Safe Speed Forums

From the Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ACTOR.html

Police target rural bikers with roadside speed cameras hidden in horseboxes and even a TRACTOR
Humberside Police deploying officers with speed cameras in rural vehicles
These include a tractor horsebox at the side of the B1253 in East Yorkshire
Operation is part of clampdown on speeding bikers on high collision road
But one biker caught out by the hidden camera is outraged by new tactics

By Sam Tonkin For Mailonline

Published: 11:05, 29 September 2015 | Updated: 12:47, 29 September 2015

Police officers have taken to hiding out in tractors and horseboxes in a bid to clampdown on speeding bikers on a high casualty rural road, it has emerged.

Humberside Police admitted it had employed the new tactics as part of an ongoing aim to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured on the B1253 in East Yorkshire.

But the move has sparked anger among motorists 'caught out' by the unusual method, with one biker critical of handheld speed cameras being used in unmarked police vehicles.

Humberside Police insisted that it was within the rules for handheld speed guns to be used by police officers in unmarked roadside vehicles, despite Government guidelines stating otherwise.

A note on the legislative basis for speed cameras says that 'vehicles from which mobile speed cameras can be deployed should be liveried and clearly identifiable as an enforcement vehicle'.

The man, who did not want to be named, claims he took these photographs of a police officer with a camera inside a John Deere tractor between Bridlington and York at 10.30am on Sunday.

He said: 'There had been rumours there was a tractor being used, but I couldn't believe it when I saw the horsebox the first week and then the tractor too.

'As I walked towards the tractor and past it I heard some bikes coming and sure enough they were stopped afterwards.

'Looking at the tractor I was immediately suspicious as the tyres don't have a scratch or a bit of mud on them.

'Don't get me wrong the police helped me recently when I was knocked off my bike but I don't think they should be hiding cameras like this.'

RULES ON USE OF SPEED CAMERAS

Government guidelines state that vehicles from which mobile speed cameras can be deployed should be liveried and clearly identifiable as an enforcement vehicle.

Visibility of the livery should be maintained during enforcement, e.g. where it is necessary for the doors to be open, markings or livery should be apparent to approaching traffic in the direction of enforcement.

If the police officer is undertaking enforcement away from the vehicle, he or she should be conspicuous by wearing high-visibility clothing, the guidance states.

When approached by MailOnline, Humberside Police said there were no issues with speed cameras in rural vehicles being used as a tactic and 'no further explanation is required'.
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A spokesman for Humberside Police confirmed that rural vehicles were being used as part of a cost-cutting measure to extend the work of Operation Achilles.

Previously the scheme involved the use of marked motorcycles at the roadside but rather than continuing to invest in these the force deemed it cheaper to purchase a tractor and horsebox.

There have been 76 collisions on the B1253 in the past decade, 19 of which were serious and three fatal.

Inspector Mark Hughes from Humberside Police Road Policing said: 'At the moment Humberside Police are conducting Operation Kansas in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

'This operation runs alongside the well-established and much publicised Operation Achilles. It is concerned with "high-end" speeding offenders in East Riding, deploying speed cameras, which are located in a variety of stationary vehicles.

'Vehicles which are detected travelling at very high speeds are stopped further along the road and drivers/riders are spoken to and dealt with at the roadside.

'Although the majority of offenders are motorcycles, a number of cars are also dealt with on this operation. We regularly record speeds in the high 90s and over 100 mph, these being on country roads where the national speed limit of 60 mph is in force.'

He added: 'It goes without saying that such speeds on these roads are inherently dangerous, particularly when you consider how many side roads and field entrances there are.

Aim: The force said it was trying to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed on the B1253 in East Yorkshire. There have been 76 collisions on the road over the past decade, 19 of which were serious and three fatal

'Someone pulling out onto the road does not expect a vehicle coming towards them at such high speeds, the likelihood of a catastrophic collision is raised considerably.

'This operation is aimed at the small percentage of riders/drivers, who insist on driving at dangerously high speeds on our country roads, not only endangering themselves, but other innocent road users.'

In 2011, the last year for which figures are available, 36,336 drivers were caught speeding across Humberside.

Of those, 19,200 went on a speed awareness course, generating £1.8million which went towards road safety campaigns and the cost of running the courses.

A further 13,573 drivers were given a £60 fine and three penalty points. That generated £814,380, which went to the Treasury.

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Anyone who tells you that nothing is impossible has never bathed in a saucer of water.

I guess takings must be down then?

I'm sure the "hiding in a horse box" technique was tried a few years ago by "the mad mullah of the traffic taliban" Brunstrom in North Wales. (That utopian haven of road safety which as a result of his "zero tolerance" policies was SO much safer than other parts of the UK)! [\sarcasm]

I remember works journeys to the East side. One of the things that frustrated me was the string of traffic caught up behind slow moving tractors, something I see locally. But do we see police puling them over for causing obstruction - no,because that would involve police case in court, and if successful, the fine going to HMG. Makes better financial sense to concentrate on speeding and send the offenders on a SAC, WHERE THE LOCAL SCP MAKE A PROFIT. And yet it's "all about safety". (Now where's that flying pig smilie when I need it ?)

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on