Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone today revealed new figures that show that police collisions have increased by 60% in a year.

The figures revealed in a Parliamentary answer to Ms Featherstone show that in 2002/03 there were 1,259 collisions that involved injuring an individual. By 2003/04 there were 2,015 – an increase of 60%. Forces with the highest increase in collisions over the last year were:

·Metropolitan Police with a 662% increase

·Nottinghamshire with a 340% increase

·Bedfordshire with a 222% increase

·Devon and Cornwall with a 144% increase

Lynne Featherstone MP, 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.

“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.”

Notes:

The figures revealed in Parliamentary answer to the Lynne Featherstone are in Hansard.

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.