x
Share:
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner is asking local people and other agencies for their support in making the region’s road safer.
Jane Kennedy has launched a region-wide consultation asking people for their views on her existing policing priorities for Merseyside and is specifically asking whether they back her proposal to make ‘improving road safety’ a new priority for the region.
Since 2010, Merseyside has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads. In 2015, more than 11 people died or were seriously hurt every week on Merseyside’s roads. The region also saw more pedestrians killed or seriously hurt than anywhere else in the country.
The consultation is at the heart of the Commissioner’s work to produce a new Police and Crime Plan. Jane is required by law to produce a Plan, which shapes and informs the way policing and community safety is delivered in the county. The Plan sets out the clear priorities on which the Commissioner and her partners will focus their work and the ways in which Merseyside Police will use its resources to deliver excellent policing for the communities of Merseyside.
Jane’s current plan was created in September 2015 and runs until March 2017, when she will release a new report which will cover until March 2021. Her existing priorities are to:
- Prevent crime and anti-social behaviour
- Provide a visible and accessible neighbourhood policing style
- Tackle serious and organised crime
- Support victims, protect vulnerable people and maintain public safety
Now the Commissioner is asking local people if these are still the right priorities for the region or if there are any other emerging issues that they feel should be addressed. She is holding a six-week public consultation which will run until Monday 16 January 2017, with the aim of seeking the views of local leaders, partners and members of the public on her existing priorities and asking whether they believe improving road safety, or any other issue, should be added as a fifth priority.
Jane said: “Merseyside’s Police and Crime Plan is a really important document, so it’s vital I take everyone’s views into consideration before changing it. I want to make sure it reflects the views and concerns of people across the county.
“My existing priorities were based on the consultation I did before and after being elected in 2012 and the ongoing consultation which I carried out continuously during my first term of office. This feedback provided the foundations for the Police and Crime Plan for Merseyside. Now I have the mandate from the public to serve a second term, I believe it’s the right time to take a fresh look at the Plan and make sure these priorities still echo the expectations and wishes of local people.
“I have become increasingly concerned about road safety in Merseyside. More pedestrians die or are seriously hurt on the roads in our region than any other part of the country.
“Last year 585 people either lost their lives or suffered serious injuries on our region’s roads – that equates to more than 11 people every single week. Any death or serious injury on our roads is one too many and 11 a week is simply unacceptable. Each and every one brings suffering and misery to those who are involved, their families and friends. Lives are broken and futures destroyed, yet many of these collisions are avoidable.
“I believe it is time that, in conjunction with all my community safety partners, we concentrate on tackling this issue to prevent other people needlessly losing their lives on our roads.
“What I want is to hear the views of local people – is improving the safety of roads a priority for you too?”
Jane is inviting people to have their say on her #MyPriority consultation via a short online survey or by attending one of the six community roadshows that will be held across the region. Details of these will be released shortly.
Members of the public are also invited to have their say via Twitter using the hashtag #MyPriority and the Commissioner’s twitter handle @MerseysidePCC.
Jane added: “I would urge everyone to join the conversation and help to finalise the priorities I’m setting for policing and community safety in Merseyside.
A range of stakeholder engagement events will also be held to seek the views of partners. The Police and Crime Plan is a living document which is continuously reviewed to ensure it continues to accurately reflect local priorities. It can be refreshed at any time.
People are asked to visit www.merseysidepcc.info/my-priority.aspx to share their views by Monday 16 January 2017. Alternatively feedback can be emailed to info@merseysidepcc.info or sent to Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, Rose Lane, Allerton, Liverpool, L18 6JE.
Back to blog