Fwd: co-signing close pass letter

[richard attwood]

Everyone OK we support this? I'm assuming so unless I hear different today. 

Richard

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Dexter Johnstone" <dexterj...@googlemail.com>
Date: 19 Apr 2017 11:30
Subject: co-signing close pass letter
To: "richard attwood" <attwood...@gmail.com>, "Ian Loasby" <ilo...@gmail.com>
Cc:

Hello,

Would 20's plenty and Living Streets co-sign the letter to the SYP PCC about close pass initiative? 

Here is the draft. Let me know what you think. Dexter

Dear Alan,

I am writing to you on behalf of CycleSheffield to request that South Yorkshire Police adopt a ‘close pass’ initiative to improve the safety of vulnerable road users, similar to the one that West Midlands Police (WMP) and many other forces are now running.

We understand that officers from SYP attended the WMP workshop in January but we have not had confirmation that SYP intend to adopt the initiative.

More information on the ‘close pass’ initiative run by West Midlands Police can be read here. WMP road policing blog has more detailed information and explanation for the adoption of this initiative.

South Yorkshire has a worse per capita KSI rate for cyclists than the West Midlands (data from police STATS19 database) and the adoption of such a scheme would help improve both the safety and perception of safety of cycling in our region.

We appreciate that police resources are under intense pressure due to central government's ongoing austerity programme, however, WMP have stated that their close pass initiative is 'cost neutral'.  Cycling U.K. are crowdfunding the mats used to educate drivers over safe passing distances which they are making available to every police force.

We believe that people who drive poorly/dangerously around cyclists are likely to do the same around other road users and therefore this initiative will benefit all road users, not just cyclists. It is clear from reading WMP reports that drivers stopped for driving dangerously around cyclists are often committing other motoring offences (no insurance, no tax, drunk/drug driving etc).

WMP have stated that "Our time and effort ... is better spent enforcing the law and prosecuting, thus creating a scenario whereby should someone not give a cyclist the time and space necessary or fail to see them completely they should expect to be prosecuted". This is the approach we would welcome and support from SYP.

Regards,

Dexter Johnstone