cross roads especially for people with children or disabilities. Who do we report this to and is it illegal to park and obstruct pavements? (Resident from Chesterfield)
Constabulary Response to Q3 and Q4
Parking issues are dealt with through a combination of local authorities and the police. Local authorities have responsibility for the majority of parking infringements such as parking on single and double yellow lines and school keep clear areas. The highway code contains guidance and rules, and these can often be misinterpreted as law.
Parking on the offside at night (facing against the flow of traffic) is an offence. Police take a pragmatic approach to this. In densely populated areas such as around city centres, vehicles are parked tightly and do not necessarily cause a danger if their reflectors are not visible. A vehicle parked on the offside at night on a derestricted road could potentially cause a danger to other road users and could be dealt with by police.
Police do have powers to deal with parked vehicles in certain circumstances such as when a vehicle has been left in a dangerous position or is causing an unnecessary or wilful obstruction. These incidents would have to be dealt with on an individual basis and could result in the vehicle being removed. For example, a vehicle abandoned in the middle of the carriageway with no lights at night or on a blind bend clearly represents a danger to other road users. If a vehicle parked on a pavement causes pedestrians (such as a person with a pushchair or wheelchair) to have to move into the road to pass, then this is only an obstruction at that location at that specific time. To act upon this the police would need to be present at the time.
Our SNT’s work in partnership with the Local Authority and whilst primacy for parking offences is the responsibility of the Local Authority, we may attend to gather evidence of offences, advise drivers, issue warnings at the time or after the incident and we may issue warning letters. If the matter becomes a persistent issue, we may commence a problem management plan to try and resolve the issue with our partners. We would encourage members of the public to continue to report their concerns to either the Local Authority or their Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
The majority of parking offences are dealt with by the Civil Enforcement Officers, via the local council. There is no actual offence for parking across the driveway of a home. The police would have to rely on the offence of unnecessary Obstruction of the Highway “It is an offence to cause or permit the vehicle to stand on the road so as to cause any unnecessary obstruction of the highway” this does not provide a power to remove the vehicle unless it is left in a Dangerous Position.
The issue of vehicles parking around the entrances to schools at drop off and pick up times are addressed by the local authority with the Civil Enforcement Officers and the local Policing Teams when there is a problem area highlighted.
Under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, Privately owned E-Scooters can be seized if used on public roads, which includes cycle lanes and pavements and disposed of with the owner receiving a fine. Since the beginning of 2021 we have held a detailed database to monitor the issues arising from the use of E-Scooters in Derbyshire which includes many seized scooters and prosecutions for driving offences, so we do take positive action when the opportunity arises. We have worked with retailers to have appropriate signage in stores and on their web pages warning people of the limitations on use. We also run media campaigns around their illegal use.
If you are aware of a specific issue in your area you can contact your local safer Neighbourhood team who will look to try and tackle this but please rest assured the wider use of these scooters is a hot topic around the country and we will continue to monitor and take positive action whenever we can.
Cyclists
Q5) There are a lot of cyclists using the roads in and around Bakewell. Some are careful others not. What is the legal number of cyclists which can span the road please and if there is a cycle lane must cyclist use it? (Resident from Derbyshire Dales)
Q6) I would like to know what happened to the programme which included the cycling proficiency test. Does it still exist, and if not, will it return to schools in the coming years because I have heard nothing of it for a number of years. (Resident from Bolsover)
Q7) The failure to observe rules of the road by cyclists such as Jumping Red Traffic Lights, riding cycles on the pavements. riding across pedestrian crossings to cross roads when pedestrians are using them with small children. cycles without lights on the road at night. (Resident from Derby City)
Q8) Why don’t the Police do any about reckless cycling on pedestrian walkways as this can be just as dangerous as a car doing 35mph in a 30mph area? (Resident from Bolsover)
Q9) As a regular cyclist, I am very concerned by the tendency of a number of motorists to ignore the safety of cyclists, notably in ‘close passing”. In the past, I have sent several video recordings of such incidents to the local police, but have had no feedback and, as far as I know, no action has been taken. This kind of behaviour among motorists is life-threatening, and I feel it should be taken more seriously. Derbyshire is a very popular area with cyclists, and I feel we deserve better protection. (Resident from Derbyshire Dales)
Constabulary Response to Q5 to Q9
Derbyshire police supports Operation Close Pass which is a national operation to support vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders. It seeks to educate people to be more aware of the space required by these groups on the road. Information about Operation Close Pass results and future campaigns can be found in the Public Scrutiny Meeting (PSM) report provided by the force which covers all road safety campaigns undertaken. The force also runs a separate campaign specifically around those on two wheels, details of which can again be found in the Performance Scrutiny Meeting report. A recent change in the Highway Code has created a hierarchy of road users and this puts cyclists towards the top of that list.
Derbyshire Police continue to operate Operation Capture (there are more details of this operation in the Public Scrutiny Meeting report). This initiative allows members of the public to upload visually recorded imagery of dangerous or inconsiderate driving direct to the police as potential evidence of offences. This system allows members of the public to upload imagery and provide a description of the circumstances to enable a prosecution file to be built if appropriate. Members of the public will receive; an automatic acknowledgement confirm that the process has been completed. There is a further acknowledgment of the outcome of their submission, this can include outcomes such as no further action, education letter, warning letter or further investigation. It is not always possible though to keep everyone updated with all the final outcomes but please be reassured that every submission is acted upon. There has been a year on year increase in both submissions and positive outcomes from the use of operation capture. These statistics are detailed in the Public Scrutiny Meeting report.
There is no restriction on the number of cyclists that can span the width of a road. Highway Code rule 66 provides guidance only. Police would act if the cyclists were causing a danger to other road users at the time of the incident.
The cycling proficiency programme is no longer run in schools, it has however been refreshed by programmes such as ‘Bikeability’ which are run through a number of local schools and other outlets. Bikeability is delivered by the Bikeability Trust on behalf of the Department for Transport. Bikeability is not a police initiative please see the links below for more information.
Looking to learn how to cycle with confidence? – Find Cycle Training (bikeability.org.uk)
Bikeability | South Derbyshire District Council
Speed
Q10) I have grave concerns regarding speeding traffic on the B6013, Chesterfield Road, Oakerthorpe. Numerous vehicles are regularly travelling in excess of the 40mph limit on this stretch of road and are driving dangerously and erratically and I have witnessed many vehicles overtaking. It is already extremely difficult to turn onto the B6013 from Millstone Lane, due to poor visibility at this junction and exacerbated by speeding vehicles. What assistance can Derbyshire Police provide to quell the speeding traffic please? Many thanks. (Resident from Amber Valley)
Q11) My question concerns the continuing excessive and dangerous speeds many motorists are continuing to do as there appears to be no obvious deterrent. The response I received after I reported my fears to my MP. Indicated that three fatalities are required before action can be taken. The obvious cause is that since de-trunking the A6 into the B road and the limit opportunity for any vehicles to overtake slower ones since then, entered the bends after Tunstead Milton, the speed through the 40-mph limit before-accelerating along the strait, ignoring the double white lines and Lind summits at both ends of the straight. (Resident from High Peak)
Q12) Could the Chief Constables please give a straightforward opinion on 20’s plenty, and am I right to be sceptical about the issue? (Resident from Erewash)
Q13) Is the Commissioner willing to support the installation of 20 mile per hour zones in rural communities with busy roads running through to improve road safety? (Resident from Derbyshire Dales.)
Q14) How many drivers have been prosecuted for driving in excess of 30mph on Walton Road, Chesterfield? (Resident from Chesterfield)
Q15) Walton Road S40, is getting dangerous with more vehicles speeding from the bottom over mini roundabout up the hill. Myself and a friend made a note of 74 vehicles lighting up the 30mph sign in 1 hour just below Orchards Way. DCC will not put Speed Cameras on here until a FATALITY! (Resident from Chesterfield)
Q16) In response to the PCC’s Neighbourhood Alert circular of 20th February 2023 I would like to submit the following: It is well established that the Police do not determine speed limits but it is also well established that DCC places very heavy reliance on Police advice. In the context of reducing a 40 mph speed limit to a 30 mph limit: Why do the police claim that there would be difficulties in enforcing a 30 mph limit? Is it not correct that enforcing a 40 mph limit would present the same difficulties as a 30 mph limit? Why do the police claim difficulties with enforcing reduced speed limits when they do not enforce speed limits anyway? Why do the police consider what they describe as a semi-rural location ie fields on one side of the road creates a driver perception of a higher speed limit?
Why do the police consider a semi-rural location as semi-rural? Why not consider it as semi urban? Why do the police consider that drivers will not take note of a speed limit sign when they see fields? Why do the police wait for serious accidents to occur before considering a reduction in a speed limit? Is prevention not better than post event action? Why do the police not encourage speed reduction? Again, while road condition, markings and signage are clearly DCC’s responsibility do the police give advice to DCC on the generally very poor condition of roads, markings, and signage? Roads are in a very poor state of repair, road markings in many cases have virtually disappeared and signage is sometimes poor. These factors have an impact on road safety for motor vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Resident from Chesterfield
Constabulary Response to Q10 to Q16
There is no mention of the term Semi rural or Semi Urban in the Department for Transport (DfT), circular 2013, Setting of Local Speed Limits.
The only distinction is given to the definition of a village:
- 20 or more houses (on one or both sides of the road), and
- a minimum length of 600 metres.
In the Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership – approval of Speed Management protocol, report it states, “The vast majority of drivers will choose to drive at speeds they feel appropriate, and an unnaturally low speed limit will be ignored”. This means that where a driver sees a road which is open and only has fields to the side then they will tend to naturally drive it quicker than a similar road through a built-up area.
We do not wait for a serious collision to occur before we consider a reduction in speed limits. There are many factors which need to be considered before a speed limit is lowered and these are detailed in the DfT circular as previously referred to.
If either the Police of local Highways Authorities deem that there is an area which would benefit from a reduction of the speed limit or additional measures need to be added, then we will undertake a joint site visit to discuss what improvements can be made before a serious collision occurs.
Police officers will often come across issues with the roads during their patrols and will use the councils online reporting system to highlight these. Should the fault be deemed to be of immediate danger then they are contacted directly by the Police.
Should a road defect for example “pot-hole” be identified by members of the public then we would encourage them to use the links below to report to the council.
Road maintenance – Derbyshire County Council
Report a Problem with our Roads – myAccount (derby.gov.uk)
Q17) A fully referenced and evidenced Word version of this question can be provided on request from the contact details below. Derbyshire Constabulary lists reducing the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads as one of its key priorities for 2021-25 . In 2021, Derby City saw deaths and serious injuries on our roads rise by 9% above the 2015-2019 average . Vulnerable road users made up 2/3 of these casualties, with pedestrians 31% of all people killed or seriously injured on Derby’s roads . In stark contrast to Derby and Derbyshire’s high road death rates, by 2019 London’s road death rate was little over 1/3 that of Derbyshire’s . From this relatively low base, London has committed to Vision Zero and continued to take serious measures to eliminate all deaths and injuries on their roads. Transport for London released data in February 2023 showing that, in areas where 20mph speed limits have been introduced, all collisions have reduced by 25%, with deaths and serious injuries of vulnerable road users reduced by 36% and deaths and serious injuries of pedestrians reduced by 63% . Implementing wide area 20mph limits with possible speed reductions on certain 40mph roads in Derby could very feasibly achieve these levels of pedestrian harm reduction, with a probable total implementation cost of around £1 million . This could save around 8 pedestrian’s lives and save 40 pedestrians from serious and potentially life-changing injuries every year in Derby City alone. A further 140 or more pedestrians could be saved from slight injuries – which can still result in significant pain, distress and time off work and education. We know that slight injuries in particular are significantly under-reported , so reducing collisions is likely to have much greater societal effects than are apparent from reported figures. The government estimates costs per casualty in 2012 prices as £1.7 million per person killed and £191,000 per person seriously injured in road collisions. Slight injuries are estimated to cost £14,500 each. Using the Bank of England’s inflation calculator, at today’s prices that is approximately £2.2 million per person killed, £251,000 per person seriously injured and £19,000 per person who is injured to a relatively slight degree. Reducing pedestrian deaths and serious injuries in line with London’s 20mph reductions would very obviously have a massive health, wellbeing, financial and societal benefit for the individuals, their families, friends, and communities. Financially, reducing pedestrian deaths by the proportions London has achieved with 20mph limits could save Derby City over £30 million per year . Further benefits would accrue through simultaneous reductions in other vulnerable road user and vehicle user deaths and injuries, as well as via all the community, active travel, and pollution reductions that 20mph streets have repeatedly been demonstrated to bring. We are certain that, given a comparable clear, well-evidenced, cost-beneficial route to reduce murders, manslaughter, and assaults in these kinds of numbers, and that similarly had no negative consequences for safety or civil liberties, Derbyshire Constabulary would be promoting the measure as urgently necessary. Will Derbyshire constabulary commit now to reducing the ongoing burden of road violence harm that its citizens are suffering by calling for wide area 20mph limits on streets where people live, work, play and learn? (Resident from Derby City)
Q18) Derby City Council recently slashed the speed limit on Brian Clough Way by the Wyvern from 70mph to 50mph, enforced by average speed cameras, despite 70 being an appropriate limit for a trunk road with a good safety record. I myself have used this road, during the working week and the weekend, at all times of day, for the past 25 years, and seen no evidence to justify the reduction, despite dubious claims to the contrary by the City Council. Like the bus lane trap on the Morledge, this seems designed purely to raise revenue. Statistics show that only 5% of accidents are caused by excessive speed, which itself is not the same as exceeding an inappropriately low speed limit. Can we please get away from this cynical monetisation of motorists for meaningless technicalities, and address genuine road safety issues instead? (Resident from Erewash)
Constabulary Response to Q17 and Q18
The setting of local speed limits is completed by the Local Highway Authority following consultation with statutory partners which include the Police and other agencies. This is stated in the DfT circular 01/2013, Setting Local speed Limits. Whilst the Police will always seek to advise the Local Highways Authority about such matters, the final decision rests with the Local Highways Authority.
In relation to the 20 Plenty, there are currently two forms of 20’s, these are:
- 20mph speed limits
- 20mph zones
The difference is that whilst a limit is just indicated by means of the appropriate signage on the road there is nothing else to indicate that the road is in fact subject to a 20mph limit.
20mph zones must have the appropriate signage and also traffic calming engineering solutions built into the zone. These take the form of speed humps or speed reduction tables, build outs and chicanes.
The ultimate goal of either is to achieve compliance with the speed limit. Clearly the idea of a 20 zone gains better compliance then a limit, where the only way to achieve compliance is to use enforcement which although effective for a short period of time, rather than long term change or benefit.
When considering the lowering of existing speed limits there are factors which we have to take into consideration. DfT circular 2013 does mention that:
“Speed limits should be evidence-led and self-explaining and seek to reinforce people’s assessment of what is a safe speed to travel. They should encourage self-compliance”
It goes on to say:
“To achieve compliance there should be no expectation on the police to provide additional enforcement beyond routine activity, unless this has been explicitly agreed”, paragraph 85
This should not be added to, we follow the DfT guidance 2013 setting of local speed limits and the enforcement, and the amount of enforcement varies from location to location and year to year.
Therefore, if a road has the appearance that it can be driven at a higher speed limit than is posted, then unless engineering is in place to reduce the speed the likelihood is that motorists will exceed the speed limit and extra enforcement will be required.
Speed cameras, whilst they generate income for re-investment in road safety initiatives, monies generated are collated by central government. Local Councils and Police Forces are then able to bid for this money in order deliver road safety initiatives. Such bids are subject to robust scrutiny. Speed cameras are positioned in locations which are judged to present the greatest threat to road safety. Factors including collision statistics where a person has been Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI’s) on a stretch of road are taken into account.
Specific locations such as Walton Road and Chesterfield Road, Oakerthorpe have been attended by CSW, CREST and Police officers. Over 400 offences have been detected on Walton Road since the beginning of 2022.
Speed Cameras
Q19) Why alert motorists when speed cameras are going to be operating in the area? (Resident from Derby City)
Q20) Why should it take a death or series of serious collisions in order for a speed camera to be installed? I have campaigned and got over 200 signatures on a petition last year and Derbyshire County Council have said that the A632, Walton Road, Chesterfield does not meet the criteria. I watched the item on Look North on 20th Feb and West Yorkshire are looking at a different approach to the installation of speed cameras. Please could Derbyshire follow suit and change the criteria as speeding traffic, noise and air pollution is making our lives a misery here? We witness the reckless driving every single day and the one sign we have to advise drivers to slow down when approaching at more than 30 mph is constantly being illuminated. We do have a major issue on this road and need action to be taken please! (Resident from Chesterfield)
Q21 I would like to know why I have been told we cannot have a speed camera on the Silverhill end of Ladybank Road. I – INFORMATION REDACTED – regularly see cars speed past at 40mph and above. Yesterday a grey SUV went past at such a speed I could not see what make it was. It is getting worse and worse here and we take our life in our hands trying to pull out of our drive. Outsides from our safety, there is a primary school nearby too. (Resident from Derby City)
Constabulary Response to Q19 to Q21
The alerting of motorists to areas we operate in is constantly under review. When we last stopped doing this, we had complaints about stopping, but we also get complaints that we do advertise so we are never going to please everyone as there is a clear divide in public opinion on this matter. This decision is under constant review, and we may consider not publishing the enforcement areas in the future again. This is not a legal requirement but a process we have adopted, and sites are published, for information, education, and due notice to hopefully slow drivers down and reduce the risk to all road users.
Speed cameras and the offences they detect are managed by the force’s Casualty Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST). The Performance Scrutiny Meeting report provides further detail on the structure of the team. Derbyshire County Council help maintain the static cameras, including the electricity supply and street furniture (i.e. poles and road signs). The Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership (DDRSP) also plays an important role as outlined in the Performance Scrutiny Meeting report.
The Performance Scrutiny Meeting report provides details of all planned new speed camera schemes. Additionally, the Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership DRSP has received funding from Highways England (HE) for new road safety measures, such as road engineering and average speed cameras on three substantial risk roads in the north of Derbyshire.
Speed cameras, whilst they generate income for re-investment in road safety initiatives, monies are collated by central government. Local Authorities, Police and partners can then bid for funding to support these road safety initiatives. Speed cameras (Permanent Static) are positioned in locations judged to present the greatest threat to road safety. Factors including statistics on collisions where a person has been Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI’s) on a stretch of road are taken into account. The positioning and/or installation of new static speed cameras is the responsibility of Derbyshire County Council (DCC) and/or Derby City Council (DCC) in the respective areas they govern. The criteria laid out for installation of new cameras is the responsibility of DCC and DCC and not Derbyshire Constabulary. We cannot have static cameras on every road across the county, so this is the reason we have a small team of mobile enforcement officers within CREST department.
Additionally, mobile site locations (Governed by CREST) are selected based on Risk and Threat posed alongside other factors such as information received from local police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Community Speed Watch (CSW) data.
Camera locations are regularly reviewed and subject to rigorous checks to ensure that they are still suitable and provide safe working spaces for all mobile enforcing resources and all other road users and pedestrians. We would like to thank the public for highlighting several locations of concern and we will perform as assessment on each, to decide what action is required.
Speed Signage
Q22) Why are so many signs eg Speed restriction signs, so dirty or so obscured by vegetation, that they are unrecognisable/ invisible? (Resident from High Peak)
Q23) Speeding traffic on Old Hackney Lane Matlock It has got worse with little or no response from the police or commissioner – we need action a road safety signage other devices to safeguard children and others on narrow pavements. Please can you help? (Resident from Derbyshire Dales)
Constabulary Response to Q22 and Q23
The condition of a road surface, road signage, signage cleaning and obscured signs are the responsibility of the local authority. If you are concerned about the condition of any stretch of road, there is a simple to use online form on the Derbyshire County and City Council websites where any member of the public can report a road defect or suggestion for an improvement e.g., improvements to or erecting of road crossing facilities, poorly painted road lines, signage or suggestions about footpaths, cycle lanes or speed limit alterations. A hyperlink is attached for each of reference
Road maintenance – Derbyshire County Council
Report a Problem with our Roads – myAccount (derby.gov.uk)
Questions 24 and 25 have been responded to directly outside of the Performance Scrutiny Meeting.
E-Scooters
Q26) What is being done to address the danger posed by people illegally riding electric powered scooters and bikes on pavements and pedestrian areas in Derby? They appear to do so with impunity and sooner or later there will be a serious accident. (Resident from Derby City)
Q27) Ongoing issues surrounding e-scooters and off-road motorbikes on public roads, pavements. From what I see on a daily basis the users are clearly drug courier / dealers. The riders of both have no regard for road safety, police clearly appear to turn a blind eye (sorry if this is not the case). Will the police be looking to crack down on such activities? (Resident from Derby City)
Constabulary Response to Q26 to Q27
The widespread use of E-Scooters is becoming ever more popular, not just in Derbyshire but across the country. The sale, purchase and ownership of E-Scooters is not illegal in the UK and currently the law does not require the registration of such items. They can, legally however only be used on private land and not on the highway but there are many petitions circulating including from retailers to make their use legal. There are currently Government led, legal trials of rental E-Scooters taking place in many major cities across the UK, Derby one of those places.
E-Scooters generally and the law surrounding them have been discussed widely and are still being discussed at Government level. Many see them as revolutionising the way we travel and see huge benefits in terms of both pollution and congestion and they may well feature in the Governments plans to reduce carbon emissions. Others see them as a danger and many Insurance companies are publicly reporting a rise in incidents. Thankfully in Derbyshire we have seen very few injuries caused relating to their use, but we accept that one injury is one too many. We are anticipating new laws surrounding the use of E-Scooters but until then there are laws that cover them.
E-Scooters are classed as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEV’s) and are covered under legislation which puts them into the same category as any motor vehicle. To be able to use one on a road legally you would need a driving licence and Insurance etc. The reality of this is that there is not currently any Insurance company that could legally insure anyone to use an E-Scooter on a road outside of the government trials taking place which would make it impossible to legally use a privately purchased E-Scooter on a road. This may of course change with any new legislation.
Under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, Privately owned E-Scooters can be seized if used on public roads, which includes cycle lanes and pavements and disposed of with the owner receiving a fine. Since the beginning of 2021 we have held a detailed database to monitor the issues arising from the use of E-Scooters in Derbyshire which includes many seized scooters and prosecutions for driving offences, so we do take positive action when the opportunity arrives. We have worked with retailers to have appropriate signage in stores and on their web pages warning people of the limitations on use. We also run media campaigns around their illegal use.
If you are aware of a specific issue in your area you can contact your local safer Neighbourhood team who will look to try and tackle this but please rest assured the wider use of these scooters is a hot topic around the country and we will continue to monitor and take positive action whenever we can. Further information on this issue can be found in the Performance Scrutiny Meeting report at point 1.16
| Year | Reported E-scooter Incidents | Reported injury collisions involving E-scooters | E-Scooters seized |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 61 | 4 | 11 |
| 2021 | 237 | 13 | 66 |
| 2022 | 236 | 20 | 29 |
Road Markings
Q28) Is there someone in the county who is responsible for road markings, particularly at roundabouts? I travel all over the UK and find that markings on the approach and actually on a lot of Derbyshire roundabouts are very misleading and it seems that nobody has looked at where the traffic at these junctions wants to go. (Resident from Bolsover)
Q29) Can anything be done to encourage the highway authorities to re-paint worn out white lines at road junctions? I have previously asked this but nothing has been done near where I live. There are several quite dangerous junctions simply because drivers cannot see the white lines. Local drivers can remember where they used to be but visitors to the area do not know. (Resident from High Peak)
Constabulary Response to Q28 to Q29
If you are concerned about the condition of any stretch of road, there is a simple to use online form on the Derbyshire County Council web site where any member of the public can report a road defect or suggestion for an improvement e.g., improvements to or erecting of road crossing facilities, poorly painted road lines or suggestions about footpaths, cycle lanes or speed limit alterations. The Council then link in with the Traffic Management Officer in the Police to help inform their decisions. To report an issue please use the hyperlink below
Road maintenance – Derbyshire County Council
Report a Problem with our Roads – myAccount (derby.gov.uk)
Miscellaneous
Q30) Would it be possible to consider putting a one way system in place on Moss Street? There have been a number of collisions at the top of Moss Street due to poor visibility. (Resident from Derby City)
Constabulary Response
Local Councils hold statistics on collisions that involve injuries only and therefore often seek Police data to support the identification of trends or hotspots. Police data also details collisions where no injuries are recorded. Such data may be used to support decisions on road layouts, traffic calming measure and safety camera locations. Such decisions are responsibility of the Local Highway authorities. Your concerns have been passed to your local Safer Neighbourhood Team for research with the appropriate Local Highway Agency.
Q31) When will we be likely to see Traffic Officers in Cars and Motorcycles again in force on the roads networks of Derby and Derbyshire to act as a deterrent to poor driver behaviours especially mobile phone use by drivers at the wheels of cars and vans? It is an epidemic and needs to be stopped. Cameras and fines seem to have no deterrent value as its still plain for all to see every day on our roads. (Resident from, Derby City)
Constabulary Response
Derbyshire Police have a dedicated Roads Policing Unit that that work alongside other teams such as the Casualty Reduction Enforcement support Team, Response Officers, and the Local Safer Neighbourhood Teams to tackle motoring offences and reduce the amount of people killed or seriously injured on the roads of Derbyshire.
Within the Roads Policing Unit is a dedicated motorcycle team that have both an on road and off road capability, which provides additional tactics to support our objectives. Further details of the structure of the Roads Policing Unit can be found in the Performance Scrutiny Meeting report at point 3.1
The Police and Crime Commissioner supports policing operations such as Bike Safe which seeks to support the education and development of motorcycle riders skills. Op Cruiser and Op Sparta are used to target the fatal four offences , speeding, mobile phone use, impairment, and seatbelts.
Q32) Install cameras on traffic lights. (Resident from Derby City)
Constabulary Response
The government has recently allowed local authorities to adopt more moving traffic offences, such as driving through Red traffic lights. Derby city council is in the process of installing cameras at certain locations to monitor the offences and will also have the power to prosecute without involving the Police.
Q33) Why can’t more schools be made into safe haven sites, before a fatality occurs, or at least school roads have a police presence at arriving and leaving time? (Resident from Derby City)
Constabulary Response
Many schools in Derby City are being reviewed for consideration of becoming Safe Havens and Pollution Free Zones during school times. This is part of an ongoing scheme of improvement within the city which is government funded. This initiative is the responsibility of the local authority, supported by partners.
Q34) I would like to know what, if anything is being done about the amount of cars having race meet ups especially around the Whittington and Sheepbridge areas of Chesterfield? On an all too regular basis we can hear street racing, screeching, and doing donuts etc, cars with exhausts that sound like cannons and so on. Some evenings our area sounds more like race day at Silverstone, than a residential area. I have lost count the amount of times I have reported the issue but it just seems to continue. Are there still laws in place about noise levels? I always thought that having a car deliberately backfiring was an offence? when these meets are happening you can even hear noise with windows closed and above the TV. It is not just about the noise disturbance either. They frequently use the A61 Dronfield bypass to race each other at breakneck speeds. Someone sooner or later will get killed and it will probably be an innocent party. Please can you consider having a stricter stance on this issue to deter these people in future. Maybe consider speed cameras on the bypass? (Resident from Chesterfield)
Constabulary Response
Derbyshire Police take this kind of behaviour very seriously and have a specific set of guidelines on how to deal with them, operation Edgecombe. The main problem is knowing when and where they are set up. In some cases, they are set up on private land which means that the Police are limited to the powers they can use to stop and disperse them.
Also, once they have set up, and this can happen very quickly, the Police have to contain it rather than have a large number of vehicles all leaving the site at the same time, with the associated issues on the surrounding roads. If stopped and dealt with the cars that are heavily modified and checked and all defects listed. If they are severe enough, then the vehicle can be prohibited from being used on the road until rectified. Any driver committing any offence is also dealt with accordingly. At this time there are no plans to have permanent speed cameras on the A61 Dronfield by-pass.
Q35) Highway safety and damage to property is an ongoing problem at DE4 4HL (Resident from Derbyshire Dales)
Constabulary Response
Without specific detail it is difficult to address your concerns. I have made your local Policing Inspector aware of your comments and asked that the local Safer Neighbourhood Team conduct some research into your comments. If the matters are the responsibility of another agency the Safer Neighbourhood Teams will ensure that this information is shared and passed to the most appropriate agency to deal with those matters. If the Police are the most appropriate agency the Safer Neighbourhood Team will consult with other departments to establish the most appropriate officer to address your concerns.
Q36) Why are you continually spending money on catching generally law-abiding motorists, when there are REAL criminals out there like drug dealers and burglars. (Resident from Erewash)
Constabulary Response
Derbyshire Constabulary deals with a wide range of criminal matters including anti-social behaviour, firearms licensing, homicide, and road traffic offences to name a few. Our purpose is to keep Derbyshire Safer Together and we do this across all elements that impact policing, in partnership to keep the people of Derbyshire safe.
Approximately 4.3 billion vehicle miles are made in Derbyshire each year. We have a purpose to make Derbyshire Safer Together and one of the ways we do this is by prioritising our actions. One priority is the reduction of the people Killed and Seriously Injured on our road network. Many collisions involve the fatal four which are excessive speed, not wearing seatbelts, impairment through drink or drugs and distraction through the use of mobile phones.
The Derbyshire Constabulary Road Crime Team have seized over £400k cash and removed nearly £4 million worth of drugs from the streets of Derbyshire in the last 12 months, by targeting those who use our road networks for criminality. This disruption is helping to protect communities.
Derbyshire Constabulary and the Police and Crime Commissioner are committed to delivering their priorities across all elements of policing in to make Derbyshire a safer place to live, work and visit.
Q37) When a planning application is received do the police have any impute regarding road safety concerns or is it just left to the planning department. (Resident from Amber Valley)
Constabulary Response
This would depend on the type of planning application. If it involves a change in the road network such as a new housing estate, then there are three separate Road Safety Audits undertaken. The first two are completed at the planning phase and include the local planning office, builders, and an independent audit firm. The Police are involved in the third stage which is undertaken at the time of completion and prior to being adopted by the council. It is at this stage that the Traffic Management Officer attends and will discuss the change of layout and along with the council officer recommend further improvements are made before it is adopted.
Q38) Can you please advise if there is a plan of action to addressing the increasing number of illegal number plates that large number of motorists are displaying ,including illegally spaced numbers\ lettering to read names etc ,also the growing number of motorists removing their front number plate to avoid ANPR hits .The act is of course illegal but it would appear on any day I drive I see up to 3/10 that are clearly illegal, implications are that in any form of accident the victim may be unable to provide vehicle details .It is a growing culture that all cross sections of motorists seem to be getting away with and as a law abiding car driver is very concerning. Thank you. (Resident from Derbyshire Dales)
Constabulary Response
We deal with offences when they are encountered and we respond to intelligence and reports in relation to such matters. Vehicles that fail to display a vehicle registration mark that is not on the correct background, with appropriately sized lettering and numbering will not pass an MOT. Such number plates cannot be bought from an authorised supplier and so often bought on the internet and then attached to vehicles.
Derbyshire Constabulary takes this matter seriously and will seek to educate drivers in the first instance and use enforcement where appropriate. If you are able to obtain the details of any vehicles that are not displaying a legal number plate could I ask that you pass these details to your local Safer Neighbourhood Team for progression.
We would like to thank all members of the public for submitting these questions. They all address concerns about the condition or design of some of the roads across the county. As you may know, the police are not responsible for road maintenance and design, that role rests with the local council Highway Authorities.
Local Councils hold statistics on collisions that involve injuries only and therefore often seek Police data to support the identification of trends or hotspots. Police data also details collisions where no injuries are recorded. Such data may be used to support decisions on road layouts, traffic calming measure and safety camera locations. Such decisions are responsibility of the Local Highway authorities
If you are concerned about the condition of any stretch of road, there is a simple to use online form on the Derbyshire County and City Council websites where any member of the public can report a road defect or suggestion for an improvement e.g., improvements to or erecting of road crossing facilities, poorly painted road lines or suggestions about footpaths, cycle lanes or speed limit alterations.
Road maintenance – Derbyshire County Council
Report a Problem with our Roads – myAccount (derby.gov.uk)
Police officers do look to inform decisions about where road improvements may be required as officers will regularly report road defects which we deem as dangerous including potholes on main trunk roads or problems with standing water on carriageways. Urgent police referrals to the appropriate authority are usually dealt with quickly.
The addition of footpaths on de-restricted rural roads has to be considered along with the effects of the further narrowing of the roads, the number of pedestrians using the road and the destruction of the biodiversity of the countryside. If the roads are narrowed too far then vehicles would mount the pedestrian areas and larger vehicles, ie agricultural vehicles, may well impinge on the pedestrian areas causing danger and damage.
The Local Authority Highways code contains guidance and rules, and these can often be misinterpreted as law.
In relation to ‘car cruise’ events, please refer to Operation Edgecombe within the Performance Scrutiny Meeting report at point Section 5.9. These events are closely monitored by local Police and the Roads Policing Department. Offences are captured and prosecuted for when they are detected by officer’s present at the scene.
Other Motoring offences – a wide range of other motoring offences are referred to within these questions including dangerous/anti-social/aggressive driving, use of mobile phones and vehicles not confirming to regulations to name a few. Whilst any of our officers are trained and able to deal with such offences, our Roads Policing Unit prioritise road safety and tackling motoring offences be it through education or enforcement as required. We are also increasing our capacity to deal with off-road vehicles such as motorbikes by funding an increase in the force’s off-road vehicle fleet.
In 2022 the PCC provided funding to Roads Policing to help enable the running of 2 operations to improve road safety and increase resources available to tackle fatal four enforcement, primarily speed enforcement through Operation SPARTA, and enforcing drink and drug driving across December through Operation LIMIT.
For Operation SPARTA, the PCC funding enabled over 900 hours of activity, over 8300 miles covered on patrols, over 170 hours of dedicated speeding enforcement, over 500 vehicles stopped with 92 TORs issued for speeding and 438 drivers advised, and an additional 240 further offences detected including vehicle defects, no insurance, no MOT.
For Operation LIMIT, the PCC funding enabled over 300 hours of enforcement activity, resulting in over 4000 miles of patrols, and helping to identify 180 impairment offences across the 5 week operation, and helped to promote the social media campaign video ‘Don’t Get Wrecked’.
Multiple Concerns
Q39) Walking our daughter down Curbar Lane, with all the other children in Curbar village, down to Curbar Primary has proved quite dangerous at times. There is no pavement so we all have to walk down the road. The speed limit is 30 miles an hour however the road has developed into a “rat run” for people coming back and forth from Sheffield/Chesterfield and the Hope Valley. Would the Chief Constable consider reviewing the road safety of this road and as it continues through Curbar village as Bar Road up to Curbar Gap? (Resident from North East Derbyshire)
Constabulary Response
The physical layout of both roads and pavements is a matter for the Local Highway Authority as is the speed restrictions on roads. The Police are consulted as one of the statutory partners but such decision are made by the Local Highway Authority. I would ask that you contact and report your concerns to this agency in the first instance.
I have also reported your concerns to the Inspector with responsibility for local policing in your area. I have asked that he passes your concerns onto the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams team who may be able to provide periodic patrols at key times to reassure you and the residents of Curbar and review any other actions which may reduce your concerns.
Q40) INFORMATION REDACTED – With regards to road safety, cars regularly speed through the village, cars are parked on the pavement causing obstruction, cars regularly park opposite junctions and private drives marking it difficult to exit safely. Cars also park on corners also causing obstruction. What is being done to make the area safer? These issues are regularly reported, but nothing seems to be done. (Resident from South Derbyshire)
Constabulary Response
The enforcement of parking restrictions is the responsibility of the Local Authority who have Civil Parking Enforcement Officers to deal with such issues. I would encourage you to continue to report your concerns regarding parking to the Local Authority. In respect of vehicles travelling at excessive speed, I have made the Inspector with responsibility for policing your local area aware of your concerns and I have asked him to look into this matter and have the local Safer Neighbourhood Team conduct some research. I would encourage you to continue to report your concerns to the most appropriate agency (parking – Local Authority/speeding – Police)
Q41) Where do I start? Barely a day goes past that I do not see someone using a mobile phone while driving, when I walk to work I even see one regularly setting off with a mug of tea in his hand. I also have to step into the road to get round cars parked on the pavement. You only have to stand near any road to regularly smell cannabis from cars too. Speeding and aggressive driving are also on the increase, what do you plan to do to tackle these issues? (Resident from Derbyshire Dales)
Constabulary Response
Regular initiatives to tackle such issues are undertaken by the Roads Policing Unit, Casualty Reduction Enforcement Support Team, Safer Neighbourhood Teams, and Response officers. In addition to their daily duties, officers from the Operational Support Department participate in specific campaigns to tackle the issues you raise.
With the City of Derby and County of Derbyshire comprising of 1,014 square miles, with approximately 3,500 miles of roads we must utilise intelligence to deploy our staff to address specific issues. We endeavour to respond to specific intelligence to target those who commit such offences, but intelligence is graded to mitigate the greatest threat, risk, and harm. I would encourage you to continue to report such concerns to either Crimestoppers, Derbyshire Constabulary using the 101-telephone number or your local SNT.
If you concern is in respect of a parking matter, I would ask that you direct this towards your Local Authority who employ Civil Parking Enforcement Officers who can deal with such issues.
Q42) INFORMATION REDACTED – When larger 4×4 type vehicles use the road they have to drive over the centre white line. The Road is used on a daily basis as a rat run. There have a couple of really nasty accidents caused by people driving too fast (admittedly that was a few years ago). Residents and visitors have taken to parking part in the road and part in the grass verge. Is there anything that can be done to make this road safer? (Resident from Derby City)
Constabulary Response
Without specific details it is difficult to research and comment on this issue. I would ask that you contact your local SNT officer in the first instance, to detail your concerns. Concerns such as excessive speed, safety concerns due to increased traffic and an increase in collisions can be researched by your local SNT officer. In the absence of any parking restrictions being detailed in your correspondence, it appears that there are no parking offences committed. If you feel that there are parking offences being committed this would be dealt with by Civil Parking Enforcement Officers and I would direct, you to your local council to address these concerns.
Q43) What action (if any) is taken regarding the prolific non-observance of sections 244,248,249 of the Highway Code? (Resident from South Derbyshire)
Constabulary Response
Section 244-Parking on footway or footpath, could constitute an offence which can be dealt with by the Police or civil enforcement officer by means of a simple ticket if the vehicle is causing an obstruction, however some road schemes have deliberately wide pavements, allowing vehicles to park without causing an obstruction, effectively narrowing the useable carriageway, so that pedestrians are not stepping out, off the pavement in between vehicles. Section 248 and 249- Parking at night without lights in a limit greater then 30mph. The police do prosecute this offence when they are found committing.
Q44) Roads policing is described as a priority because of the likelihood that driving and vehicle offences may be linked to other criminal activity. It is not apparent to what extent that police are taking the opportunity to stop vehicles due to obvious defects or non-compliant modifications to vehicles and driving behaviour which may be deemed as careless or dangerous. An example of current behaviour is the significant numbers of vehicles with obscured rear lights and vehicle registration plates. Excessive speed is a typical characteristic associated with these vehicles. Are there any statistics for a relevant period that show how many vehicles have been stopped, for what reason and the outcome of the action? (Resident from Derby City)
Constabulary Response
Activity to target the Fatal Four offences and traffic offences is conducted on a daily basis though the works of Roads Policing Unit, SALCU, CREST and SNT. Roads Policing also conduct numerous road safety operations through the year to directly improve road safety; through vehicle check sites, document checks, responding to reports of dangerous driving, intelligence on offending or high risk drivers, enforcing vehicle defects, and enforcing drink or drug driving, excess speed, not wearing seatbelts and using mobile devices while driving.
Examples of activity conducted across 2022 can be found on the accompanying Performance Scrutiny Meeting report on sections 7.4 and 7.8 which provides summaries of activity, including vehicles stopped and offences detected on Operation Tramline and other NPCC campaigns.
For example – In 2022, Operation Tramline, a road safety initiative run in partnership with National Highways, consisted of 27 days of operational activity across 5 operations, and in total saw 417 vehicles stopped, and 441 offences detected, including 29 vehicles seized and 55 prohibition notices (PG9’s) issued. Offences detected included 112 mobile phones offences, 17 no seatbelt offences, 53 insecure loads, 33 tyre defects, 21 dangerous condition, 25 number plate offences, 32 overweight vehicles, 7 illegal window tints, 17 not in proper control of the vehicle offences, 25 no insurance, 19 no driving licence, 3 disqualified drivers, and 3 without MOT, amongst other offences identified at static vehicle check sites and from patrols on the Strategic road network.
There is no offence of parking close to the mouth of a junction unless it is clearly dangerous except for being within 10m of a junction during the hours of darkness. If an officer witnesses this, they do have the option to issue the vehicle or driver if present, with a Traffic Offence Report (TOR). The police are not responsible for road maintenance or road design, that role rests with the local council Highway Authorities.